Good points there, especially about choosing the right model. I've installed a few touchscreen locks myself, and honestly, the newer ones are pretty impressive. One thing I'd add is to pay attention to battery life and backup options. Had a friend who got locked out because he ignored the low battery warnings—ended up climbing through a window, not exactly ideal...
Also, placement matters more than you'd think. If your lock faces direct sunlight most of the day, glare can sometimes make it tricky to see the screen clearly, even with fingerprint-resistant surfaces. A small awning or shade can help with that. And if you're installing it yourself, double-check the alignment carefully—misalignment can cause the latch to stick or drain batteries faster.
Overall though, I agree touchscreen locks have improved a ton. Just gotta do a bit of homework beforehand to avoid those little hiccups.
Good advice on alignment—I learned that the hard way. Installed mine slightly off-center at first, and it kept jamming randomly. Thought it was defective until I realized my mistake. Also, about battery life...I went for a model with rechargeable batteries thinking it'd be convenient, but turns out they drain quicker than regular ones. Switched back to standard batteries and haven't had issues since. Just something to keep in mind if you're weighing options.
Had a similar issue with alignment myself—thought I'd eyeballed it perfectly, but nope, kept sticking randomly. Ended up redoing the whole thing with a level. Lesson learned: eyeballing isn't always enough...
Been there myself—thought I had a good eye until my door started randomly jamming. Turns out even a tiny misalignment can cause headaches. Now I always double-check with a level... saves me from redoing the job later.
"Now I always double-check with a level... saves me from redoing the job later."
Definitely agree that a level is handy, but honestly, I've found that relying solely on a level doesn't always guarantee smooth operation. Sometimes the frame itself can shift slightly over time due to temperature changes or humidity. I've had better luck combining a quick level check with actually testing the door swing multiple times during installation. A bit more tedious, sure, but it catches those subtle issues before they become real annoyances down the road.
