"Not foolproof, but at least my dog hasn't figured out how to chew through leather yet..."
Haha, give it time...dogs can surprise you. On a practical note, I've had keyless entry for about two years now and battery anxiety is definitely real. What helped me was setting a recurring calendar reminder every six months to replace the batteries—whether they seem fine or not. Might sound overly cautious, but haven't been locked out since. Better safe than stuck outside at midnight in pajamas, right?
Battery reminders are definitely a smart move, but honestly, I've found that most modern keyless locks give you plenty of heads-up before the battery dies completely. Mine starts beeping annoyingly about two weeks before it's totally drained, so it's hard to miss. Still, I keep a spare physical key hidden just in case—tech can fail unexpectedly. Curious though, has anyone had issues with their lock malfunctioning due to extreme weather conditions? I've heard mixed stories about cold snaps messing with electronics...
"Curious though, has anyone had issues with their lock malfunctioning due to extreme weather conditions?"
I've had mine installed for about three winters now, and honestly, it's held up pretty well even during some nasty cold snaps. There was one particularly brutal week last January where temps dropped way below freezing, and I noticed the keypad response slowed down a bit—but it never actually failed. Maybe it depends on the brand or model? Either way, keeping that spare key handy is definitely smart... tech's great until it isn't.
"Maybe it depends on the brand or model? Either way, keeping that spare key handy is definitely smart... tech's great until it isn't."
Yeah, brand could definitely play a role. I've noticed some cheaper models struggle more with moisture buildup inside the keypad during freezing rain or heavy snow. Had one at my old place that would randomly beep and flash lights in the middle of the night—talk about creepy. Wonder if anyone's tried weatherproofing hacks or DIY covers to help with this? Might be worth experimenting...
I had a similar issue last winter—my keypad started acting possessed after a heavy snowfall. Thought someone was messing with me at first, lol. Ended up rigging a DIY cover from an old plastic container and some duct tape (classy, I know). Surprisingly, it worked pretty well at keeping moisture out. Makes me wonder why manufacturers don't just include better weather protection from the start...
