Are Smart Door Locks Safe & Secure?

When everything is getting digitized, how can your door locks be left behind? Smart locks have long replaced deadbolts and performed fair enough ever since. But despite being technologically advanced and smart, smart locks aren’t flawless. A few instances of power outages and lock picking have left the users wondering if these smart door locks or safe or just fancy? If you’re also thinking of installing a smart security system but aren’t sure if you can trust it, you’re in the right place.

Since understanding smart locks is not a straight road, we have put together a quick list of pros and cons to assist your decision. No matter which smart lock you’re looking at, understanding its bright and iffy points is wise. So, let’s dig further down to see if your home needs a smart lock.

Smart Home Locks – Safe or Not?

Let’s get right to the point. Yes, a smart home lock is safe and secure if your smart home security system is from a reliable tech company. It’s doubtlessly better than a traditional deadbolt lock, because you can enjoy remote access, surveillance, and timely updates with a smart lock system, regardless of your whereabouts.

But, if you’re not well-versed with smart systems and aren’t interested either, your traditional lock will also work fine. Sure, smart locks are more convenient, sleek, and updated, but they only strengthen your home’s security if they are capable enough. That’s why purchasing your home’s security system from an accredited and experienced company is inevitable.

Once you install a smart lock, you can easily keep the above-listed risks at bay. Regularly change your smart lock password, don’t share the Wi-Fi password, and always keep your lock app updated. Once you have covered these aspects, your smart lock will be safe and secure. Keep an eye on the advanced lock systems to pick the best one and understand its nuances before installing it.   

Advantages of Installing a Smart Lock

Sure, you’re quite impressed by hotels and high-security buildings’ smart entrances, but do you need that for your home? Isn’t your deadbolt working just fine, and all you need is a key to enter your property? Yes, these are solid points, but smart door locks are here for a reason. These locks offer incredible syncing, smart access, and connectivity, something we all need in this digital era.

When you’re locked out of your home or need to let someone in, you unlock the main door with one tap, and that’s all. No more lost keys or making separate copies of the key for everyone because these high-tech locks are here to offer ease of access. Let’s now look at the advantages of smart locks:

Remote Access

You don’t have to get the door every time someone rings the bell because you can do it with a single tap on the screen. Smart locks provide remote access to the users to lock or unlock their property from miles away. If your housekeeper comes to your place after you’re gone to work, you can let them enter remotely. They won’t have your home’s smart key, and they’ll only enter/exit when you let them.

The remote access feature has made smart locks insanely popular in modern homes. When all family members have different routines, you need a security system that everyone understands instead of traditional keyed locks. A technologically-advanced safe lock doesn’t make you leave your couch to get the door because your device will do it.

Smart Syncing

If you have smart lights, security cameras, and a home assistant at your place, a well-integrated smart lock is the only missing link. You can sync a smart lock with your bigger security system and see what goes around your property. A smart lock’s ability to sync with other devices depends upon its model and manufacturer. When you purchase a system after doing your research, you don’t have to question its credibility because its smart features will live up to your expectations.

Once you sync your main door’s lock with the security cameras, you can lock/unlock the door from afar within seconds. If you lead a busy life where most things are already digitized, include your home lock in the loop to enjoy maximum security.

Security: Stay in The Know

If your smart lock is integrated with the CCTV cameras, you can see who’s entering your property no matter where you are. If you live in a not-so-safe area where burglary and trespassing are common, don’t rely on the traditional locks. You need an undefeatable Wi-Fi smart lock system that others can’t figure out. A Bluetooth-integrated smart lock will safeguard your property so that others can’t guess the password or break it open, and you experience excellent security around your property.

Door Access at Your Fingertips

No more forgetting keys or, worse of all, losing them. If your smartphone is safe with you, so is your smart lock. Bluetooth-enabled and keypad door locks won’t make you wait for someone to open the door because they click open within seconds. Also, if you want to avoid risks like others guessing your security lock, you do it with a smart-home system. Modern electronic locks don’t have keypads or screens where you punch in the code; they operate via smart devices and PIN codes. And unless an authorized and verified mobile phone is near your smart lock, it won’t open.

Potential Risks of Using a Smart Lock

Here comes the real deal – can keyless locks beat standard locks in security and reliability? If you’re trying to grasp the concept of smart locks and the level of security they provide, be ready to find some loopholes as well. Here are the primary aspects of these smart locks you might come across:

Power Outage

Imagine you getting used to the keyless convenience, and there’s a sudden power failure. What would you do? Some users have questioned their buildings’ locks going completely keyless after facing power outages and restricted access. But that’s not something you should fret over because most smart door locks are battery-operated. Since they are not dependent on your home’s electricity, a power failure cannot impact your keyless door lock.

Battery Replacement

Sure, your smart locks work with voice control or have motion detection, but what if its battery runs out? That’s when you’ll have the batteries to keep your lock system up and running. A smart lock system’s battery life depends upon its manufacturing and additional features like voice activation, camera connectivity, and motion detection. But the good thing is, you can ensure your home’s lock system is always active by timely replacing its batteries, keeping a battery backup, and performing a maintenance check.

Hacking Threats

Any online system can get hacked and surpassed; your smart lock is no exception. If you pick an easy-to-guess smart lock password or the system is not smart enough to begin with, forget keeping your property safe. Most modern smart lock systems offer fingerprint locks, voice controls, and Wi-Fi connectivity to add an extra layer of security and prevent potential security risks.

Firmware Bugs

Incomplete or unauthorized firmware updates can risk your system’s reliability. Therefore, you have to keep up with the available system and app updates. Although firmware-related problems won’t impact your experience with a smart lock, keeping them away is better.

Phone Theft

This is the primary concern of new smart lock users – what if my device gets stolen or I forget it somewhere? Does that mean I’ll be locked out of my place for God knows how long? Well, that’s not exactly how things work. Every smart lock has a backup or side key to avoid such situations. Some of these systems have fingerprint locks to provide you with uninterrupted access, while others have user codes. If you lose your smart device or cannot connect it to the system, you’ll always have a backup. So even if you lose your mobile, you can still enter your home!

Leave a Comment