What happens to a smart lock if the power goes out? You need to know this

Smart locks are becoming increasingly popular, but what happens to a smart lock if the power goes out? You need to know this.

Smart locks

There are now countless ways to make your home smarter. Lamps, curtains, washing machines and even refrigerators are smart these days. Your home security is also getting smarter, with indoor and outdoor security cameras. That’s not all, because you can easily secure your home with a smart lock. These are available in all shapes and sizes, so there is a suitable smart lock for every door.

Smart locks work in different ways. With certain models, you insert the house key into the lock indoors, so that the turning mechanism can automatically turn the key. Other locks work with their own system or special security key. All smart locks have at least one similarity, and that is that they depend on a power supply. How does a smart lock work if your power goes out?

Depending on batteries

It can always happen that you experience a power outage at your home. A power outage or short circuit can cause you to have no electricity temporarily or for a longer period of time. With a smart lock you do need power so that the mechanism can be opened and closed. With most smart locks it is no problem if the power goes out in your house, because they run on batteries. This way, a smart lock still has energy even in the event of a power outage.

Of course, that does not mean that a smart lock always has enough power. Batteries and rechargeable batteries eventually run out, so it is important to keep a close eye on this. Most smart locks have their own application that displays the battery percentage. Are the batteries almost empty? You will usually receive a notification in time, so make sure you have notifications from the app turned on. This way you know exactly when to replace the batteries of the smart lock.

Emergency options

Have you waited too long to replace the batteries or charge the battery? And is your smart lock without power? Fortunately, there is still no reason to panic, because you can still enter your house. Smart locks usually have several emergency options. There are plenty of locks that can be opened manually with a key, even when the battery is empty or empty. Therefore, make sure that you always have this key with you when you leave the house.

In addition, smart locks often have a backup battery or energy saving mode, which allows you to open and close the lock for a long time when there is little power. Other emergency options include an emergency battery port, where you can connect a power bank or jump-start the lock with a 9-volt battery. The door can almost always be opened via the smart lock, even if the power in the batteries or accumulator fails.

Good to know: the smart lock remains in the current position if the battery is empty. The door therefore remains unlocked or unlocked, depending on when the power goes out. Did you lock the door when you left and did the battery die in your absence? In that case, the door remains locked and your home is still well secured.

Choose a smart lock for your home

Are you planning to choose a smart lock for your home? It is then wise to check in advance how the smart lock works if the power goes out. It usually has no effect if the power to your home goes out, but it does if the battery of the smart lock is empty. Therefore, check carefully whether a smart lock can still be opened with a key from outside, for example. The cylinder of your front door often also needs support for this, so check whether it has an emergency function.

Many smart locks from brands such as Nuki, Switchbot and Aqara offer emergency options, such as a backup battery or physical key. This way you can always enter your house, even if the power to the smart lock goes out. Descriptions of smart locks usually mention these emergency options. Are you curious about which smart locks are available? View the entire range here, so that you choose exactly the right lock for your home: