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A lot of people think a smart lock is a 20 minute screwdriver job that fits any front door. It is not. Schlage's own spec page for the Encode smart deadbolt lists a door thickness of 1 3/8 to 1 3/4 inches, a backset of 2 3/8 or 2 3/4 inches, and a 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi network. Miss one of those and the lock jams, drains its batteries, or never connects. We install smart and digital locks across Portland, and each of the seven checks below takes only a tape measure and a few minutes.
What Matters
- Measure the door first. Most smart deadbolts fit doors 1 3/8 to 1 3/4 inches thick. A thicker or older door may need a different model or new holes.
- The bolt has to slide free. A small motor cannot push a bolt that rubs the strike plate. Fix the door before you add the lock.
- Check your Wi-Fi band. Many Wi-Fi locks need a 2.4 GHz network, and a weak signal at the door eats batteries.
- Read the grade. The BHMA standard grades a home deadbolt in three areas. A lock marked AAA got the top grade in all three.
- Keep a key backup. Batteries die. A keyed cylinder is your way in when they do.
- Renters have rules. In Oregon a landlord still owes 24 hours notice before entry, even with a code that opens the door.
Seven Checks in One Table
Run down this list with a tape measure and your phone. It takes about ten minutes and saves a second trip to the store.
| Check | What to look for | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Door thickness | 1 3/8 to 1 3/4 inches on most smart deadbolts | Too thick and the screws or tailpiece will not reach |
| 2. Backset | 2 3/8 or 2 3/4 inches from door edge to hole center | The bolt has to line up with the hole in the door |
| 3. Bolt travel | The bolt slides in and out with one finger, door closed | A dragging bolt stalls the motor and kills batteries |
| 4. Wi-Fi | A 2.4 GHz network with a good signal at the door | No signal means no app, no alerts, no remote codes |
| 5. Grade | ANSI/BHMA A156.40 on the box, ideally AAA | The grade is lab tested, not marketing |
| 6. Power and backup | Battery type, battery life, and a keyed cylinder | You need a way in when the batteries quit |
| 7. Weather and lease | Rated temperatures, and your rental agreement | Portland sun, rain and Oregon rental law both apply |
Measure Your Door Before You Buy
Every smart deadbolt is made for a range of doors. The Schlage Encode, one of the most common models, fits doors from 1 3/8 inches to 1 3/4 inches thick, per its spec page. Most newer exterior doors fall inside that range. Some older Portland homes have thick, solid wood doors that do not.
Next, measure the backset. That is the distance from the edge of the door to the center of the deadbolt hole. The two standard sizes are 2 3/8 inches and 2 3/4 inches. Many smart deadbolts adjust to both. Check the box before you buy.
Look at the lock you have now, too. If your deadbolt sits above a handleset like the one in this photo, most smart deadbolts can replace the top lock and leave the handle alone. If your door has an old mortise lock, the kind with one tall box set into the door edge, a standard smart deadbolt will not drop in. That job needs a different lock or new door prep.
Make Sure the Bolt Slides Free
A keyed deadbolt hides a lot of door problems. Your hand pushes the key a little harder and the bolt goes home. A smart lock has a small motor and four AA batteries. It cannot push past a bolt that rubs.
Close the door and turn the old deadbolt by hand. The bolt should slide in and out with one finger. If you have to lift or push the door to lock it, the strike plate is out of line or the door has sagged. Wood doors in Portland swell in the wet months and shrink in summer, so a door that locks fine in August can bind in January.
Fix the alignment first. That may mean moving the strike plate, filing the strike hole, or tightening the hinge screws. Then install the smart lock. Skip this step and the lock will jam, beep, or drain its batteries in weeks.
Get the Wi-Fi Right and Lock Down the Account
The Schlage Encode needs a 2.4 GHz network, and its spec page says so plainly. Many routers broadcast both 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz under one name. If the lock will not connect, that is the first thing to check.
Signal at the door matters just as much. A front door at the far end of a house, behind brick or a metal storm door, may get a weak signal. A lock that keeps hunting for Wi-Fi uses more power.
Then treat the lock like any other device on your network. The FTC's guide on securing internet connected devices at home says to change default passwords, turn on two factor login where you can, keep the app and firmware updated, and turn off features you do not use. Your smart lock app is now a key to your house. Give it a strong password that you do not use anywhere else.
Read the Grade on the Box
Home deadbolts are tested under a standard called ANSI/BHMA A156.40. The Builders Hardware Manufacturers Association explains that the standard grades each lock in three areas, durability, strength and security, and finish. Each area gets an A, B or C.
So a lock marked AAA got an A in all three. The Encode's spec page lists Grade AAA under A156.40, plus Commercial Grade 1 under a second standard, A156.36. A cheap lock with no grade on the box has not told you how it held up in the lab.
The grade covers the lock. It does not cover the door. A strong deadbolt in a weak frame still fails when the door is kicked. Long screws in the strike plate, into the stud behind the jamb, matter as much as the lock itself.
Plan for Dead Batteries
The Encode runs on 4 AA alkaline batteries and Schlage rates them at up to six months of typical use. Heavy traffic, a weak Wi-Fi signal, or a dragging bolt can shorten that.
That is why the backup matters. The Encode keeps a regular 5 pin keyed cylinder, so a key still opens the door when the batteries are flat. Keep that key somewhere outside the house you can reach, not on the kitchen counter.
A keyed backup also means the old rules still apply. If you buy a house, the keys from the last owner may still open the cylinder on a new smart lock if it was keyed alike. Have the cylinder rekeyed so only your keys work. The guide to rekeying a lock covers how that works.
Portland Weather and Oregon Rental Law
Every smart lock has a rated temperature range. For the Encode, the outside part is rated from -31 to 150.8 degrees Fahrenheit, and the inside part from 14 to 120.2 degrees. Portland's hottest day on record was 116 degrees at the airport on June 28, 2021, according to NOAA's Climate.gov. That falls inside the outside rating with room to spare.
The inside rating is the one to watch on a door that is not heated, like a garage entry, a shed, or a detached studio. On those doors, check the inside range before you buy.
Renters and landlords have a second set of rules. Under ORS 90.320, a rental must have working locks on all entrance doors, and keys for the locks that need keys. Under ORS 90.322, a landlord must give at least 24 hours actual notice before entering, except in an emergency or a few other cases the law lists. A smart lock code does not change that. If you rent, get the landlord's okay in writing before you swap the lock, and give them a code or key if your lease says so. This is general information, not legal advice.
Buying a house that already has a smart lock? The FTC's advice for buying a smart home says to reset connected devices, set up your own account, and install updates as soon as you can. For a lock, that also means deleting every old code and rekeying the backup cylinder.
What a Smart Lock Install Costs
There are two parts to the bill. The lock, and the labor to put it on the door.
- The lock. Schlage lists the Encode at $299 on its product page. Keypad only locks cost less. Locks with a camera or fingerprint reader cost more.
- The labor. Homewyse puts the national cost to install a new entry lockset at $381 to $769 per door for May 2026. That figure covers a keyed Grade 1 lockset with a deadbolt, parts and labor, not a smart lock.
- The extras. New door prep, strike plate work, or a door that needs to be planed all add time. A drop in swap on a door that already lines up takes the least.
Those are outside numbers, not a quote. The fastest way to a real price is a photo of your door edge and the brand of lock you want.
Get It Right the First Time
A smart lock is only as good as the door it sits on. Measure the door, free up the bolt, sort out the Wi-Fi, buy a graded lock, and keep a key. If you rent, talk to your landlord first.
ABC Lock and Safe has worked on Portland doors since 1985. We install smart and digital locks, set up the codes, rekey the backup cylinder, and haul away the old hardware. You get the price on the phone first. Every technician on our team has passed a background check. See our residential locksmith service for homes, or our commercial locksmith service for keyless entry and smart access control at a business.
Ready for a smart lock on your door? Call (503) 766-5541.
Pages Cited
Schlage, Encode Smart WiFi Deadbolt BE489 Specifications, October 2026
BHMA, ANSI/BHMA A156.40 Residential Deadbolts, October 2026
FTC, Securing Your Internet Connected Devices at Home, October 2026
FTC, Buying or Selling a Smart Home, October 2026
NOAA Climate.gov, June 2021 Pacific Northwest Heat Records, October 2026
ORS 90.320, Landlord to Maintain Premises, October 2026
ORS 90.322, Landlord Access to Premises, October 2026
Homewyse, Cost to Install Entry Lock Set, October 2026