Why Every Smart Lock Needs a Gasket!!!

by Margaret · Published April 15, 2020 · Updated June 23, 2020

**Our honesty policy: This post may contain affiliate links and I may be compensated if you make a purchase at no extra cost to you. Some are, some aren't--I do some comparison shopping. The important thing is you will know exactly what we are talking about. Drop a note/comment if you have any questions on the products as these are materials and tools we use on our own projects.

I’m sure you see the problem here!

As you are squinting at that picture you might be thinking:

“What are those marks around that cell phone/gorgeous looking smart lock/Alfred DB2?” and/or
“I don’t want a reminder of my old lock when I’m admiring my gorgeous new one!” and/or
“Glad that’s not me!”

Which is why we are talking about the importance of getting a smart lock with a gasket.

I don’t care if the gasket is made of silicone, EPDM–even a polyethylene foam would perform better than nothing.

That says a lot because you all KNOW I’m a fan of EPDM gaskets: Durability Experiments for Different Sill Sealers and An Airtight Home: How to Choose and Install Sill Sealer Gasket

The Alfred DB2 smart lock sports a silicone gasket.

SOMETHING is better than NOTHING.

Both silicone and EPDM are EXTREMELY durable types of rubber that hold up well to extreme temperatures. They are also flexible and maintain their shape even in an arid desert environment. Meaning, if your door or lock flexes (assuming we aren’t talking about anything more than the original thickness of the gasket), the gasket will fill in the space.

Note how the Alfred DB2 silicone gasket is flexible.

Here is the EPDM house gasket the day I removed the brick on this end:

And here is that same EPDM gasket as of this morning (2 years and 3 months after the experiment started):

And here is that same EPDM gasket as of this morning (over 2 years after the experiment started). Proof EPDM is durable, elastic, and maintains shape, even over long periods of time and UV exposure. And while I realize this is EPDM and not silicone, the properties of these gaskets are similar.

While it did not bounce all the way back…

2 years later...the EPDM gasket is elastic and maintains shape. You can see how far my finger can press into it. What you don't see is my fingernail is buried even further (since I'm a girl, I don't mind them growing long...)

It still tried to maintain it’s shape. You can see how far my finger can press into it. What you don’t see is my fingernail is buried even further (since I’m a girl, I don’t mind them growing long…)

When I bend it, the EPDM gasket is still flexible and elastic. It has not hardened in the sun and there are no visible cracks.

AAAAAAAND it still exists despite floating around my backyard–no longer held in place by a brick, but used for dirt castles and other backyard activities with continued sun exposure.

Which leads us to the TWO reasons we want a gasket on our smart locks:

A gasket will protect both the internals of your lock from weather and dirt.
Dirt and dust buildup.
A gasket will protect the paint on your door.
Old paint upon removal.

Because it is only a matter of time before you might want to upgrade your old lock to a smart lock. Or upgrade your not so smart lock, but still very enjoyable keyless entry lock* to the hottest smart lock on the market.**

*I’ve enjoyed you, Schlage Keypad Deadbolt. I will find a new home for you.
**But I’m getting a kick out of one-touch entry AAAND admiring my new Alfred DB2.

When that time comes, you don’t want to be surprised when the new footprint is smaller than the old footprint and you have to do something about it.

Alfred locks have silicone gaskets versus Schlage does not have gaskets. My new deadbolt is on the left and my old one is on the right. I’d ask if you see any problems here, but now the problem is obvious!

My new deadbolt is on the left and my old one is on the right. I’d ask if you see any problems here, but now the problem is obvious!

No, the solution isn’t to make sure the next lock is larger. 😉

It’s subtle and I’ll admit I never once thought about the importance of a gasket on a smart lock before this switch.

So learn from my naivety. Get a smart lock with a gasket.

Some of you may have thought, “That’s nice, but what about that modern lever below the nice Alfred gasket?”

I COULDN’T AGREE MORE!

It kills me to put on this Kwikset Halifax lever with no gasket. Because even though it covers the circle gouged out by the old gold lever, someday I (or the next homeowner) might want to change it. Aaaand the door will no longer be the perfect match to Behr No. 3900-N white interior/exterior urethane alkyd semi-gloss enamel with a smidgen of Flotrol. Now I’m thinking about fabricating a gasket out of the sill sealer for the lever…thanks, blog! …I hope it is not too late…

I “got lucky” and had this happen just after I painted the front door. Honestly, I attended to the International Builder Show after just having repainted the door so that I could take nice pictures of my Schlage Keypad Deadbolt for this post: How to Pick the Best Keyless Entry Deadbolt

Schlage Keypad Deadbolt Money Shot: I seriously spent over a week’s worth of kiddo naptimes for this ONE photo. I hadn't even taken the painter's tape off the weatherstripping. Not putting the lock back on for a better shot now! ;-)

I seriously spent over a week’s worth of kiddo naptimes for this ONE photo. I hadn’t even taken the painter’s tape off the weatherstripping. Not putting the lock back on for a better shot now! 😉

I didn’t expect to come back, having been so impressed with a smart lock that I wanted to take off my old one, which I was perfectly happy with before the show.

So call me “lucky” to sand, prime, sand, prime, sand, paint, sand, paint and install the Alfred DB2 the next day. (However, it was fortunate I even attempted the paint job because now the Alfred DB2 absolutely POPS against it!)

Huzzah!

But what happens after months or years go by and the paint fades? You CAN’T DO a “simple” paint patch like I did. At least, not without it looking like a paint patch.

PREVENTION is the better answer!

So something to consider the next time you buy a lock–make sure it has a gasket!

I’m obviously a fan of Alfred and they have this lovely silicone gasket on both the DB1 and DB2, but having called into Yale customer service, they “assured” me all Yale locks also have a silicone gasket (FYI, Yale as a lock called “Assure” so that’s why that was funny). Schlage, Kwikset, Benjilock by Hampton and Baldwin do not have gaskets from the intel I gathered for this post: Sound Check! How Loud is That Keyless Entry Lock?. Maybe they will in the future if they read this post? 😉

* At this point I am not endorsing Yale yet since I am not sure of the gasket material. For instance, if it is a hard plastic I’d say it is not a good alternative–that will gouge into the door too! I just know it exists from my video footage. I’ll reach out to them and ask what it is made out of and update this post. Update (4/29/2020): Yale customer service stated they have silicone gaskets on all their locks.