The Safety of Keyless Entry Door Locks

Lost and Duplicated Keys

• It happens to almost everyone. You are late for work but you can’t find your keys. You search the house frantically, peeking under couch cushions and checking every flat surface only to realize that your keys are still hanging out of the front door, where they have been all night. Avoiding both the panic and the potential danger of lost keys is the biggest advantage of keyless entry systems. Keyless entry further eliminates the expense of duplicate keys as well as the need to keep track of how many duplicates you have and where they all are. The lack of a physical key also prevents a valet, housekeeping service and others from making a duplicate of your key without your knowledge and using it later to enter your house or car. As an added safety bonus, keyless entry systems allow you to stop hiding spare keys outside because, honestly, that plastic rock next to your front door isn’t fooling anyone.

Ease of Change

• The codes on keyless entry systems are easily changed, making them safe and convenient. For example, if you are going on vacation and ask the neighbor to feed your cat, you can give her the access code to your house before you leave and easily change it when you get back. This allows you to block reentry without having to ask for your key back. Some systems even allow you to set up temporary access codes that will work only for a specified time period. This feature lets you allow service people, contractors and others into your home as needed without having to change the usual access code that members of your household already know. The ease of changing the access code on keyless entry systems is also convenient for landlords who can change just the codes rather than the locks after each tenant.

Power Needs

• One disadvantage of keyless entry systems is that they require power to operate. Systems can be hardwired with a battery backup or run on a battery alone. It is important to check your batteries often and replace them as needed and as recommended by the lock manufacturer. Keyless entry systems have manual latches on the inside that will open the deadbolt so there is no danger that they will trap you in your home if the power goes out. A dead system can temporarily keep you from getting inside, however, which could be a safety issue in the event of nasty weather or an unexpected neighborhood disturbance.

Additional Safety Tips

• Like all security devices, keyless entry systems are only effective when used properly. You will still need to exercise some caution to keep yourself safe. Input the unlock code on your keyless entry just as you would the pin on your ATM card, making sure no one is looking over your shoulder. Avoid the temptation to use your cell phone or other remote device to unlock your house. Unlocking the front door by remote control is convenient but reintroduces the possibility for lost “keys” into the security equation. Resist the temptation to shop for a bargain when purchasing a new keyless entry system as well. Cheaply built systems are less secure and easier to defeat. For example, the buttons on an inexpensive system may wear more quickly, making it obvious which number keys are used most often. Never make the unlock code something obvious and easily guessed, such as your house number or wedding anniversary. Easily guessed entry codes are the plastic key-hiding rocks of keyless entry systems.