If you are thinking of installing August smart locks in an area that is prone to intense storms, then it is really good that you know if they are waterproof. The chances are that your smart locks are able to handle more water than you can imagine, but don’t try that.
Is August Smart Lock weatherproof? The August Doorbell Camera, Doorbell Camera Pro, and Smart Keypad have an IP55 rating that means they are protected from the duct and also effective against water jetting. The August view doorbell camera has an IPX5 rating, and this means it is also effective against water jetting.
The August View, Doorbell Cam, and the Smart Keypad are installed on the outside of the home, and they are suitable for use outdoor. The August Smart Locks and August Connect are installed on the interior of the door, and their use is not intended to be outdoor.
Smart locks are water-resistant enough for them to withstand normal rainfall but are not able to be submerged. If you have an additional concern of water damage, you can take measures to better seal the lock. Smart locks are only water-resistant to rainfall on their outside section of the dor but not on the inside.
Let’s get to know just how water-resistant your smart locks can get as well as the things that you can do at your home to make them become even more resistant to mother nature.
How Waterproof Are Smart Locks?
Many electronic devices are being made to be more and more water-resistant, even cell phones. The water resistance thing is now becoming a convenience thing than an actual need unless you are talking about smart locks.
If you have a smart lock or intent to buy one soon, it needs waterproofing. If it was not meant to be water-resistant enough to handle rain, then it would not be worth the 200 dollars that you spend to get one. Smart locks are awesome, especially with the features of the smart home now, they do great things, but they wouldn’t be worth replacing every time there are rains.
Almost every smart lock you get out there is going to come with waterproofing built-in. In fact, if you get one that does not have waterproofing, then you are looking at the anomaly. As a general rule, you should not have concerns about your smart lock breaking from the outside just because of rainwater.
That said, any smart door lock can break from too much rain, that is, if you live somewhere that hails. The smart lock could get damaged and lose its outdoor waterproofing.
Does Humidity Affect Door Locks?
Door locks are prone to get affected by colder weather in the winter months; this is also similar during warmer weather in the summer as humidity and moisture in the air cause door frames to start expanding.
This expansion leads to wedged door locks, and thus it becomes difficult for the locks to turn without exerting more effort. During the low temperatures, the doors become compressed when the temperatures reach the freezing point and causing misfit between locks and the door.
This makes turning a key become difficult in the lock. It is very common in the cars where the cold temperatures don’t only affect the door hardware and the fit of the lock but also lead doors to freeze entirely. This makes it hard to turn the key in the lock and also opening.
To prevent locks from getting too much affected by the change in weather, you may implement some strategies that include replacing any wooden doors with fiberglass or steel doors, lubricating the locks regularly, and working with a locksmith that is experienced that can identify any risk factors and fix issues that are necessary.
Are Smart Locks Waterproof on Both Sides?
NO! Smart locks are not waterproof on their inside part, and this means that the side with the deadbolt lever will break if it is rained on. However, the locks are designed to resist weather that hits the part of the door with the keyhole or the numeral pad.
Unfortunately, there is no large need for locks that are waterproof on both sides. Smart lock manufacturers make products that are appealing to the masses, and the point of waterproofing on both sides is rare.
Waterproofing the Inside Portion of a Smart Lock
Unfortunately, there are no many resources that are out there for waterproofing things, and those that are available are fairly bad.
The solution that is remaining is that you will be able to fabricate a homegrown solution that will suit the needs of your lock and will not make it too ugly.
Solutions To Waterproof Locks
Give Your Lock a Roof.
Luckily for us humans, we devised a way to waterproof our own homes. We have done this by installing waterproof barriers that are above us for diverting the rain into a drain system that has been established for a long period of time.
A really simple solution that you may use is to install some rain blocker on top of the smart locks. One good product that would do this work is STI 6521S, and it costs less than $50 on Amazon.
There are many other similar things out there that you could use. I was a huge fan of Waterproof Multi-Purpose Waterproof Poly Tarp Cover because if you needed to, you could simply install a hanging tarp over the top of the smart lock to protect it from the rains.
These types of solutions may not be pretty, but there are few alternatives for waterproofing the inside of a smart lock then this.
Lots of Vaseline and Silicon
The silicon is a good way to seal the smart lock to the door really well; this helps in keeping the water from getting between the smart lock and the door. Most of the water that is going to ruin the lock is going to be in this area.
Vaseline is a nice way you can use to waterproof your electronics. I have been using it for inside my watches to keep water from getting in. All you have to do is to disassemble the lock and then fill the entire thing with Vaseline, even the compartment of the battery. Fill every single nook and cranny with it.
This can become messy at times, and it is not ideal or a permanent solution, though if you need a solution for a month or two, it would be good.
If you live in places that have hot climates, you should use something that is less gooey; otherwise, the Vaseline drip out in the summer.
You should use silicon on the visible cracks that may let water get in.
Plastic bag
This solution is the ugliest of the solutions that are available but may still work well. You should take some strong plastic like the Glad Press’n Seal Sealable Plastic Wrap with Griptex for wrapping the lock and screw it tightly. You may lose access to the actual locking mechanism, but you can unlock it with the phone still.
Why Waterproofing is Expensive and Rare
Smart locks are especially difficult to make them waterproof because they are mounted on something. Most cell phone manufacturers are quick to advertise water resistance, but in reality, most of these are not perfect.
Most of the devices are that are waterproof are for the simple reason that it is hard to get components inside. Since most of the phones have a rechargeable battery, there is no access panel needed for the phone to be used.
These access panels are the main reason most of the devices failed because the water had really easy access to sensitive innards.
Manufacturers of smartphones are inclined to make devices that are strong enough to handle if they drop in a swimming pool or toilet, but for smart locks, they never leave the front door.
Smart locks should have access ports, and they should be modular. People don’t want to charge something that is mounted on their wall, as it would not make sense.
They should have the option of replacing batteries. Having replaceable batteries means that your lock has an access port that allows water to come in and corrode the batteries and destroy electronics.
The outer part of the lock is waterproof, but it is easier to waterproof than is a more pregnable counterpart.all of the outside of even the fanciest locks is just a touchpad, and it is easy to waterproof.
The outside of the lock is going to be completely sealed and only have like one or two insulated wires that go through the door to the outside.
Waterproofing parts of a device is simple compared to waterproofing the entire device.
Does August Smart Lock work with Ring?
August smart lock Pro works with ring Alarm, which is a DIY security system that has security sensors, Zigbee, Z-wave, and ring cameras. With integration. You can create rules for the security system and lock.
The favorite integration is the voice, as you can use them to lock and unlock the door.
Does August Smart Lock work without wifi?
When August smart lock is not connected to the August wifi Bridge, you will only be able to get smart alerts if the August App user locks or unlocks the door using the August App. When the bridge is not connected, the battery readings may be delayed, or even ot send until the owner connects to the smart lock through the August app.
If the owner of the lock visits seldom, then the batteries could reach their low power threshold without getting a notification.
The activity feed updates only when another owner who is not a guest accesses the lock using the August App.
Why do I Need an August wifi Bridge?
You need the August wifi bridge to communicate with the Augusts servers to allow you to get remote access to your August smart lock when you are not in the Bluetooth range. When you don’t have a wifi bridge, you cannot get updates to your activity feed until an owner connects to the lock with their App.
If you have Z-wave or Homekit with no August wifi bridge, the lock activity will not update in the activity feed in the August app until the owner makes a Bluetooth connection with the lock.
August Smart Lock with August wifi Bridge
These scenarios explain what happens when you have an August wifi bridge. You receive smart alert notifications when the door is locked or unlocked manually when the lock is accessed using an entry code only used when the door is ajar, when the one-touch and auto-lock events are enabled when you receive battery readings as soon as the batteries get low.
If you have Alexa or Google Home, the apps will update as the events occur. The activity feed will update as the lock events occur as the bridge is connected online.
