Smart Locks Part 3

Smart Locks again

Is now the right time for a smart lock?

Smart speakers, smart cars, smart fridges, smart thermostats, smart light bulbs, the list goes on and on. In that list are a massive number of smart locks. You can find them all over the internet, from the very cheap to the ultra expensive, basic to very flashy.

But the big problem with almost all of them, is that they will compromise your security, or you will need a whole load of other stuff to make them work. If you have smart locks on a standard wooden door in the UK, the chances are it will be a latch lock. The problem here is that UK insurance companies don’t like latch locks because the latch can be ‘slipped,’ an attack method that can silently take seconds to get into your home with the correct, very cheap equipment. British Standard (BS3621) latches are allowed but the springs are much stronger on these making smart conversions a bad idea as there is a good chance of over-burdening the turning motor inside smart locks. There are solutions for wooden doors, but you should really expect to allow a further £200 minimum for the needed conversions, and it would be much better to consult your local locksmith to ensure the end result will meet your insurance company requirements.

If you have a door with a euro cylinder (the type where you normally lift the handles before locking/unlocking), then insurance requirements are not the issue. The issue is the whole lifting handle before your smart locks can do anything smart. For example, on a standard door, you will have to either not fully lock your door when you leave, (only possible if the outer handle is a dummy handle that does not retract the latch) or you lift handles, use your phone to do what the key would have done and leave. Then, when you come back, you use your phone to unlock, physically push the handles down to disengage the bolts, etc, and then use your phone again to open the latch and have the door swing open because that is what you wanted the smart locks for – to have the door open for you when you are carrying lots of stuff. So here, you gain nothing over a straight forward key. I do know of one company that does a complete smart lock/handle, but it is stupidly expensive, only works with the same brand locking system, and the two I have fitted both failed to set up properly.

So my advice is this. Think long and hard about smart locks. First and foremost, is it going to compromise your security? Secondly, is it actually going to make life easier? Is getting out and firing up your smart phone, searching for the app, searching for the right button within the app, turning it all back off again, etc, actually better than just pulling out your key and turning the lock? Thirdly, ask your local locksmith, and if your locksmith suggests an alternative, ask him/her to explain exactly how their solution meets the above requirements.

Thanks for reading

Previous Smart Lock blog here