Smart Door Locks

[Ready]

Has anyone installed a smart door lock in their home? The door knob on the door that leads from our laundry room to the garage failed and I need to replace it.

We currently have a Schlage digital lock that we installed years ago. It’s just a simple four digit password. It does not have WiFi or Bluetooth and it only supports a single four digit code.

I would like to replace it with something that gives us the ability to lock or unlock the door over the internet using WiFi, and also allows us to give out passcodes that can only be used on certain days, like for our house keeper. It would be nice if it unlocked the door when it senses our phone is within reach.

I’m a little confused on whether I need to replace the deadbolt or keep the one that the Schlage lock uses. I know I need a new doorknob as well but I guess that would be independent of the smart lock?

 

[fosterscik]

We have Lockly locks installed on our garage and front doors.
https://lockly.com/products/lockly-secure-pro
We have the deadbolt versions and keep the regular door handle. They do all that you want, but also have a very useful fingerprint recognition unlock. We really like them. The only downside I see is that the fingerprint reader is mounted on the side. So if it faces the door jamb there's not a lot of room to use your finger.

 

[mpeirce]

Has anyone installed a smart door lock in their home? The door knob on the door that leads from our laundry room to the garage failed and I need to replace it.

We currently have a Schlage digital lock that we installed years ago. It’s just a simple four digit password. It does not have WiFi or Bluetooth and it only supports a single four digit code.

I would like to replace it with something that gives us the ability to lock or unlock the door over the internet using WiFi, and also allows us to give out passcodes that can only be used on certain days, like for our house keeper. It would be nice if it unlocked the door when it senses our phone is within reach.

I’m a little confused on whether I need to replace the deadbolt or keep the one that the Schlage lock uses. I know I need a new doorknob as well but I guess that would be independent of the smart lock?

We have the Schlage smart sense deadbolt and it works very well with apple homekit (they have other models for other smart home systems). We can give out unique code and such, but our main uses are: 1. The front door always locks around bedtime and 2. We can walk up to the door and just say hey Siri lock the door as we leave or unlock the door when we walk up to the locked door using our apple watches. Very handy.

Reliability has been good.

 

[WestUniversity]

This is what we installed. So far it’s great. You can assign temporary codes that are only active for a specified period, for instance when someone is watching your home while you’re on vacation. You can also send a digital key. Any code you issue can be assigned to a contact so that you know who is coming and going and when they are doing so.

The only negative I could say would be that it uses 4 AA batteries and they only last a few months. It would have been better if they had used a 9 volt battery. Smaller than four AA’s and would probably last longer…


https://www.amazon.com/Schlage-Dead...+encode&qid=1623981682&sprefix=schlage&sr=8-3

 

[Ready]

Both the Schlage and Lockly locks look like great solutions. I would like the door to automatically unlock when it detects my Iphone nearby. Can either of these locks do this?

 

[WestUniversity]

I don’t think the Schlage has geofencing. If so I have not run across that feature. I can however bring up the app and unlock it with my phone or simply input the owner code…

 

[mpeirce]

This is what we installed. So far it’s great. You can assign temporary codes that are only active for a specified period, for instance when someone is watching your home while you’re on vacation. You can also send a digital key. Any code you issue can be assigned to a contact so that you know who is coming and going and when they are doing so.

I like being able to unlock the door remotely. Last week my DB had a code, but forgot it. He called and I just unlocked the door from my phone.

 

[mpeirce]

I don’t think the Schlage has geofencing.

I don’t use the Schlage app, but homekit can trigger any automation when people arrive or leave a house. You can trigger on specific people arrive or leave or “when the first person arrives”

 

[Dash man]

We use the Schlage Smart Sense locks at our Jersey Shore house, which we use for short term rentals during the summer. It works great. We give the tenants a code good for their week. The cleaning service gets their own code, as do any contractors we use. I can add or delete new codes from our home in Pennsylvania. Codes can be set to be active to/from specific dates/times. I get notifications when the door is locked or unlocked and by whom.

 

[CitizenK]

We have this August Wi-Fi Smart Lock (well, we have the previous generation... they have updated it). It has the features you need. The geofencing auto-unlocks the door when we get home, and works 95% of the time. The rare times it hasn't unlocked- you can ask Siri or use a phone or Apple Watch app. I've been pleased with the August lock and it adds some real convenience. This lock uses your existing deadbolt.

 

[Ready]

We have this August Wi-Fi Smart Lock (well, we have the previous generation... they have updated it). It has the features you need. The geofencing auto-unlocks the door when we get home, and works 95% of the time. The rare times it hasn't unlocked- you can ask Siri or use a phone or Apple Watch app. I've been pleased with the August lock and it adds some real convenience. This lock uses your existing deadbolt.

I have been reading a lot about the August locks too. The reviews mention that Auto Unlock sometimes does not work. I was thinking that if I add the optional keypad I have a backup solution that doesn’t require getting my phone out and fiddling with the app if the Auto Unlock doesn’t work. Did you get the keypad?

 

[The Cosmic Avenger]

The only negative I could say would be that it uses 4 AA batteries and they only last a few months. It would have been better if they had used a 9 volt battery. Smaller than four AA’s and would probably last longer…

We have this Kwikset lock, and it has the same battery config and life as WestUniversity describes. It works well with the SmartThings app, which is great if you have a Samsung device, as it appears in the Devices panel, but otherwise you may want to add a SmartThings hub.

I have a friend in IT who is an EE, he chose the Nest x Yale smart lock, which has me thinking about it if I ever need to replace mine.

When I replaced mine I kept the deadbolt, but I don't know if they will always fit, you're probably better off using whatever is included with the new lock, and yes, the doorknob is a separate but adjacent project.

 

[CitizenK]

I have been reading a lot about the August locks too. The reviews mention that Auto Unlock sometimes does not work. I was thinking that if I add the optional keypad I have a backup solution that doesn’t require getting my phone out and fiddling with the app if the Auto Unlock doesn’t work. Did you get the keypad?

I did not get the keypad for the August lock. We already have a keypad for the garage door opener, so that's our backup, along with the phone/watch apps.

 

[fosterscik]

Both the Schlage and Lockly locks look like great solutions. I would like the door to automatically unlock when it detects my Iphone nearby. Can either of these locks do this?

No geofencing of the Lockly locks. I suppose it could be added at a later date by the Lockly software gurus. It can be wifi unlocked and temporary codes can easily be added and removed. We have codes for our pet sitter and our kids, but most of the time use the fingerprint reader ourselves. It has a "lock to a schedule" function and auto relock after a fixed interval but I don't use those functions. I find the wifi connection most useful when I want to check if I actually locked the door when I'm a couple of miles down the road

 

[Ready]

I think I like the August lock with the keypad the best. I am not at all mechanically inclined. Should I hire someone to do this or could a total novice like me handle the installation?

 

[CitizenK]

I think I like the August lock with the keypad the best. I am not at all mechanically inclined. Should I hire someone to do this or could a total novice like me handle the installation?

I installed the August lock, and it was pretty simple, but I would consider myself mechanically inclined. There are installation guides here on their website. You could check those out and see if you're comfortable trying it yourself.

Also on YouTube... Installing the August Wi-Fi Smart Lock

 

[Ready]

I installed the August lock, and it was pretty simple, but I would consider myself mechanically inclined. There are installation guides here on their website. You could check those out and see if you're comfortable trying it yourself.

Also on YouTube... Installing the August Wi-Fi Smart Lock

Thanks. I watched a few YouTube videos and I think I’ve concluded that my current setup won’t support the August lock. I currently have an old Schlage digital lock that is a complete self contained unit. The August unit is a “retrofit” unit that works with an existing deadbolt. My unit is not a traditional deadbolt. I can’t keep the outside part of the lock because it is a digital lock itself. So I guess I need to either buy a deadbolt lock to go with the August unit or go with a complete self contained smart lock system like the Schlage or Lockly unit.

 

[zinger1457]

Yale has a smart door lock, both lever and deadbolt only, that does many of the things requested including auto unlock. It should be an easy swap out with the digital Schlage lock you currently have installed. I also have an older Schlage digital deadbolt lock on my door, not a smartlock but one benefit is the battery last a long time. Just replaced the battery for the first time at the beginning of the year, it lasted over 5 years, I'm guessing with the new wi-fi smart locks batteries will need to be replaced yearly if not more often.

 

[Cobra9777]

I installed the Lockly that's been mentioned a couple times. It's the Lockly Secure Pro deadbolt lock, with a separate handle. I did not buy the WiFi hub. So no locking/unlocking over the internet and no geofencing. You can still lock/unlock and do other things with your smartphone, but you have to be within bluetooth range.

You lock it by just tapping the screen when you walk out. We also have it set to auto-lock after 5 minutes. So even if we forget to tap the screen, which has happened, it locks itself. That's another reason I didn't bother with the Wifi hub.

There are 4 ways to unlock: fingerprint sensor, 8-digit code, smartphone, and physical key. Mostly we use the fingerprint sensor. We also set up our kids for the fingerprint reader. And we've used the temporary code functionality to let contractors come in when we're not there.

It works well, extremely reliable. I've only replaced the batteries once in 2 years. It was super-easy to install. It probably took longer to go through all the settings in the app than it did to install the lock in the door.

 

[Ready]

Yale has a smart door lock, both lever and deadbolt only, that does many of the things requested including auto unlock. It should be an easy swap out with the digital Schlage lock you currently have installed. I also have an older Schlage digital deadbolt lock on my door, not a smartlock but one benefit is the battery last a long time. Just replaced the battery for the first time at the beginning of the year, it lasted over 5 years, I'm guessing with the new wi-fi smart locks batteries will need to be replaced yearly if not more often.

Thanks for the tip! I looked at the Yale lock briefly but didn’t pay that much attention to it until you mentioned it again. It turns out that August was acquired by Assa Abloy in 2017. They are a giant Swedish conglomerate that also owns Yale. So they integrated the August software into the Yale smart lock so now whether you buy August or Yale you use the same software.

The Yale lock has everything I need. A digital keypad, auto lock/unlock based on geofencing, built in WiFi with no external bridge, and an integrated deadbolt. And it uses standard AA batteries which are economical and easy to replace

I ordered it on Amazon for delivery tomorrow. I’ll give it a try to do the installation myself and if I’m not comfortable I can pay $99 for someone to install it for me.

 

[harley]

I am just starting to consider smart locks. Does anyone know if non-usage such as snowbirding for months at a time will extend battery life? If I'm away from that house for 6 months or so will I come back to dead batteries?

 

[Cobra9777]

I am just starting to consider smart locks. Does anyone know if non-usage such as snowbirding for months at a time will extend battery life? If I'm away from that house for 6 months or so will I come back to dead batteries?

With the Lockly that I have, you still have a physical key to use if you ever come home to a dead battery. If you don't have the key, there's also some terminals on the bottom of the outside unit that can be used to temporarily power it up with a 9-volt battery. We use the Lockly without WiFi and batteries seem to last about a year with normal usage. So 6 months with no usage should be no problem.

 

[zinger1457]

I ordered it on Amazon for delivery tomorrow. I’ll give it a try to do the installation myself and if I’m not comfortable I can pay $99 for someone to install it for me.

If you have time would appreciate a review after you've had a chance to install and use it. I've been looking at the Yale model with the lever for my garage interior door. As long as you have a standard size door the physical install shouldn't be difficult, might take some time configuring it with the app and learning all the features.

 

[Ready]

If you have time would appreciate a review after you've had a chance to install and use it. I've been looking at the Yale model with the lever for my garage interior door. As long as you have a standard size door the physical install shouldn't be difficult, might take some time configuring it with the app and learning all the features.

Yes, definitely. I’ve very comfortable with the technology aspect of it because I have an IT background but I’m all thumbs with anything mechanical, so we’ll see how successful I am at getting it installed. If not I have a local handyman that can come by to get it done.

 

[Ready]

I am just starting to consider smart locks. Does anyone know if non-usage such as snowbirding for months at a time will extend battery life? If I'm away from that house for 6 months or so will I come back to dead batteries?

I bought the version without a physical key because I have a side door to the garage as well as the main garage door so I will not be locked out of the house. But if I was using this on an entry door to a unit that only has one door to access the home I would definitely get the version that includes a physical lock and key.