6 Things to Know Before Choosing a Smart Lock for Your Apartment

jumpstarter | March 31, 2023

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If you’ve ever lived in or managed an apartment or high-rise condominium, you’re all too familiar with the challenges associated with securing individual units. For instance, traditional door locks can be difficult to manage and create security risks if keys are lost or copied. This is where the power of smart locks for apartments steps in.

Fortunately, the recent rise in smart home technology has made it easier than ever to secure an apartment door. With smart lock technology, landlords, tenants and property owners can manage their apartment door lock with ease.

How Do Apartment Smart Locks Work?

Smart locks work fundamentally the same as a traditional front door lock. They may function using a deadbolt, latch and lever, interconnected, or mortise style of lock construction. 

However, with a smart lock, a physical key is not required to operate its locking mechanism to enter a property. Additionally, users gain a complete access control system with comprehensive smart locks.

Smart locks provide greater flexibility for tenants, condo owners, and landlords to monitor the security and access of a residential property. They can also be used to upgrade an existing deadbolt or another type of apartment door lock.

For instance, Illinois landlords must rekey or change the door locks when a new tenant moves into a rental property they own or manage. With smart locks, transferring access from a landlord to a tenant is made easier and more efficient, as the entry code can be changed remotely.

Smart Door Lock Features

Smart locks are highly innovative and can be equipped with several home security features ideal for apartment and condo front doors. Some of the most common smart lock features include:

• Keyless entry
• Remote access
• Smartphone app control
• Real-time security alerts
• Access history log records
• Video monitoring
• Biometric identity verification tools

Benefits of Smart Door Locks for Apartments

Smart locks offer benefits for apartment and condo owners, landlords, and tenants that traditional door locks can’t provide—namely better convenience and security. They also help to improve tenant-landlord relationships by establishing clear access rules for an apartment.

Some of the primary benefits of using a smart lock for an apartment or condo, instead of a traditional lock, include:

• Increased security and safety: Smart locks allow residents greater control over who can unlock the door of their apartment or suite door. For instance, if a resident suspects their passcode has accidentally been shared without permission, they can quickly change it to a new code and eliminate that potential security risk.
• Convenience. A smart lock adds a new level of convenience for both landlords and tenants. For tenants, a smart lock eliminates the need to carry physical keys and gives greater control over who can access their home. For landlords, the need to hire a locksmith every time a new tenant moves in is greatly reduced.
• Cost-effectiveness. Smart locks are a relatively low-cost investment for landlords and property owners compared to a traditional door lock. Plus, they often reduce the need for maintenance (and associated costs) over time by eliminating the need to replace or rekey locks as often. 

Choosing the Best Smart Locks for Apartments and Condominiums

With so many options for smart locks on the market, landlords and property owners need to be sure they are choosing the best one for their apartments. Understanding the features and functions available in today’s smart lock market is essential to help you make the right selection. 

Let’s look at six common smart lock features you should review when shopping for a new smart lock for an apartment or condo unit door.

Connectivity

A stable Internet connection is required to operate a smart lock’s intelligent features and functions. How a lock accesses the internet varies, depending on the smart lock’s make, model, and overall capability. 

Your smart locks can connect to the internet via:

• Wifi: Wifi smart locks can connect to a building’s Internet or the lease holder’s private Internet service.
• Bluetooth. Locks with Bluetooth technology usually require an operator to connect their smartphone to their device and use a relevant app to control the locking mechanism.
• Hub/Gateway/Bridge. This allows multiple locks from one location to access the same internet source. Landlords and property managers that oversee the management of numerous smart locks may prefer this option, as it gives them greater control and management options.

When considering what smart locks to use, you also need to do research on what smart home hubs and make sure that the one you choose is compatible with your new locks. Though many smart locks have Bluetooth, this point of compatibility may be limited to your phone, and some smart locks don’t require a hub to work. 

Some of the more popular smart locks that have home hubs included are:

• Nest X Yale Lock, powered by Google
• Defiant’s Wifi Deadbolt, powered by Hubspace
• Defiant’s Single-Cylinder Smart Lock by Lockly
• Wyze’s Single-Cylinder Smart Lock, compatible with Alexa
• And more

Source: Pexels

Installation

When installing a smart lock, there are a few things you need to consider. 

First, how many smart locks will you be installing? If it’s for a single apartment door, you likely won’t need a model with network integration and management capabilities that requires a detailed installation plan.

However, if you’re transforming an entire building’s lock system, you should choose locks that you know will connect to a central control system and can be managed remotely.

Power Source

Smart locks must have a power source to operate. Depending on the model you select, this could be a battery, hardwired power source, or solar-powered solution.

Reviewing the energy consumption of each lock type should be part of your selection process to ensure that it fits your needs and budget. Fully keyless locks should have a reliable power source or have a long battery life to prevent residents from being locked out in the event it loses power.

User Access Control

Smart locks allow users to grant access to different people depending on their needs. For example, a landlord can issue access codes that are only valid for a specific time and have the ability to delete them remotely.

Additionally, some models offer audit features that can track the access history of the lock. This can be useful for both tenants and landlords when ensuring the safety of a property. 

Door tampering detection capabilities and two-factor authentication are other potential features of some smart locks if you’d like to add another layer of security to an apartment door.

Integrate with Smart Locks for Apartment Buildings

When selecting a smart lock, you should think about how it will work with your existing security system or smart home platform. Some locks can integrate into home automation systems or other smart devices like cameras and alarms. This allows for greater levels of control and adds convenience.

Construction

A smart lock’s operating mechanism and construction must play a key role in your smart lock selection process. Certain types of locks may be better suited for an apartment than others. For example, deadbolts are more secure and durable than lever handle locks. 

Upgrade Your Security With an Apartment Smart Lock 

Your choice of smart lock should provide reliable security. When selecting a smart lock for an apartment, consider Quicksmith your top choice. 

We have a wide selection of smart locks that can be customized for any property and years of residential locksmith experience offering installation, repair, and maintenance services across Naperville, Aurora and Wheaton, IL.

Contact us today to learn more about our apartment door smart lock solutions and how they can help protect your home and property.

Featured Photo Source: Pexels