Smart Lock Installation in Pittsburgh, PA

Will a smart lock fit a Pittsburgh door?

Most smart deadbolts are built for a modern door with standard bored holes. In a city where so many homes date to 1939 or earlier (Census Bureau, 2024), an old door may carry a mortise lock that many smart deadbolts won't fit without altering the door. Options include a smart lock made for mortise doors, or a retrofit that replaces only the inside thumbturn and keeps your existing outside cylinder and key. The door also has to close cleanly, because a motorized bolt that drags on the strike plate drains batteries and can jam.

Street-facing keypads in historic districts

Roslyn Place is a locally designated historic district, so exterior changes there go through the city's Certificate of Appropriateness process (Chapter 1101). District guidelines such as the Mexican War Streets' cover only what is visible from a street or alley and favor keeping historic hardware. A keypad on the street side of a front door is visible; an inside-only retrofit or a rear-door keypad leaves the street view as it was.

Rentals, cold batteries and backup keys

In a rental or condo, get written approval from the landlord or association first, and agree on who holds the codes. Pittsburgh's Chapter 781 rental inspections also look at exit doors (IPMC 702.3), so in a rental choose a model that opens from the inside with a plain thumbturn or lever. This is general information, not legal advice.

Batteries run down sooner in the cold, and an outdoor keypad takes snow and ice. Change batteries before winter, and choose a keypad made for outdoor use in cold weather. Keep a working mechanical key, and leave a spare with a neighbor, because a dead battery with no key override is a lockout. The backup cylinder on many smart locks can be rekeyed to match your other doors.

What to send with an installation request

• photos of the door from both sides and of its edge, showing the current lock
• the brand and model of the smart lock, if you already have one
• whether Wi-Fi reaches the door
• whether you own or rent, and whether the door sits in a historic district

See smart lock installation and Pittsburgh for more.