Electronic locks are gaining a lot of attention, and for those in the industry they are a no-brainer. They are quickly appearing on homes around New Zealand, however a lot of consumers ask “Are they really secure?” Let’s look at the security behind Schlage’s range of electronic locks.

Residential security grading

To help make deciding what products to use easier, BHMA (USA’s Builders Hardware Manufacturing Association) created a set of standards specific to residential door hardware. They created three categories: Security, Durability, and Finish, with rigid criteria for testing the hardware to ensure it meets either a C (good), B (better) or A (best) grade in each category. Schlage Encode Smart Wi-Fi Deadbolt received an AAA, which means they have received the best possible grades in Security, Durability and Finish. What does all that really mean? It means that they are run through all kinds of heavy-duty, intense testing procedures — including hitting them with a sledgehammer. This means is they are made to last and protect what is important.

What about hackers?

There have been stories of hacked home systems, like electronic door openers. While there are basically urban-legends, security has progressed a long way since early technology breakthroughs. Put simply, if someone is comfortable ordering items from Amazon, then they can trust that the connection between their Schlage smart lock and their smartphone is just as secure.

Besides, when it comes to entry points to the home, blunt-force attacks are much more effective than sophisticated electronic methods, though the rising popularity of home security systems is putting a dent in traditional break-ins as well.

Locks that add extra security without requiring a smart home or security system are also on the rise. The Schlage Encode Smart Wi-Fi Deadbolt is a great example: with multiple options to connect the lock to the cloud, homeowners can receive real-time notifications and view a history of who used the lock and when. There’s also a built-in alarm on all Schlage electronic locks that sounds when the lock or door is forced, or the wrong code is entered repeatedly.

Spare keys are a safety faux pas

There’s an added security element to simply doing away with spare keys and using access codes instead. Codes are easier to control; if a code becomes compromised, simply delete it. No need to rekey or buy new locks because a key has been lost and anyone in town could have it.