The Evolution of Smart Door Technology
With the world moving more towards smart technology in homes, smart door lock technology is what it says on the tin, bringing doors into the 21st century.
Similarly to how cars have progressed, from using a key, to pressing a button, to just walking up to the car and opening the door without a key, doors have finally followed suit.
Doors and door locks have arguably been behind the times in terms of technological advancements, but in recent years it’s finally started catching up. This has come in various forms and gives customers a range of features and benefits that we will discuss in this article.
What Is Smart Door Technology?
The main form of door technology is a smart lock, but you can also get door sensors and other security devices that pair with doors such as a video doorbell and more.
The concept of smart door technology has come about for a variety of reasons, but mainly due to convenience and security. It’s important to note that whilst convenience is the main driver for most smart technology, with door technology, security is still at the forefront and shouldn’t be compromised by any technological addition.
Smart Locks
Smart locks have been around for years in commercial settings, such as offices and hotels, but have only become popular in residential settings in the last 4-5 years. Furthermore, smart locks add technology to the locking system, meaning you can lock and unlock the door in multiple ways that don’t require keys.
In North America, Asia, Europe and Australia, the concept of a smart lock has been quite popular over the last few years. This is due to the locking systems they use, which are typically simple deadbolts and latches.
However, in the UK, smart locks are only recently becoming popular due to the multipoint locks being more complex. Blusafe’s flagship product is the Origin Smart, which is designed specifically for UK multipoint locks. You can learn more about our signature smart door lock here.
The Price of a Smart Lock
Smart locks can either be fully wired in, or battery powered. To have a fully wired-in option, you typically have to buy this with a full new door system. This will be mains powered and can have multiple features, but as such comes at a much higher price point which can be £4-5k or much more.
A battery-powered option comes with similar features but at a much lower price point of £200-300, they can usually be retrofitted to existing doors without changing the existing door or locking mechanism as well. Obviously, the downside is replacing batteries, but they last over 6 months in most smart door locks.
The Purpose Behind Smart Door Locks
Smart locks aim to remove the need for keys, so no more losing keys, getting locked out and having to call a locksmith. Depending on the lock, you can unlock it with a fingerprint, key card/fob, keypad, an app and sometimes even via proximity.
Moreover, they allow you to have lots of other features too which solve various day-to-day problems. You can share temporary access via the app, which is great for cleaners, dog walkers and guests. Additionally, you can see exactly who has opened the door at what time as well as whether the door is locked or unlocked.
Finally, you can manage users’ access via the app easily, if you no longer want someone to have access, then simply remove them at any time.
To learn more about the different types of door locks, you can read our article here.
Door Sensors
Instead of a full smart lock, you can get door sensors that quite simply will tell you if the door is open or closed, or if it is locked or unlocked. These are quite common in a form that you stick on the door and door frame, then it can tell you when it’s closed or open.
However, to get one that tells you if the door is locked or unlocked, you need one that’s built into the door lock itself. In fact, there are a few companies in the UK that offer this in a multipoint lock, but you can achieve this by using a smart lock discussed above as well.
Video Doorbells
Over the last few years, video doorbells have become very popular so you’ve probably already heard of them before. Essentially, the doorbell has a camera built in so you can see who is at the door and in most cases speak to them as well. They’re very handy for deliveries, but also for security, to make sure there is surveillance of anybody trying to break in.
Video doorbells become particularly useful when you pair them with a smart door lock that you can unlock remotely. Imagine, you aren’t at home, somebody rings the doorbell and you can see them, speak to them and also unlock the door for them via your phone if you want to?
Smart Homes
The final point here is that most of this technology can be integrated into your smart home platform. This allows you to manage everything in one place, along with your heating, lighting, music, etc. You could set it up so that as you unlock your door, the hall lights come on and music starts playing automatically.
Smart Door Lock Technology with Blusafe
Ultimately, the concept of smart door technology is all about making your life more convenient without making it less secure. Every other aspect of life is moving in this direction and finally, doors and locks are catching up!
So if you’re interested in making your door smarter, then take a look at Blusafe and our range of smart locks. If you have any questions, then don’t hesitate to get in touch and one of our dedicated team members will be able to help!
To find out more about how a smart door lock can be beneficial to you, check out our article, ‘7 Benefits of Fingerprint Door Locks’.