Smart locks are a part of any smart home. They help to deal with such problems as forgetting a key or accidentally locking the door. Today, most residents have a smart lock installed on their front door. A lot of them start to think about installing a smart lock on the other entrances. Sadly, not a lot of companies answer that plea, so the choice is not the biggest at all.
Sliding glass doors have their specifics. Unfortunately, their lock is usually outdated. Any experienced thief can break it. It’s also a big piece of glass in the sliding door – something that itself is a big hole in your house’s safety. Not only does it bring attention to itself, but it’s also much easier to destroy compared to other materials.
Here we talk about how we used 10 smart locks for most sliding doors to fix these holes and made your house safer and more secure. We also want to share some advice about other options and how we overall think about home security.
Sliding Smart Locks That We Like
There is a problem that there aren’t a lot of choices when buying such smart locks. Despite their usefulness, the market doesn’t give many options for locking glass sliding doors. And a lot of them require a door from a specific brand.
So it’s a good thing that today there are a lot of keyless entry options, including the automatic one.
Lockey 2500SCKA Surface Mount Hook Bolt
This lock doesn’t require a key for using, which made it a nice choice for this situation. Not only it’s comfortable to use, but it also makes the house much safer to live in. All the while you don’t have to carry any keys and risk losing them.
This model is made by a USA-based firm Lockey, which gave it its name: Lockey 2500.
It works without electronics, only by mechanical means. It has a push-button lock. To use it, you need to set up the pin and unlock the entrance, sharing it with your loved ones.
This one comes with double keys for extra safety because you can forget your code. The lock can be programmed even by the least advanced users and also has enough smart features.
The device is made of Nickle. Because of this, it has weather resistance. You also get a permanent warranty after officially buying this device.
Lockey C150
You should know that it’s not a smart lock for a sliding door. You can’t make it a part of your smart home system. Nonetheless, it’s a great, secure lock that gives an option for keyless entry.
A nice bonus is that you can buy it in many different colors, so the lock will always match your house’s design. It’s discrete, doesn’t require a specific brand of door, and has a lifetime warranty.
The downside is that you need to hire a locksmith to install this lock on your sliding door. Also, you can use only one pin code. It will be shared with all guests of your house and you can’t use another one.
It doesn’t support geofencing, Bluetooth, or automatic unlocking.
Yale Assure Lock for Andersen® Patio Doors
In the USA, this model is one of the few that are available for most sliding doors from glass. It is made by Yale – a home security company that has a worldwide reputation.
It also has other smart locks, but they are much rarer and not present in other countries. For patio doors, this lock is a perfect choice.
For this sliding door lock, Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connection is available. It is battery-operated and used through the Yale Access App that you have to download on your device.
Also, it can be connected to your Alexa, Google Assistant, or Apple HomeKit.
The lock only works for Andersen sliding or patio doors. Other door hinges don’t support this model. The upside is that newer installs come with the hinge, so you can upgrade the security without reinstalling it completely.
It’s even easier to upgrade your existing Andersen sliding doors if they don’t have a smart lock yet. Your local Andersen department can help with sliding glass doors.
Autoslide AS01BC
The biggest upside of this auto sliding door lock is that it’s so smart that you don’t have to touch your sliding door with your hands at all. It opens and closes completely automatically.
There are two ways to activate this function. You can use integration with an infrared device. Another option is to install motion sensors.
The system itself has a motor, a low-voltage DC supply, and an electronic controller. The box has two push buttons without wires. They are installed on the wall from both sides of the door. Motion sensors can be bought additionally.
This lock for sliding doors can hold 132lbs and can be connected with a DVD for DIY. You get two years of warranty.
A nice bonus feature is an existence of a pet version for people who have a cat or a dog in their homes. For dogs, you get an RFID tag for the pet’s collar. It allows the sliding door to open when the dog gets near it.
The owner can set the required distance of acknowledgment to be 3, 5, or 10 feet.
It’s the very definition of the smart lock.
Port Smart Lock-Tower
It’s a smart lock that is designed not only for sliding doors but also for expensive swing doors. You can customize it for a price starting at $500. It allows you to make the lock to be absolutely fit for your entrance.
The lock comes in two colors and has a keypad, a card sensor, a backup key, and a USB power supply. It can be connected via Bluetooth or Wi-Fi, which allows managing the lock through an app.
It’s installed both on iOS and Android systems and Google Home.
Also, there is an alarm that turns on when a thief tries to break into your house and an activity log that allows you to track who comes into and leaves the building.
This model is expensive but is very cost-effective thanks to its smartness. Remember: you can’t spend too much on your home security.
Sonew Mechanical Password
This lock model allows you to use a password to get through a keyless entrance. It’s designed for sliding doors. If you need to get it for glass-made patio doors, you have to get a door frame first.
It’s purely mechanical, so you won’t be worried about the battery going low or the electricity turning off.
The downside is that it’s not a true smart lock at all. In exchange for this, you can enter your password both forwards and backward.
Codace Keyless Entry Door Lock
This model has a lot of similarities with other keyless entry locks from this list. What makes it better? It is useful for heavier and thicker sliding doors – the thickness supported is up to 2.56 inches, and the maximum weight is also bigger than usual.
Also, it’s both waterproof and sunproof. You don’t have to buy protective coverage additionally.
Command Lock
This option is a good one for those who have a Zigbee-enabled hub, for example, SmartThings. It has an electronic drop lock and a smart plug, which allows connection with a smart home as well as control of the lock.
This device for sliding doors is sold for a reasonable price of $195.
HauSun Foot Lock
The lock can improve the security of your sliding door thanks to its discreteness. A thief just won’t see it in time when they try to break into your house. That is because this lock is installed on the corner of your entrance door.
Like with every good security system, the downside is that you can lock yourself out of your own house if you’re not careful enough.
DIY Smart WiFi Sliding Glass Door Lock: Ensure Your Safety
Those interested in DIY can try to make their lock for a sliding glass door. While it can sound difficult and risky, you just have to follow simple instructions. What do you need for the task?
- Electric drop bolt lock in place of a base.
- Smart relay switch, better if it’s compatible with Google or Home Assistant, SmartThings, or Alexa – whichever smart home system you prefer to use.
- A power supply, preferably 12V.
- Some 16mm buttons, at least one pack.
What do you get after you finish the work? You don’t have to spend a lot of money for rare and expensive smart door locks or even other parts of the entrance that are only compatible with a specific model.
IMPORTANT! Acknowledge the following downsides.
A lot of these models for patio doors are not battery-powered. If you don’t have an outlet near the patio door, you have to get an electrician.
What happens when the power goes out? Can you still open the door? Do you have to use a separate key or a password? This is usually required in the US. Although other smart locks have a manual way of opening, so you have an uninterruptible UPS device. It is required to ensure fire safety.
There aren’t a lot of smart locks for patio doors available. Although new companies give new options every day, most of them never get off the ground. A sad example is Padiolock.
Famous Lockly gave an announcement. They plan to produce a smart lock for sliding glass doors. Sadly, it’s not available yet at all.
Some alternatives to sliding door locks
Smart locks are good and drastically increase your home’s security. And yet just to be safe, you should also turn your attention to other means of keeping your house safe. Here counts:
Double bolt latch locking mechanism. It’s a go-to option for a plan B to ensure that even if your lock won’t stop a burglar, something else will.
Motion sensor. It’s best used for both sliding doors and windows. It’s the last resort that can save your life and wealth if the thief has finally broken in.
A human mistake is something that can always happen. For example, you can forget to lock the door properly. Thus, using other options significantly reduces your risks. Remember: the security of your own house is not something you should save your money on.
CAL Smart Double Bolt
This is a heavy double-bolt lock with two pins. It can hold 1000Ibs, so it’s extremely durable compared to your average smart lock. It’s also very easy to install on the sliding glass door as well as the windows and a French door.
It’s not recommended to use it instead of a smart lock. You should use this model as an additional method of securing the house.
Samsung SmartThings Motion Sensor
It’s a perfect plan B, a second option for your house’s extra safety. It ensures your alertness in case both your smart lock and the double bolt won’t work and a thief gets past them. This only works after your security system get compromised by the intruder.
Motion sensors allow you to track any presence in their zone of control. Having a smart device is even better. This model, Samsung SmartThings, can be connected to Alexa or ADT smart Security Hub.
It gives you a lot of control around your house and ensures your and your loved ones’ protection.
Conclusion
Why do burglars always target back doors? They are easy to break into. Keeping them safe with good locks, some of which are listed above, gives you a nice surprise for a thief. They buy you time to alert the police when evil has targeted your home.
Unfortunately, smart locks are a new thing for the world. They have not yet reached their peak of effectiveness. There is always a question of security, price, comfort, and universality.
But there is a need for them, and as security companies notice this more often, more money and resources they give to research and production. A lot of new, better models are coming out every day. We will be keeping in touch with you so you always know about your options.
