You may have heard the buzz about the new smart lock technology, and if you're ready to replace the locks in your home, there are a few different smart locks to choose from. How do you know if smart lock technology is right for you? Here are some tips to help you decide whether a smart lock is a good choice for your home.

Home automation

If you are trying to integrate home automation in your home, a smart lock could fit in seamlessly. Some smart locks integrate with your home security system and thermostat, so you can control these all with a touch of a button. The convenience of being able to turn up your air conditioning, check on your pet via your home security camera and unlock the front door, all before you've stepped out of the car is certainly appealing.

Embracing new technology without sacrificing the old

Many smart locks install just like a regular lock and even look like a traditional lock, at least on the outside. By keeping the bulk of the wiring inside your home and putting on a traditional lock face, these appeal to the consumer who doesn't want to advertise that the home is locked by a smart device. Although it's actually more difficult for a hacker to break into a home with a smart lock than it is for a burglar to just smash the lock itself, many people still worry that smart locks are more of a target than traditional ones.

Smart lock advocates are quick to point out that no lock guarantees your home won't be broken into, and smart locks are no less secure than traditional ones, but they do offer convenience and choice, which many traditional locks cannot offer. 

You need to give several people access to your home while you're away

If you have to let someone into your home while you're not there, you only have two options with a traditional lock and key. Either give a copy of your key to the person who needs to get inside your home or leave the door unlocked. The second option is never recommended, and as any good locksmith will tell you, the first option could put your security at risk if the person makes a copy of the key to keep for their own personal use.

Smart locks aren't only good for letting people into your home, they're also good for granting access to vacation or rental properties for a short period of time. You simply create a code that will unlock the door, give it to your guest to use during their stay, and change the code after they leave. It cuts down on the cost of having to replace lost keys and boosts security because no former guest will be able to gain access using an old code.

You are comfortable with unlocking your home via WiFi or Bluetooth

WiFi and Bluetooth are the two methods used to operate smart locks. WiFi is convenient, but it has to be connected at all times for the lock to work, so if the connection goes down, you might have problems if the lock doesn't feature a traditional key backup. Because locks that use WiFi are always connected, you can check to see if you locked your door even after you've driven away from home, and you can even activate the lock if it isn't locked already.

Bluetooth requires that your phone is within close proximity of the lock for it to unlock, so it could be a problem if you lose your phone or have it stolen. Plus, you can't check the status of your lock (whether you locked the door or not) while you're away from home.

Ask your locksmith whether smart locks are a good choice for your home security. You could find that the convenience and flexibility of these new locks are the perfect fit for your family's needs.