Smart Locks: The Future of Home Security

Security of the home is a major priority for everyone; primarily to ensure the safety of our family but also to protect our home and its contents. This is nothing new, but technology is rapidly improving to make home security more sophisticated and effective, but also easier and more convenient. This includes alarm systems and security cameras, but also includes smart locks.

When you consider the features and benefits of smart locks you realise we are a long way advanced from the traditional lock and key system that has been developed for a few hundred years. In fairness, this has been an effective system that has done its job, but given you can lose keys, have them stolen or duplicated, and key mechanisms can become worn and stop working, this traditional system did have its drawbacks. Digital locks were the first step in keyless technology, but smart locks are security on a whole new level, and here we will show you what they are and how they are undoubtedly the future of home security.

What is a smart lock?

Fundamentally, a lock of any type needs to secure a door so that unauthorised access is not possible. So a smart lock in a physical sense is a deadbolt system of the same design as a traditional deadbolt, and in this sense uses technology as a binary system, ie. the door is either locked or unlocked, there is no in-between, compared to some older locking systems where the notches on a key activated a more intricate internal lock design which could seize up, become worn or collapse altogether.

The deadbolt of a smart lock is activated by a signal which is sent by a device. This is usually a smartphone app, but can also be a unique biometric feature, such as face, eye or thumb print recognition. Using wireless technology the app sends a signal to the smart lock instructing it to lock/unlock, and therefore there is a need for a Wi-Fi or Bluetooth signal and connection.

What are the benefits of smart locks?

Smart locks have become increasingly popular for home security because they offer convenience, effectiveness and peace of mind. This comes in various forms:

Security – First and foremost you need a lock to provide security, and a strong deadbolt will do that. But the smart lock system provides added layers of security because there is no physical key that can be lost, stolen or shared. Also, there is no physical access to the locking mechanism and so it can’t be picked or bypassed. It is true that the software interface behind a smart lock can technically be hacked, but this requires specialist skills and knowledge which is unlikely to be possessed by an opportunist thief, nor would they have the time to carry out the process. Also, this can be guarded against with controls such as enhanced Wi-Fi security, changing passwords and two-step verification processes.

Remote access – A major benefit of smart locks is the ability to control and manage the lock remotely. Smart locks will usually lock/unlock automatically after a defined period of time, but even if you don’t have this set-up, you can lock the door while on the bus to work if you have forgotten to do so. So there will never be a problem of thinking “did I lock the door?” Similarly, you can grant access to friends and family who have arrived at home before you, or don’t have a means of entry, but need one. Also, you can grant temporary access to contractors working on your home, which can be restricted to only activate during certain hours of the day. The ability to manage the lock remotely also extends to revoking access, so if a friend or family member has the smartphone app and access to the smart lock, but for whatever reason you want to remove this, you can do so remotely.

Monitor – A smart lock will send activity logs to the smartphone app, so you can see who has entered the house and when, in order to spot unusual trends or identify suspicious activity. This is also particularly useful when contractors have access so you can monitor that they are only in your home when they are supposed to be, and that they are actually working when they are supposed to be.

Notification – An extension to being able to monitor activity is that you will be notified when there is an activation of the smart lock. So if someone has accessed the home at a time when you wouldn’t expect them to, you will be alerted to this.

Convenience – In simple terms, a smart lock is much easier to activate. In most cases the lock will be activated simply by you approaching with your smartphone in close proximity. You don’t need to fumble around to find your keys. Contactless entry is far quicker, and the auto-lock feature also means you can shut the door and be assured that it will lock behind you without you having to do anything.

Integration – Where smart locks take security technology to another level is the way they can be linked to other security or smart devices in the home. So this can include smart speakers which use voice activation, lights and heating systems, but also doorbells, cameras and alarms. So you can set up a routine so that when you unlock the front door, the alarm is switched off, the lights come on and even your smart speaker says ‘welcome home’.

Innovative smart products from MB Direct

We have a wide range of smart products at MB Direct, including doorbells, cameras and alarm systems, these can work alongside a smart lock which will give you all the great benefits we have listed here.