Smart locks are the essence of smart home devices. They make spaces safer, simpler to control, and accessible from anywhere at once. That's why installing a smart lock in my own DIY smart home seemed like a no-brainer.

However, when I began planning my connected device, my decision was not so simple. In addition to my front door, I have a pair of French doors on the main floor. Our family uses these doors daily to let the dogs out, to go on the deck, and to bring food back between the kitchen and the grill. So, would having smart locks on these two doors be as practical as having smart locks on the front door?

Three smart locks seemed excessive, not to mention expensive. Both the August Wi-Fi smart lock and the Kwikset Halo cost $249.

The Schlage Encode (the smart lock I wanted) is a few years old and can be had for much less, but three would cost at least $600. [I cut the price with an inexpensive smart thermostat, skipped the smart appliances, and saved thousands of dollars by going the DIY route. But security doesn't seem like something to skimp on. Besides, deadbolts on French doors should definitely be replaced. Luckily I was home, but if it happened again while I was gone, it could be a big problem.

I knew I wasn't the only one thinking about whether smart locks are needed on all the doors in my home, not just the front door. Especially with the weather getting nicer, people may be spending more time in their backyards.

If you install three Schlage Encode, all three doors will be connected to your home Wi-Fi without having to use a bridge like some smart locks. This means that you can use a voice assistant (I choose Alexa instead of Google Assistant) to lock and unlock each door and further integrate it into your smart home routine.

Encode can hold up to 100 entry codes, any of which can be permanently assigned to a particular guest or used internally as a one-time pass. It can also operate as a conventional lock for family members who have physical keys. But we already know that when they come home from the beach this summer, they will appreciate not having to search through their sand-filled beach bag for the house key to get inside.

Also, if an unwelcome guest tries to fiddle with the house keys, a loud alarm goes off. My condo is close enough to my neighbors to hear such a disturbance, so even if I am not home or cannot be reached, someone will most likely alert the authorities.

Schlage's Wi-Fi enabled devices are also compatible with my Brilliant Smart Home Control. Brilliant Smart Home Control is a touchscreen panel with a physical dimmer for my home's lighting fixtures and an interface for managing other smart home products. The Brilliant app allows users to control shrage-encoding settings both within the screen and from a distance.

Even though these features are intelligent and safety-centric, I still feel that having Encode smart locks on all three doors in my home is disproportionate to the needs of my home. Therefore, I decided to purchase two non-smart deadbolt alternatives from Schlage for $100 each. Aesthetically, these match the Encode well, with a discreet touchscreen for entry. They cannot be connected to Alexa or Brilliant, so one must be careful to lock them when leaving.

In most cases, a single smart lock can make your home more secure and automated. If you have a large home and the main floor doors come and go frequently and are far apart, you may want to consider adding a smart lock.

For more gadget recommendations, be sure to check out my guide to the best smart home devices (and best inexpensive smart home devices). If there's anything you'd like to see covered on Connected Spaces, please email me at [email protected] or leave a comment below.