I feel your pain on this one—got locked out once when my smart lock battery died unexpectedly. Luckily, I had a spare key hidden nearby (lesson learned the hard way!). Have you thought about combining methods? Like wiring it directly but also keeping batteries as a backup? Might be overkill, but could save you from those awkward moments of climbing through windows... just saying.
"Have you thought about combining methods? Like wiring it directly but also keeping batteries as a backup?"
That's actually a solid idea, though wiring directly isn't always straightforward, especially in older homes like mine. I once had my smart lock freeze up completely during a winter storm—so batteries weren't even the issue there! Ever since, I've kept an old-school mechanical key hidden discreetly outside. A bit ironic, relying on 19th-century solutions to back up 21st-century tech...but hey, whatever saves me from window acrobatics at midnight.
I feel you on the irony of going old-school to back up modern tech. My place is older too, and wiring anything new usually turns into a weekend project (and not the fun kind). I've been thinking about those keypad locks—no batteries, no wiring, just mechanical buttons. Anyone tried one of those? Curious if they're reliable or if they jam up easily over time...
I've installed a couple of those mechanical keypad locks on older homes, and honestly, they're pretty solid. No batteries is a huge plus environmentally, and fewer headaches overall. Just make sure you pick a quality brand—cheap ones can get sticky after a while.
I've been considering mechanical locks for my renovation project, mostly due to reliability concerns with smart locks. But how do they hold up in harsh weather conditions—like heavy rain or freezing temps? Curious if anyone's had issues with durability over time...
