Technology has brought a wide variety of changes to the ordinary home. However, not much has changed about how homeowners secure their homes. For instance, the deadbolt lock has been a staple of home security for decades.
Smart locks offer a new twist on the age-old lock by offering high-tech convenience in addition to enhanced security. The following takes a look at smart lock technology and whether it would be a good addition for your home.
How Do They Work?
Instead of using a traditional key, you can use your home's Wi-Fi connection or a Bluetooth-enabled device to lock and unlock your door. This means you can use your smartphone, tablet or any other Wi-Fi or Bluetooth device to control the lock. To actually lock and unlock the door, you have to download and use a specifically designed software application.
Some smart locks also feature a numeric keypad that also offers an alternative to using your smart phone or tablet as a key. This can come in handy if you can't get to your smart phone for some reason.
What are the Benefits?
There are plenty of advantages to using a smart lock on your home:
What are the Drawbacks?
One major disadvantage is that some smart lock systems can become vulnerable to hackers. To mitigate this risk, many smart lock systems feature a number of security encryption technologies to help prevent hacking attempts. Nevertheless, it's possible for these security features to fail given enough time and skill.
Another downside is that smart locks may not function properly in the event of a power outage. For this reason, many smart locks also feature a battery backup system that gives the device plenty of reserve power for locking and unlocking the door until power is restored.
Share5 December 2015
Letting your tween stay home alone for the first time may be an exciting experience for them, but it likely makes you a little worried. To give yourself some peace of mind and to help protect your tween while home alone, it’s a good idea to create a safety kit and store it in a safe place that can be accessed from outside of the house, like in a locked box in the garage, that can be used in case of emergencies. The kit should include first-aid items, emergency phone numbers, and even a prepaid cell phone. You should also have your locksmith change all of the locks for a fresh start and make two copies of the new keys for your tween – one to keep with them at all times, and one to hide outside in case the first is lost.
