Biometric door locks – or smart locks – are devices that allow you to unlock your door with the combination of a fingerprint and PIN. Smart locks typically cost a few hundred pounds and allow you to authorise several people to unlock your door. They do not add much to your home’s security, so they won’t have much of an impact on your homeowners insurance premiums.
What is a biometric door lock?
Biometric door locks use personally identifiable information in lieu of a traditional key. They use a thermal or optical scanner to store the fingerprints of anyone authorised to unlock your door. Once the scanner determines that you are an authorised user, it will prompt you to input a pin code to unlock the door. These locks are meant to provide convenience, since you do not have to keep track of a key, more than additional security. However, smart locks do come with a fail safe key, in case the batteries or electricity powering the lock fails.
Other Types of Smart Locks
In addition to biometric locks, there are several other types of smart locks that enable you to unlock your door without a physical key. Of these types, biometric locks are probably the most secure, since they require your physical presence to unlock the door. We have highlighted three categories below.
- Keypad locks: Require you to enter a pin code to unlock the door.
- Proximity locks: Enable you to unlock the door once a wireless key fob comes within a specified distance from the door.
- Wi-Fi or Bluetooth locks: Connect with your phone wirelessly, so that you can unlock your door with an app.
Are Smart Locks More Secure?
It is doubtful that smart locks offer more home security. The security of any given smart lock depends on the quality of its hardware and software. If a biometric lock is easy to physically defeat, then it does not offer any greater security than a traditional lock. Additionally, if the software built into a digital lock has a defect, hackers might be able to take advantage of that error to unlock your door as if they were you. And since smart locks usually come with a physical key – in case you forget your PIN or the lock’s power supply is cut off – any stranger with the key can gain entry.
Finally, most burglars don’t enter your home through the front door anyway. They look for unlocked back doors or windows they can force open. Smart locks offer convenience since you can choose to enable multiple people, such as a friend or dog sitter, to open the door.
So, now you know more information about whether biometric door locks are secure and get in touch with Computime Systems at 02038081128.