Smart Lock Installation in Aurora, IL

Will an Aurora door take a smart lock?

By Census Bureau estimates, 39.3 percent of Aurora's homes were built between 1990 and 2009, and development on the Far East Side began in the late 1970s and early 1980s. If a front or garage-entry door already has a bored deadbolt, check the existing hole, the backset and the door thickness against the lock's specifications, and make sure the bolt slides smoothly with the door shut. A motorized bolt will stall on a door that has to be pushed or pulled to lock.

Rentals and multi-unit buildings

For multi-family buildings, the city's pre-inspection guide for landlords says unit doors must meet security and fire requirements, including approved hardware, and its checklist also covers self-closers, smoke gaskets and door and frame labels. A smart lock on one of those doors has to fit within those rules. Tenants should get the landlord's written approval first, and landlords should confirm that the model counts as approved hardware for that door before it goes on. This is general information, not legal advice.

Cold, snow and batteries

Batteries lose capacity in the cold, so a lock that reports plenty of charge in autumn can go flat in an Aurora January. A keypad on an uncovered door also takes snow and slush, while one on a door that gets afternoon sun runs hotter than the air around it.

• Change batteries on a schedule, before winter rather than after the first low-battery warning.
• Use only the battery type the maker lists.
• Brush snow and ice off the keypad instead of chipping at it.
• Choose a model with a key cylinder, or learn the maker's emergency power method, and keep a physical key with someone nearby rather than under a mat.

What to include

Send photos of the door from both sides and of its edge, the lock model if you already have one, and whether a phone app or home hub is involved. Related pages: smart lock installation, Aurora and nearby Naperville.