Are Smart Locks Worth It in a Montreal Winter?

Smart locks are no longer a gadget. Roughly half of the residential installs we do in Montreal are now keypad or Wi-Fi locks. But Quebec winters are unforgiving and not every model survives a -25°C January morning.

What actually breaks in winter Cheap plastic deadbolts contract and crack. Touchscreen-only locks (no physical keypad backup) fog and freeze in humid weather. Locks rated only for indoor use will technically work on a front door but their warranty won't cover salt and snow exposure.

What we install and don't We stop installing pure touchscreen locks on north-facing exterior doors. Physical-button keypads (Yale Assure, Schlage Encode) handle winter far better. For higher-end installs we lean on Mul-T-Lock ENTR — pricier but the cylinder is the strongest you can buy in this category.

Wi-Fi or no Wi-Fi? If you want to share access remotely with cleaners, Airbnb guests, or family — yes, get Wi-Fi. If you just want a code instead of a key, skip it and save the upcharge. Most break-ins are still through forced doors or unlocked windows, not hacked Wi-Fi locks.

Battery life in the cold Plan to swap batteries twice a year in Montreal, not once. Lithium AAs hold up better than alkaline below freezing. We replace them at the spring and fall time-changes for our maintenance customers — a free habit that saves an unnecessary lockout call.