8 Advantages of Pairing Smart Door Locks with Doorbell Cameras

If keeping your home and family safe is your first priority, you may want to consider investing in a smart door lock and doorbell camera.

Smart door locks allow you to lock and unlock your front door remotely through your smartphone or the smart lock’s keypad — without needing a physical key.

And when paired with a doorbell camera, you can see what’s going on outside your doorstep around the clock, view recorded footage, and talk to guests.

This guide will help you discover the advantages of pairing smart door locks with doorbell cameras and find answers to some of the most commonly asked questions.

See who comes in and out

With a smart door lock, it’s easy to know when someone checks in and out of your home throughout the day.

This smart device can send notifications on your smartphone whenever there’s front-door activity to provide much-needed peace of mind — even when you’re far away.

For instance, you can use your smart door lock and doorbell camera to check that your kids arrived home safely after school or that guests arrived for a visit.

Monitor deliveries

Over the last few years, online shopping has become an essential part of everyday living — allowing people to order groceries, clothing, and other items from the comfort of their homes.

When paired with a smart door lock, the Vivint Doorbell Camera Pro is a great way to monitor your packages and protect them from theft. Featuring two-way audio capabilities, the doorbell camera allows you to give delivery drivers special instructions.

You can then unlock the front door or garage door to let them place the package inside rather than leave it on the porch.

Deter package thieves

Considering that 29% of Americans reported having had a package stolen from their porch, enhancing front porch security is essential.

Fortunately, the Vivint Doorbell Camera Pro and Kwikset Smart Locks act as a deterrents against package theft — allowing you to watch live footage of your home’s exterior and prevent package thieves using Smart Deter and computer vision chip technology.

Remote access to your door locks

Imagine how wonderful it would be if you could unlock the doors for your guests when you’re not at home, let family members in while lying in bed, and open the garage door while doing the laundry.

All these scenarios are possible with a complete Vivint system.

Video doorbells connect to your home’s Wi-Fi connection to notify you whenever you have a visitor waiting outside your doorstep, and smart door locks allow you to control your doors from your mobile app or touch-screen hub like the Vivint Smart Hub.

Ability to go keyless

One of the biggest benefits of an integrated home security system is the ability to control your doors through your smartphone or the lock’s keypad without a key. Some smart door locks also have a biometric or fingerprint scanner for one-touch check-in.

Eliminating the need for a physical key means you don’t have to worry about locking yourself out of your own home or hiding spare keys around your porch for your pet sitter, house cleaner, or maintenance person.

Thanks to your doorbell camera, you can also see when guests arrive at your home and when they leave — giving you peace of mind whether you’re near or far.

Automatic locking or unlocking

If you’re like most of us, automatic locking and unlocking can save you from difficult everyday situations, like realizing you’ve left the door unlocked while at work or having to find your keys while juggling kids, grocery bags, or backpacks.

With Kwikset’s auto-locking feature, you can set custom smart functions so your device automatically locks after a certain amount of time or following particular actions.

Moreover, you can set notification alerts to help you remember to lock the door when you leave home, especially if you’re in a rush.

Assign user permissions

With a smart home security system, you can assign unique passcodes for everyone in the family. This way, they can check in and out of the house without needing a physical key.

A Kwikset Smart Lock can add up to 30 individual users, so you can let family members, guests, babysitters, and others inside. You can also delete or change access codes that are no longer in use.

When paired with the Vivint Doorbell Camera Pro, you’ll be able to see when someone arrives at your home — even if they don’t knock on the door.

Home automation

If you love the idea of home automation, you can integrate your home security system with smart assistants like Google Home and Apple Homekit and other Wi-Fi-connected devices, including your smart thermostat.

Control the room’s temperature, turn on the lights, and lock the garage doors remotely — all while lying in bed.

That said, you should always check each device’s smart integration compatibility before making a purchase.

FAQs about door locks and doorbell cameras

If you’re curious about smart door locks and doorbell cameras, keep reading to learn more about how they work and how they can increase your home’s security.

Can someone hack a smart door lock?

Like most smart devices connected to Wi-Fi, smart door locks can be compromised by cybercriminals or hackers.

This doesn’t mean smart locks aren’t a better alternative to physical keys — it just means you should take the right preventative measures to protect your device from threats.

That said, you should always purchase devices from trusted brands like Vivint, update your device as soon as there’s a software update available, and use two-factor authentication as an additional security measure.

How can you view your doorbell camera live?

You can watch footage from any Vivint camera on the Smart Hub and on the Vivint app.

Your Vivint Doorbell Camera integrates seamlessly with your mobile phone. Through the Vivint app, you can see what’s going on at your doorstep in real time, even when you’re hundreds of miles away.

For total home automation, you can also connect your smart home devices to your mobile app, including your smart thermostat, floodlight camera, and smart lighting.

Do doorbell cameras deter package thieves?

Video doorbells are equipped with advanced functionality to detect and deter porch pirates lingering for too long outside your door — giving you peace of mind throughout the day and night.

For example, the Vivint doorbell camera will notify you in real time as soon as a package arrives at your door. When someone tries to steal your package, your camera will play a loud sound and activate a bright LED ring to scare them away.

Can you unlock a smart door lock from your phone?

Smart locks connect to your home network connection to allow you to control your doors from your mobile device, providing keyless entry to your home.

When connected to your smartphone, you’ll be able to lock and unlock your doors, set custom alerts, and assign unique access codes for family members and guests.

Do smart locks work if the power goes out?

Most smart locks are battery-powered, which means they can still work even when you lose power.

Depending on your battery life, your smart lock device can work for more than just a few hours, meaning you don’t have to worry about your locking mechanism not working during a power outage.

However, if your smart door locks and camera devices are connected to Wi-Fi or Bluetooth, you might not be able to use smart features like real-time viewing and instant notifications until your power is back.

Can you still use a key with a smart lock?

Generally, you can control smart door locks with a smartphone app or a numeric keypad without needing a physical key.

Most models require you to replace your existing locking mechanism entirely. Others will fit your current lock system, whether with a smart deadbolt lock set or a traditional lock system.

Depending on your home security needs, Vivint’s Smart Home Pros will suggest an option tailored to your security needs and budget.

How long do smart door locks last?

The life of your smart door lock depends on several factors, including the environment, weather conditions, and care.

However, with correct installation and proper maintenance, smart door locks can last for many years. Book a free consultation with our Smart Home Pros to learn more about how to care for your smart device.

Our team of experts can take care of your smart door lock installation so you can take the worry out of DIY installation problems.

Are smart locks worth it?

Upgrading your physical key to a smart lock system can add convenience and security to your home. With a smart lock, you can relax knowing your front door access is restricted to users with permission — meaning you don’t have to worry about hiding keys in the garden or locking yourself outside.

If you want to add an extra layer of security, you may also integrate your smart locks with a video doorbell security camera, such as the Vivint Doorbell Camera Pro.

Featuring high-resolution video and infrared night vision, you’ll be in control of everything that happens at your front door from day to night — from viewing live footage from your mobile device to talking to visitors and watching past video streams.

To enjoy the benefits of intelligent living, you may also integrate your electronic door lock with other smart devices and voice assistants, such as Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa.

Who could have thought that today we could control our homes by saying, “Alexa, unlock the front door!”

Discover smart door locks and doorbell camera options from Vivint

Smart home security is here to stay, and a smart door lock is undeniably a worthy investment if you want to add an extra layer of security to your home.

When paired with a doorbell camera, you’ll have access to features like remote viewing, motion detection, and video recording — giving you a safer home.

Vivint offers smart door locks and doorbell camera options to help keep your family and home protected day and night.

Give us a call today at 855.822.1220 to add these devices to your home security system.