Front Door Keypads

[Lord Tyrion]

On the last few holidays I've been on instead of having a key the accommodation has used digital key pads. They work really well and you don't have to worry about remembering a key, giving a key to neighbours when you go away etc.

I'm thinking about changing the door lock at home for one of these. Has anyone done it? Was it expensive? Can you do it with your existing door? Are they as safe as standard locks or do they have a weakness?

Interested to hear anyone's experiences with them.

 

[Norrin Radd]

if your existing door cant be changed then why not get a key safe and keep a spare key in that. that will save any need to take a key with you when you go out.

 

[Bunkermagnet]

I dont know how your insurance co would take it, and personally it's not something I would do.

 

[Midnight]

One issue to be aware of is that having a keypad /keysafe can be a magnet to unsavoury characters as they associate old/ sick people with these things, so your house can become a target.

 

[Beezerk]

I'd imagine these things have backdoor access via an engineers code or something?
For that reason alone I wouldn't get one.

 

[Blue in Munich]

Depending on design they can be quite easy to overcome as wear on the pads gives away the numbers used so vastly reducing the number of codes that need to be tried to gain access.

 

[Lord Tyrion]

Depending on design they can be quite easy to overcome as wear on the pads gives away the numbers used so vastly reducing the number of codes that need to be tried to gain access.

The recommendation I've seen is to change the code every few months to prevent this. Not tricky to do.

I'm surprised at the negativity towards these. Most holiday cottages, villas etc have these now and I haven't seen a host of reports showing an increase in burglary, break ins etc. From reports I've read they seem to be as effective as standard locks.

 

[Rooter]

how do you get in your house if there is a power cut?

 

[Lord Tyrion]

I think there is a battery back up. Most also seem to have a key option in case there is a total failure as a further back up.

There are some which seem to be smartphone related which do not appeal at all. The ones I have used both here and abroad have been a more mechanical keypad.

 

[Blue in Munich]

The recommendation I've seen is to change the code every few months to prevent this. Not tricky to do.

I'm surprised at the negativity towards these. Most holiday cottages, villas etc have these now and I haven't seen a host of reports showing an increase in burglary, break ins etc. From reports I've read they seem to be as effective as standard locks.

Most holiday cottages wouldn’t have the same quality or quantity of personal possessions that your home would.

 

[Lord Tyrion]

Most holiday cottages wouldn’t have the same quality or quantity of personal possessions that your home would.

You need to book better places . Point taken though.

 

[Blue in Munich]

You need to book better places . Point taken though.

I’ll book the cheapest reasonable place I can get; wherever I’ve gone it’s to see what’s outside the 4 walls. Back late, crash, shower and repeat. 👍 🤣

 

[Orikoru]

Are you someone that forgets their keys a lot?

 

[Lord Tyrion]

Not me to be honest as I have a door key on my car key ring and that is pretty much always with me but my kids sometimes forget to take a key with them, it's a hassle when we go away for various reasons to leave a key with different relatives, neighbours. A keypad would just be easier.

We have just booked a couple of nights away in a cottage in Yorkshire, details of the cottage came through and a keypad was mentioned, code given a few days before arrival. It made me realise this was about the 5th holiday on the trot where we have got into the place we are staying via a keypad rather than by an actual key. I like the simplicity of it.

 

[Rooter]

if its for the kids forgetting a key, just get something like this screwed to the house round the back garden sidefor example. https://www.screwfix.com/p/master-lock-5-key-combination-key-safe/77908

 

[Canfordhacker]

if its for the kids forgetting a key, just get something like this screwed to the house round the back garden sidefor example. https://www.screwfix.com/p/master-lock-5-key-combination-key-safe/77908

That's exactly what we did, works a treat. Mounted out of sight in back garden.

 

[PJ87]

if its for the kids forgetting a key, just get something like this screwed to the house round the back garden sidefor example. https://www.screwfix.com/p/master-lock-5-key-combination-key-safe/77908

We have one in the porch.. when we moved in I locked myself out 3 times in a week lol once was the wind and I had to call my grandad round to let me in.. others I was just moving my golf gear and closed door forgetting it locked lucky wife was in

Got one of these and keep my key in it... the porch isn’t auto lock u have to lock it.. so not worried about that lol

 

[jim8flog]

One of the main things is making sure your door frame is wide enough to take an electric staple.

Re queries about power cuts you still use a key if you want to as it's the staple that is electrically operated and not the bolt.

One thing that you need is a mains power supply close to the door to plug in the power supply to the staple.