Can anyone give me advice on a keyless front door lockset?

Question

Are they safe? Do you have any experience with them?. How easy are they to install? would you recommend a certain brand?

Answer 1

if you are talking about the ones with the numbered buttons on it like this http://consumer.schlage.com/door-locks/

they are a very interesting lock system, i kinda like them and would put one on my home.

to give you an idea they are a electronic dead bolt, so i find them safe to have.  as for installing one they are pretty simple as you will have to take it apart every now and then to replace the battery.  they just have a few more parts to install, but every lock manafacturer is diffrent.  schlage locks are easier to install than, lets say baldwin or emtek.

i honestly feel these locks are best for rear or side doors.  most people with buy a nice front door handle and lock set for appreance and put one of those locks on another door in case you loose your keys or lock your self out.

i also recomend as a back up going to you local building supply store (i.e. home depot, menards) and get a numbered lock box that you can attach outside with a spare key in it.  these are boxes that have a four digit push botton code. typically used for realtors, one version you can s***w onto a post, etc the other you can hang from a door k**b or diffrent structure.

just kepp in mind about the door set back,. most exterior doors a 2 3/4" set back so i would make sure you get one to fit.  while most interior doors have a 2 3/8" set back, but you i have seen some interior doors with 2 3/4".  to find out which you have measure from the edge of the door to the center of the bore.  the bore sixe is typically 2 1/8 in dia. and 1" through the edge (side) of the door.

http://consumer.schlage.com/

http://emtek.com/

http://www.baldwinhardware.com/

http://kwikset.com/  (kwikset is ok, just not one of the better lock systems)