Smart Lock Installation in Rochester, MN

Do Rochester doors suit a smart lock?

Often, yes. Census estimates put 51.9 percent of Rochester homes in buildings from 1990 or later, and newer doors are more likely to be drilled for the standard deadbolt size that most keypad and app-controlled locks are made to fit, so a new lock can often go into the existing holes.

Older houses take more checking. On Pill Hill, a door from the original build may be thicker than standard, hold a mortise lock, or carry holes from earlier hardware. Some smart locks come in mortise versions, and others mount inside over an existing deadbolt. Pill Hill is a local landmark district, so check with the City before buying a keypad for a street-facing original door; lock replacement explains the district's rules.

Rentals and shared entrances

In a downtown apartment building, the shared lobby and garage doors are usually the building's, so a smart lock is a question for your own unit door. Get the landlord's written approval before buying anything. Minnesota Statutes section 504B.211 limits when a landlord may enter, and a lease may require the landlord to hold a key, so ask about a spare or a shared code before you change anything. Keep the original deadbolt to reinstall when you move out. This is general information, not legal advice.

Cold, batteries and a backup key

An exterior keypad takes the whole of a Rochester winter, about 52 inches of snow a year plus the cold, and batteries lose capacity as temperatures fall.

• Check the operating temperature range the maker lists before you buy.
• Use the battery type the maker specifies, and change it in the fall rather than mid-cold-snap.
• Brush snow off the keypad; never pour water on an iced one.
• Choose a model with a mechanical key override, and keep that key somewhere you can reach if locked out, such as with a neighbor.

What to photograph and measure

A photo of the door edge and of the current deadbolt from both sides, the door's thickness, the model you want, and for a rental, your landlord's approval. The remaining doors can be brought onto one key with lock rekeying.