Smart Lock Installation in Rochester, NY

Do Rochester doors suit a smart lock?

Many do, but older doors take more planning. Rochester's housing is old and mostly small-scale, so plenty of front doors were cut long before smart locks existed. Most smart deadbolts are made for a modern door with a standard bored hole. An older door may have a mortise lock, an unusual thickness or a split near the edge, and may need a retrofit model that fits over the existing deadbolt, or some door preparation first. A storm door can also sit too close to leave room for an exterior keypad.

On a landmark or a property in a preservation district, such as Grove Place or Cobb's Hill (added in 2025), check with the City before cutting new holes in a historic door.

Agreement in shared houses

In a two- to four-family house, a shared front entry leads to separate unit doors. A tenant who wants a smart lock on a unit door should get the owner's written agreement first and settle how the owner will get in, whether by a code or a key. For an owner, a keypad on the shared entry makes it simple to retire a departing tenant's code without collecting keys.

Cold, batteries and keypads

Cold weather shortens battery life, and with New York's snowfall averaging more than 40 inches a year, according to the state's climate report, an exterior lock sits in it all winter. Replace batteries before the first hard freeze and act on low-battery warnings. Keep exterior keypads clear of snow and ice, and choose a model built for outdoor use. Keep the mechanical backup key with someone nearby, not inside the house, and learn how your model's emergency power works before you need it.

Details for a smart lock request

• Photos of both sides of the door and its edge, and the door's thickness.
• The lock's brand and model if you already bought one.
• For a rental, the owner's approval; for an older house, whether it is in a preservation district.

If the rest of the house should use the same key as the smart lock's backup cylinder, add lock rekeying. Service details: smart lock installation. City background: Rochester.