Electronic Door Locks- why, how, what?
Why Electronic Locks More and More Popular
The days of locking your keys in the house or forgetting to lock the door can be a thing of the past, thanks to the variety of affordable electronic door locks on the market. Once the domain of the wealthy for entry to their multimillion dollar estates, an electronic door lock can now grace your front door for a few hundred dollars.
Entry Methods: RFID, Keypad, Biometric, and Bluetooth
Most electronic door locks come with one or more means of entry, which include RFID, keypad, biometric (fingerprint), or Bluetooth.
Early electronic locks used keypads with a pin number for entry. Keypads are still popular, although newer models use touch screen panels instead of buttons and include security features to help prevent burglars from figuring out the code.
Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) locks use a key fob or card for entry. With RFID technology, you may not have to remove the key fob from your pocket or purse, meaning no more fumbling in the dark or trying to find your keys when your arms are full to enter your home.
Bluetooth-enabled locks operate in a similar way, sensing your smartphone’s Bluetooth ID and opening when you approach. Most Bluetooth and RFID locks also use a secondary means of electronic entry, in case your battery dies or you lose your key fob or cell phone.
Biometric entry uses fingerprint identification to open the lock. If you’ve used this feature on your smartphone or laptop, you understand how it works. All you do is program your fingerprint, or those you want to have access to your home, and the system knows this is an acceptable person to unlock for.
When Electronic Locks Get “Smart”
Some electronic locks can open remotely via an app and can integrate with your home automation system for added security and protection, placing them in the category of “smart” technology.
For example, if your alarm system detects a flood in your basement while you’re on vacation and sends you an alert, you can call your neighbor to go check on the problem. While you’re sitting on the beach, you can unlock the door for the neighbor and lock it again after they’ve remedied the situation and left. By the time you get home, you hardly realize there was a problem.
Our electronic door locks could mark your first foray into building a “smart home” or they may connect to and complement existing smart devices in your home for added convenience.
