Smart door locks have already become an integral part of banks and offices in India. They are fast becoming the preferred choice for home safety as well. However, as a buyer, it is often tough to decide on one smart door lock from among the different types of smart door locks available. In this article, you will discover all the various types of smart locks based on the type of protocol and the locking mechanism used. Hopefully, this will help you decide on which type of smart lock you want to choose for your home or office.
Locking Mechanisms Used in Smart Locks
There are primarily three types of smart locks based on the locking mechanism they use. These include Mortise Locks, Deadbolt Locks, and Rim Locks. Let’s discuss all of these in brief detail.
Mortise Locks: Mortise locks use a latch in combination with a bolt that together secure the door in the door frame. Usually, there is just one bolt in a mortise lock, however, in some cases, you may find up to three bolts to provide extra secure door locking. These are the most commonly used door locks and can be easily found in residential properties like houses and apartments. The mortise locks themselves are of two types that include push-pull smart locks and lever handle smart locks.
- Push-Pull Smart Locks: As you would have guessed by their name, these door locks involve a push-pull motion to open the door. These smart locks are slick-looking modern door locks that often have a digital keypad on the handle. The mechanism can easily be visualized if you picture a vertical car door
- Lever Handle Smart Locks: These are the more commonly used traditional locks with a digital keypad that puts the “smart” in these locks. They use a spring lever that gets locked after use so that you have to punch in the password to enter or exit the room/home.
Deadbolt Locks: These locks use a solid cylindrical deadbolt to secure the door in the frame. The solid cylinder or the deadbolt is made up of dense metal or metal alloys like steel and brass. Unlike spring the spring lever in the mortise locks, the deadbolt in these locks can not be forced back and you will need a key or the password to open these smart locks. These locks do not have a handle and thus a latched handle or a knob is used in combination with these locks. The deadbolt is also longer to ensure that the door is firmly secured in the door frame and sometimes even in the wall.
Rim Locks: Unlike the mortise and the deadbolt locks, the rim lock does not secure the door in the door frame. Instead, these locks use a bracket attached to the door frame within which the bolt is locked. These brackets have sensors that inform the user about the status of the door lock when it is locked or unlocked. They form an ideal option for indoor locks and are much cheaper than the other two types of door locks mentioned above. If you have a budget restraint and are looking to get value for your money then this is the ideal option for you.
Types of Smart Door Locks Based on Connectivity Protocol
Smart door locks are an integral part of a smart home and just like smart devices, the connectivity protocols used in a smart door lock in India are also of three main types.
Bluetooth: Bluetooth door locks are the most primitive types of smart door locks. These are energy-efficient and low-maintenance door locks. Although, a major drawback with Bluetooth connectivity is its extremely limited range. Bluetooth locks can be operated in a range of 5m only and this does not allow for the remote access feature. The notifications for your door being unlocked are also unavailable with Bluetooth door locks.
Z-Wave: A step forward from the Bluetooth smart door locks are the ones that use Z-Waves connectivity. The Z-Waves have a better range of connectivity and use reasonably less power ensuring that you don’t have to worry about replacing the batteries. Although, these smart locks need a Z-waves home hub to connect with your home smart devices and your phone. Although most smart homes can connect with a Z-wave hub but Wi-Fi smart devices are slowly replacing them.
Wi-Fi: While the Wi-Fi connectivity protocol requires a considerably larger amount of power compared to the above-mentioned protocols, it still is the most efficient. Smart door locks with Wi-Fi connectivity are easily accessible from anywhere in the world. All they need is a 2.4GHz Wi-Fi network and a decent internet connection. Some models in the market also come with a wire for connection to the power source which resolves the power consumption issue. No doubt these are the preferred choice when it comes to buying a smart door lock for most people.
For more knowledge about smart door locks, check out our guide to smart door locks on our blog. If you are looking to buy a smart door lock, then check out the zunpulse smart door lock and upgrade your home security today!
