Your Guide To Singapore Digital Locks

Singapore residents can now say goodbye to mechanical locks and usher in the keyless digital locks that are more convenient, efficient and secure. With Singapore digital locks, long gone are the days when one would get locked out after losing their key and have to wait for hours and hours on end as their locksmith found their way to their house to unlock the mechanical door lock.

Below here are the pros and cons of digital locks over mechanical ones.
Pros of digital locks
Digital locks have a keyless convenience
You do not have to carry your door key around risking its loss and the trauma that follows. No, with a digital lock, all you need is an access code or PIN that you create and can customize anytime you want. Now you can walk your dog, go shopping without the baggage that carrying keys come with. And what’s more? When you come home in the dark, you do not need to fumble on the digital lock trying to look for the right keys to press since it has an illuminated touch screen and a back-lit keypad.

Auto lock feature
When a burglar tries to crack your PIN and enters a certain number of consecutive tries, the auto lock feature is activated. The door locks completely without accepting any other try unless you input your master pin. Again with the digital lock, you do not have to always remember to lock your door every time you leave. It will automatically lock itself. This is key in your security measures.

More than one user
With the digital door lock, you can give different PINs to more than 70 users such that they all have access to the house. As the home owner, you retain the master PIN which can be used to activate or deactivate other PINs.

Easy installation
Installing a digital lock does not need any expertise whatsoever. All that you need is a screw driver. No wiring, no hammering; just screwing the thing on the door and you are done.

Give easy access to your house
With a digital lock, you can give access to your house to your friend, baby sitter or dog trainer even when you are miles and miles away from your home. All you need to do is give them a unique PIN and they will use to get access to your home. The unique PIN can later be changed such that they will never be able to use it again unless you want them to.

Remote operation
If you have a storey building and a door bell is rung downstairs, you do not have to run all the way down there to open the door. No, all that you require is a Bluetooth device enabled digital lock which you can open remotely from wherever you are. You might however have to add an audio or video system so that you can tell who is calling at the door.

Multiple authentication methods
The digital lock can be accessed through multiple authentication methods such as retina scanning, fingerprinting or entering an alphanumeric key on the keypad.

Audit tracks
With a digital lock, it is very easy to know how many times your home has been accessed at a particular period, how many times wrong PINS were entered and what times your home was accessed. These audit records are very important especially in cases where burglary has happened or if you suspect that your house is about to be broken into.

Cons of digital locks
Costly
As compared to the traditional mechanical locks, digital locks are more expensive bringing into consideration the technology adopted in designing them as well as the increase in security that they bring.

You could be locked out
With a mechanical lock, the only time you would get locked out is when you lose your key and all you need to do is call your local locksmith and in a matter of minutes, they will have unlocked you. With digital locks on the other hand, your chances of getting locked out are many. If you are a forgetful person, you could forget your PIN and get locked out. Again if you forget to recharge your battery, you would get locked out. To get unlocked, you would need to contact a specialized locksmith who has expertise in digital locks.

Over the shoulder stealing of PINs
When opening your alphanumeric code enabled digital lock, some observer from behind could steal your PIN by just glancing over your shoulder and seeing the code that you entered. This way, they would later come and easily get access to your property. It is therefore important that you check that you are not being observed when entering the codes. You should also change your PIN regularly.

How to choose best digital lock
Cost
Well, though you are from Singapore and Singaporeans are known to not mind the cost, you need to ask yourself whether the digital lock in question offers a true value for the money you buy it at. Is the lock durable? Will the digital lock battery last for at least one year before you have to replace it? Again you have to compare different digital locks, their prices and specifications and get the best optimal bargain that has great features as well as an affordable price.

Number of users
Different digital locks can accommodate different number of users. As you get your Singapore digital lock, ask how many number of people can use the lock to get access to your home. If for example you have a family of five and an occasional baby sitter who visits the home, you would need a digital lock that can support at least six unique PINs and a master PIN for you to customize other PINs.

Technology used
Different digital locks use different technology. There are those that use keypads where you are required to enter a PIN to get access to your property. Others used biometric technology where you are supposed to place your finger on a scanner or use eye retina scanning to be allowed to the property. Others use Bluetooth frequencies where you can access your property through a Bluetooth enabled smartphone. In all these, you need to ask yourself which is the most apt for you. PIN enabled locks are good but if you are a forgetful person, they will not work for you. Your PIN might also be known by someone else. Biometric scanners on the other hand are very secure but if you injured your hand and the scanner cannot get your fingerprint, you would be locked out of the house.

Conclusion
In winding up, the article has explained to you the importance of digital locks over mechanical locks. It has also examined the factors that you need to look into before buying your digital lock. But all in all, your safety is in your hand. It is you to decide–while the rest of Singapore goes to digital locks, would you like to be left behind?