A smart lock is a convenience upgrade. A better deadbolt is a security upgrade. They are not the same purchase, and the best door often has both. Here is the conversation we have on the porch.
Start with the door, not the lock
Almost every forced entry in Spokane is a kick, not a pick. What stops a kick is the strike plate and the screws behind it: a heavy strike anchored with 3-inch screws into the stud, plus a deadbolt with a full 1-inch throw. That costs a fraction of a smart lock and matters more. We do it on every install unless it is already there.
When a smart lock is the right answer
- Kids or carers come and go and you are tired of hiding keys
- You rent the place out short-term and change codes weekly
- You want a log of who came in and when
- Someone in the house cannot manage a key easily
For those, a keypad or app deadbolt earns its keep. We install and set up Schlage Encode, Yale Assure, Kwikset Halo and August most often, and we always leave a mechanical key override working.
When it is not
If the goal is "I want the house to be harder to break into", a smart lock does not move that needle — most use the same or a lighter bolt than a good mechanical deadbolt. Put the money into Grade 1 hardware, a strike, and a second deadbolt on the garage-to-house door instead.
Spokane-specific notes
- Cold kills batteries: budget for a change every autumn, and pick a lock with an external 9V jump contact
- Wi-Fi locks drain faster than Bluetooth or Z-Wave ones — a hub is worth it if you want remote access
- Older doors on the South Hill and in Browne's Addition often need the bore enlarged; we carry the jig
- HOA communities in Liberty Lake sometimes specify finish and style — check before you buy
Our usual recommendation
Front door: keypad smart lock over a reinforced strike. Back and garage doors: Grade 1 mechanical deadbolts keyed alike to the front door's override. That gives you convenience where you use it and strength everywhere. See the smart lock buying guide for brand-by-brand detail.
Installation: what is involved
A smart deadbolt replaces the existing deadbolt in the same 2⅛-inch bore, so on a standard door it is a thirty-to-sixty-minute install including setup, app pairing and a reinforced strike. Older doors with a smaller bore, a mortise lock or a warped slab need more work — and the door needs to close and latch freely before any lock, smart or not, will behave.
Questions we get on the porch
What happens in a power cut or if the Wi-Fi drops?
The lock runs on its own batteries and the keypad keeps working; you only lose remote access until the network returns. That is why we insist on a working key override.
Can a smart lock be hacked?
Realistically, the risk on a Spokane front door is a kick, not a hack. Pick a mainstream brand, keep the firmware updated, and spend the worry on the strike plate.
Which is best with a storm door?
Thin-profile models; some keypads foul the storm door. Measure the gap before you buy, or send us a photo.
Around the county
Keypad deadbolts are nearly standard in Liberty Lake and the newer Greenacres streets; on the South Hill and in Browne's Addition the job is more often a heritage-friendly Grade 1 deadbolt behind an original mortise lock.
