The downsides of a fingerprint biometric door lock
Seven months ago I installed a remote-unlockable biometric door lock. It’s got a fingerprint sensor, a button, and that’s about it user-facing. I installed this on our back door behind a security door that locks as well and didn’t think a lot of it for a while. The lock had been slow, unlocking via the internet could take a solid minute, the handle was difficult for my kids to use, whatever though, it was on the back door so it remained in play.
A couple of months back a Mourning Dove couple decided to take over my front porch. They built a nest, laid a couple of eggs, and started nesting. OK, no front door for us. We all started using the rear door.
Then one day it rained. My wife and kids stuck in it discovered 1) that the biometric sensor can not read wet fingerprints (none that I’ve played with can,) 2) a beautiful perfect cylinder that’s about half the side of a normal knob can’t be gripped and turned easily while wet, 3) that we were going to use our front door in spite of Dove family.
Tiny handle, rain, biometrics only (and phone unlock,) lead to the discovery that the Mourning Doves don’t give two hoots about us and we can walk by them without scaring them away or annoying them.
Something I’d not considered, that if you don’t have a keypad backup or a key backup water, gloves, and pruned fingertips can all keep you from getting in.
I’m not bashing on the lock mind you, just something to consider. If your biometric only lock is in the elements / doesn’t have a cover, you might end up stuck outside in the rain.
Guess what also doesn’t work particularly well in the rain… phones… just try and remote unlock while drops are hitting it.
