Smart Garage?

irvinehomeowner

Well-known member
So we started talking about Smart Garage Openers in the Owner's Issues section:
http://www.talkirvine.com/index.php/topic,11475.msg238572.html#msg238572

I can understand wanting to control lights, cameras and your AC online and from apps on your phone, but I think I'm a little sketchy about controlling access to my home.

I understand these companies like to advertise the ability to give contractors and service companies access to your home remotely but I think I draw the line at having a cloud service being able to control entry to my home.

This is probably a minor concern because any seasoned thief can pick your lock, clone your garage door code etc... but it worries me a bit.

I think the main benefit would be to close my garage door in case I accidentally left it open (have done that a few times) or not having to bring keys with me when I go walking/biking since I always have my phone with me.

Is anyone else afraid of zombies hacking your online Garage Door account and sneaking in to snack on you?
 
There is a lock on the door from the garage to the inside of your home. So that is a deterrent. I want to also get bluetooth locks haha. Maybe hook up a hidden camera in your garage to monitor things?
 
We have digital lock from garage to house that automatically locks after 30 sec or so if you don't manually lock.  You can't also lock yourself out since its digital (unless  you forgot the code).
 
i was talking to one of the neighbors about their automated lock, they said install was easy, just like switching out a regular lock. he mentioned that if you get the ones that turn the deadbolt for you the battery drains out in 2-3 months, whereas if you get a lock that engages the deadbolt but you have to manually turn it, the batteries lasts over a year.
 
WTTCMN said:
GH said:
We have digital lock from garage to house that automatically locks after 30 sec or so if you don't manually lock.  You can't also lock yourself out since its digital (unless  you forgot the code).

Which one do you have GH?  Was it easy install?

We had the Brinks one .. something similar to this:http://www.walmart.com/ip/21094604

We had the older version and was carried over from our old house.  MrsGH was able to replace the standard knob and install it in 15-20 minutes.  It's a pretty good unit as it lasted several years now and we haven't replaced the batteries for maybe 3+ years now. We also installed one in the walk-in pantry as our 2 yr old likes to go in and mess with food stuff in the pantry.
 
She actually also put one in our master closet to keep the cleaners out.

Without the lock in the pantry, our daughter can finish a whole bag of goldfish or other crackers in minutes :)
 
irvinehomeowner said:
Who locks the door from the garage to the house? :|

My kids do.  Little Zerolots are always locking the door from the garage to the house.  I've been locked out of my own house by them, several times.

So I got the digital touchpad deadbolt lock from Costco for $150 last week.  It's ok, not the best but I can enter a bunch of codes into it and I have an option to make it automatically lock on its own.  It comes with a fail-safe key just in case the battery runs out. 

I'm not sure if I want to hook up the internet option to that lock yet.  I'm on the fence with that.

I don't mind automating my garage door, but putting my main lock to my house in the cloud is a different story.
 
My garage is pretty secure. I used my alarm company and wired all the doors (including rollup) with sensors and placed a WiFi camera with a view of my cars.

Future upgrades: 1) Smart lock for kitchen access 2) Remote garage door activation
 
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