Smart Lock Installation: getting ready

You have just taken possession of the house and the previous owners handed over a keypad deadbolt with a code nobody wrote down and an app account you cannot get into. It needs to become yours, properly, or be replaced.

Worth answering before the call

Should the door lock itself after it closes? How strong is the Wi-Fi signal when you stand at that door? Do you want codes only, phone control, alerts, or all three?

What is the difference between a keypad lock, a Bluetooth lock and a Wi-Fi lock?

A keypad lock is operated at the door by code and needs no phone at all. A Bluetooth lock adds phone control when you are within a few metres, which covers most daily use and keeps the lock off the internet. A Wi-Fi lock, either built in or through a small bridge, lets you check and change the lock from anywhere and sends alerts, at the cost of more battery use and a dependence on the home network. Many models combine two of these.

Can the back door and garage door be put on the same system?

Yes, in one of two ways. Each door can get its own smart lock, all managed from the same app and account, with the same codes working at every door. Or, where the cylinders share a compatible keyway, the other doors can stay mechanical and be rekeyed so a single key operates them and the smart lock's override cylinder alike. Many households do the front door first and add the others later; the account and the codes carry across.