Picture this. You spend hours in your yard pulling weeds, spreading mulch, and planting new shrubs. When you finally finish, your hands are covered in dirt, and you just want to go inside. The last thing you want to do is dig through your pockets for house keys.
This is a common frustration for homeowners. Thankfully, upgrading your exterior doors solves this problem. Consider installing an electronic keypad lock, which removes the need for physical keys entirely. You just punch your access code into the number pad, and the door unlocks.
The market is filled with countless options. Below, we try to clear the clutter and look at some of the top electronic keypad locks that can make your daily routine easier.
Schlage Plymouth Keypad Entry with Elan Lever
Sometimes you want a simple lock without the complexity of a smart home network. The Schlage Plymouth Keypad Entry fits this description perfectly. It is a standard electronic keypad door lock that operates on a single 9-volt battery. You do not need a Wi-Fi connection to use it.
The keypad lights up, so you can easily see the numbers at night. The lock comes with a lever handle, which is easier to push down than a round knob when your hands are full of gardening tools or bags of soil.
Also, you can program up to 19 different access codes. It has a durable finish and handles standard weather conditions well.
Kwikset Traditional Z-Wave Smart Lock
If you use a smart home system, you will want a lock that communicates with your main hub. The Kwikset Traditional Z-Wave lock uses Z-Wave technology to connect with systems like Samsung SmartThings or Ring Alarm. This is an electronic deadbolt lock, meaning it replaces your existing deadbolt rather than the lower door handle.
Once connected to your smart hub, you can lock or unlock the door using an app on your phone. You can also check the door’s status from anywhere.
The electronic keypad lock features Kwikset’s SmartKey security. This protects against advanced break-in techniques like lock picking and bumping. It also lets you re-key the backup physical cylinder yourself in seconds.
Schlage Encode Plus Smart Wi-Fi Deadbolt
Buyers looking for the newest technology usually gravitate toward Wi-Fi-connected options. The Schlage Encode Plus connects directly to your home’s Wi-Fi router. You do not need to buy a separate smart home hub to make it work.
This electronic keypad deadbolt lock works with the Schlage Home app, Apple HomeKit, Amazon Alexa, and Google Assistant. If you have an Apple Watch or iPhone, you can unlock the door by simply tapping your device against the lock.
The Schlage Encode lock holds up to 100 access codes and sends notifications to your phone whenever someone uses it.
You can also give temporary access codes to contractors, landscapers, or neighbors who water your plants while you are on vacation. When they no longer need access, you just delete their code.
Things to Consider Before Buying
Before you purchase a new electronic keypad lock, you need to check your current setup and understand how the lock operates.
Keep these specific factors in mind:
- Door Measurements: Most modern electronic locks fit standard door preparations. You need to check the backset, which is the distance from the edge of the door to the center of the hole.
- Door Thickness: Read the product specifications to confirm the lock will fit your specific door measurements.
- Power Supply: Electronic locks run on batteries. The lifespan of the batteries depends on how often you use the door and whether the lock uses Wi-Fi.
- Battery Life: Standard keypad locks often last a year or more on one set of batteries. Wi-Fi-connected locks drain batteries faster. The locks have low-battery indicators to warn you weeks before they die.
- Backup Options: Many electronic deadbolt lock models include a physical keyhole as a manual backup in case the batteries die completely before you replace them.
Conclusion
Installing an electronic keypad lock makes sense for anyone who spends time working outdoors, especially in the Gulf Coast’s heat and humidity.
After a long afternoon working in the yard, the last thing you need is a locked door standing between you and the air conditioning.
Changing your locks just gives you one less thing to worry about, so you can actually sit back and enjoy the outdoor space you worked so hard to build.
