Want a fancy new keypad, electronic, keyless, wizbang lock? We supply and install Schlage, Weiser, Emtek and August.
These things will really save you time and energy while you are fumbling in the dark with your fully loaded reusable grocery bags in both hands.
Plus your neighbours have one, and it is good to keep up with your neighbours. In terms of locks, that is.
Keypad locks are great for convenience, but by all means keep the backup key with you, or outside the house somewhere safe, in case the electronics go funky or you forget your code.
Most of these locks come in different colours to match your other locks, handles, exterior trim or grass colour: brass, satin chrome, satin silver, black, dark grey gun metal, venetian bronze.
When choosing a keypad deadbolt, it is best to have the bottom handle not lockable. Some handles have locks on them, which is okay too if you want to lock it as well. It just means the keypad will not let people in.
We are not too picky about which model you choose. We have worked with them all. Here are the eight we know best.
the eight
This has been around for ten years or so and is well tested. We like this model because it is good on batteries. It is semi-automatic: you lock the bolt manually with your hand after a magnetic catch is released by the correct code.
Sometimes tricky to install, because the main hole where your deadbolt sits needs to be a certain size.
This economical one is the one we have on our own house, believe it or not. Because there are no keys to it, it is actually pick proof. Not just virtually or theoretically or esoterically.
This one is best on a secondary door, just in case you still need a key backup for when you get amnesia and the code will not come to you. If the batteries die, the bottom part of the keypad has a rubber cover, and under it are two 9V battery leads. Head to the dollar store, or to your friendly neighbour if you have one, and borrow a 9V to save yourself the grief.
It is fully motorized, so we make sure the bolt goes in and out of the strike hole smoothly for ideal operation.
Technote: best suited to larger centre bore holes. We have also hacked and customized this model in our lab into a high security lock that is very hard to get through.
These are like the PBONE but add a key backup. Good, safe, popular choices.
Insider tips: the CODE10 has more numbers on the keypad. The CODE5 does not need the extra lock button pressed at the end of the code, which is the best usability of the three.
A fully motorized Schlage with a key hole backup. A good choice in the Schlage brand.
It also has connectivity options over the internet, though you will have to buy additional computer hubs to control the Zigbee or Z-Wave side through Alexa or Google Home.
We installed one on an interior medical office door in Calgary in February 2020, to protect sensitive records, with the auto locking function set to 30 seconds.
When you have made your millions and want to enjoy it, this is the best lock money can buy. High end quality. Bling.
We installed one near Inglewood in Calgary in January 2020.
Get this if you want wireless connectivity over Wifi in a Schlage, with the top of the line features.
We installed one for a customer near Chaparral, Calgary, in January 2020. The prior lock was also a Schlage, but our astute customer wanted the latest wifi setup. These are useful as well when you want to control an AirBnB remotely.
Get this if you want your phone to operate your Weiser lock through an app.
This one is a pass for us. It looks like people are having problems with batteries and with connection issues through the app.
questions from the crowd
If it is on a door to your heated home and the batteries are new, it is usually okay. If the batteries are weak, or it is on an unheated garage or shed, it is iffy, so be sure to have a key backup.
The electronic keypad part of the lock is not much of one. There has been no published lock research we have seen revealing a way to break in through the keypad electronics. And if such a method existed, it would probably be better time spent messing about with an ATM. :)
The rest of the lock, the keyhole if it has one and the mechanical deadbolt part, has the same considerations as a lock without the electronics.
At your service,
David Locksmith (since 1982) 24 Hour
403-280-2993 txt or call
davidlocksmith1982@gmail.com
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