Smart Lock Installation in Durham, NC

Which Durham doors suit a smart lock

Before ordering any keypad or smart lock, check the maker's door-thickness and backset requirements against your door.

Older houses need extra care. If an original door from Durham's pre-1960 housing still has a mortise lock, a keypad or smart lock built for a standard bored hole will not fit it, so look for a model made for mortise doors or plan for door work.

In a local historic district, the exterior features covered by Sec. 3.17.1.C of the Unified Development Ordinance include the type and style of doors. Ask city Planning staff before altering an original street-facing door to fit a lock. This is general information, not legal advice.

Approvals in lofts, townhomes and rentals

• Converted tobacco lofts. A smart lock on your unit door does not change who controls the street entry and the corridor, and management may have a say in the unit door itself.
• Townhomes. If an association governs the community, ask what it allows on exterior hardware before you order.
• Rentals. Nearly half of Durham households rent, so approval matters: get the landlord's written consent before changing a lock on a rented door.

Cold, ice and batteries

NOAA describes moderately cold winters. Cold cuts battery output, so a lock that behaves in September can show a low-battery warning on a January morning, and freezing rain can ice a keypad and the keyway beneath it. Replace batteries at the first warning.

Keep a physical key. Many models have a key override, and a dead battery with no key is a lockout. Carry one, or leave one with a household member, never under a mat.

What to include

• The lock model, or the type you want: keypad, deadbolt or lever.
• Door thickness if you know it, and a photo of the door edge.
• Whether the home is rented, in a loft building, a townhome community or a local historic district.

For installation details, see smart lock installation. If a battery dies before you have a key, see house lockout; if the lock body must change, see lock replacement.