Smart Lock Installation in Houston, TX

Will a smart lock fit your door?

Most smart deadbolts go into the holes a standard deadbolt already uses. Texas housing is young: 43.2 percent of homes statewide date from 2000 or later, and doors that new usually carry standard deadbolt bores, so a keypad or smart deadbolt often fits without cutting new holes.

Older doors vary. In historic districts such as Starkweather and Lyons Avenue, measure first, and keep in mind that a keypad on a street-facing door changes how it looks. Under Chapter 33, Article VII of the Houston Code of Ordinances, city guidance calls for a Certificate of Appropriateness when a project alters the exterior appearance of a designated property, so ask the city's preservation staff before fitting one there. Models that replace only the inside half of a deadbolt and keep the existing outside cylinder are one option for doors like these.

Rentals and multi-unit buildings

In Houston, 59.1 percent of occupied homes are rented and 22.1 percent of homes sit in buildings with 50 or more units, so landlord approval comes up often. Section 92.163 of the Texas Property Code keeps tenants from altering a security device, rekeying included, unless the landlord permits it, so get approval in writing before a smart lock goes on. Section 92.153 also requires, with limited exceptions, a keyless bolting device and a door viewer on each exterior door, so leave those in place. This is general information, not legal advice.

Cold and batteries

Freezes reach Houston, and February 2021 was one. Cold weakens batteries, and a keypad lock on an exterior door is exposed to it. Replace batteries on the maker's schedule, not at the first warning, and choose a lock with a mechanical key override. Keep that key where you can reach it from outside, such as with a neighbor you rely on, not under the mat.

Details for the request

• the door type and thickness, and the brand of the current deadbolt
• whether the home is owned, rented or in a condo building, with any approval in hand
• whether the house sits inside a city historic district
• whether you want Wi-Fi access or Bluetooth only

See smart lock installation for the service, lock replacement for older doors, and the Houston page.