Smart Lock Installation in Madison, WI

Do Madison doors suit a smart lock

Many do. Census Bureau survey figures for 2024 count 31.6 percent of Madison homes as built in 2000 or later, the largest share among the four Wisconsin cities on this site. Newer exterior doors are usually bored for a standard deadbolt, which is what most smart deadbolts are made to fit.

Older doors take more thought. An original door in one of the city's five local historic districts may have a mortise lock, which needs a smart lock made for mortise doors. Exterior changes there go before the Landmarks Commission, so if new hardware will change how the door looks from the street, ask the city's Planning Division first.

Rentals and shared entries

In an apartment or rented house, the door and its lock belong to the owner, so get the landlord's or manager's approval in writing before installing anything. Madison General Ordinances section 27.05(2)(h) matters here in two ways:

• It calls for a keyed deadbolt on every rented unit door. A smart lock on a unit door should still provide that keyed deadbolt.
• In buildings with two or more units opening off a common area, passcodes on keypad or digital locks on those exterior doors must be changed at least yearly. Note the date each code changes so that stays on schedule.

This is general information, not legal advice.

Cold, batteries and a backup key

Cold cuts battery output, and snow or ice can coat an outdoor keypad, so a Madison January tests any smart lock.

• Use the battery type the maker recommends, and replace batteries at the first low-battery warning in fall rather than in a cold snap.
• A door under an overhang, or a keypad with a cover, copes better with ice.
• Keep a working metal key for the lock with you or with a neighbor. A smart lock with a dead battery and no key becomes a house lockout.

What to send

• whether the door is original, in a newer house, or an apartment unit
• the current lock brand and a photo of the door edge
• whether the landlord or association has approved the change

The smart lock installation page covers the service; the Madison page has the local background.