Door Security

A securely locked front door presents an image of safety and strength. As a bulwark against the perils that bring harm or a welcome beacon for family and friends, it offers entry into the heart of a home. A traditional symbol that protects togetherness and shared quietude, it deserves respect for the unique function that it serves. The warmth and companionship that lies within a home provide comfort to everyone who belongs there, but a breach of security can destroy the sense of tranquility forever. Practical and attractive door security products can ensure the safety of the entry to a home.

Familiarity with a home’s protection methods can generate a sense of confidence that also creates a false sense of security. A door is only as secure as its engaged lock, and it has no deterrent power at all when it opens without resistance. Burglars take advantage of the opportunities when forgetfulness or inattention prevents safety measures from receiving proper enforcement by homeowners. Forbes notes that almost 30 percent of burglars enter through an unlocked door or window. Effective door security measures can provide the protection that homes and families deserve.

Best-Selling Door Security Products

• Top 10 Best Peepholes and Door Viewers
• Top 10 Best Door Alarms
• Top 10 Best Door Locks & Deadbolts
• Top 10 Best Locking Security Mailboxes

The seriousness of the rate of break-ins can cause alarm by any homeowner. The Bureau of Justice Statistics presents facts that can startle even the most confident observer. Of the approximately 3.7 million burglaries that occurred annually in the United States from 2003 to 2007, about 65 percent involved people who knew each other. Only 28 percent were strangers. The grave concerns that homeowners need to have about home safety extends to the potential for household members to get hurt. While only 9 percent sustained a severe injury, 36 percent experienced violence during a burglary.

High Security Door Locks

Any deadbolt can make a door harder to open than an ordinary lock, according to Consumer Reports. However, they can have defects that render them ineffective. Short screws on the strike plate on the door frame may “catch only the jamb and not the framing of the house,” reducing kick-in resistance. Homeowners can improve front door security by replacing the short screws in a strike plate with 3-inch screws. Burglars can use an ordinary cordless drill to disable the cylinders as well. The conventional type of deadbolt provides less protection than connected smart locks, but each device has benefits as well as disadvantages.

• Conventional Deadbolts

The standard models range from high-end, drill-proof deadbolts to the inexpensive products at home improvement stores. They share a common single-cylinder construction that responds to a key from the outside or thumb pressure from the inside. Prices make them attractive to homeowners who want to harden the security of a front door without breaking the bank with a smart lock or a high-security lock by Medeco. Features such as “unique pin configurations and hardened cylinders” distinguish high-security locks from others, but the packaging may not indicate that a product contains them. A search of company websites may show a product rating from Consumer Reports.

• Smart Locks

Along with high-tech features in contemporary home construction, smart locks use smartphone apps and Wi-Fi to allow “optional remote locking and unlocking features.” They offer convenience and “peace of mind through remote control,” and homeowners who forget to lock a door can do so from any location. However, smart locks have the same susceptibility to “forced entry as nonconnected locks.” High prices for smart locks may discourage homeowners who choose an electronic lock instead. It can provide keypad access and programmability for guests and family members to use, but it does not communicate with smartphones.

Peepholes and Door Viewers

The advantage that homeowners have by using a door peephole to see who wants to come in the front door provides an opportunity to refuse entry. Most manufacturers install a peephole on each exterior door, and it may surprise no one that the sophistication of the device has changed over time. As the first line of defense against home intruders, an improved version of the traditional peephole may contribute significantly to home safety. The transition to door viewers lets homeowners see more than a peephole allows with its scope that limits the view to the direct field of vision.

The complex lens system in a viewer that replaces a “simple piece of window glass” improves a home’s safety and security. With the ability for anyone inside a house to check the identity of someone who wants to come in, the temptation to open the door can diminish. None of the security measures that a homeowner puts in place to protect the sanctity and safety of an abode can have any deterrent effect on an uninvited visitor who pushes through an open door.

The features of a door viewer provide conveniences and capabilities that offer vast improvements over the traditional peephole. Some modern adaptations may help homeowners make a buying decision for options that improve home safety. Many manufacturers offer models that smart homeowners can install as do-it-yourself projects.

• Digital Technology

Some models can act like a “real-time security camera” that does not require a resident to stand in front of the door to look through the viewer. They may incorporate a digital screen that hangs on a wall at some distance away and presents a view of the entire entry area and sidewalk.

• Night Vision

Advances in technology allow clear vision in a dark or shadowed entryway and porch.

• Recording Capacity

“Cutting-edge capabilities” allow door viewer cameras to record every access that anyone attempts to a front door. Read More https://homesafetydot.com/door-security/peephole/

Door Frame Reinforcement

One of the essential components of a front door’s ability to prevent unauthorized entry lies in an area that prevents anyone from seeing it when the door closes. The strike plate attaches to the door jamb and accepts the deadbolt that prevents the entry from opening without action by someone on the inside or a key from the outside. The models that come with deadbolts may not provide adequate safety and performance. Replacement of the strike plate can increase the strength of the deadbolt considerably, and many homeowners enjoy it as a do-it-yourself project.

1. Use a piece of scrap lumber to mark the center of an existing strike plate.

2. Remove the ¾-inch screws and the lip strike plate.

3. Chisel a slightly larger mortise if necessary to accommodate the upgrade to bigger screws.

4. Use a 1/8-inch bit to predrill holes for a heavy-duty plate and No. 8 x 3-inch screws.

5. Mount the plate to align with the pre-drilled holes.

6. Angle the screws slightly to make them contact the stud.

7. Make the heads of the screws flush with the strike plate’s face without overdriving that may cause the jamb to bow.

Manufacturers offer innovative products with varying degrees of functionality that homeowners can install to prevent burglars from opening or kicking in a door. A device that fits under a door and has the same efficiency as door barricades consists of one piece that fits the width at the bottom. Another part of the device acts like door braces and makes it impossible to open an entry. Door reinforcement kits that strengthen a door frame include metal that covers the softwood around locks and hinges. Door frame reinforcement increases the strength of the wood in door jambs and prevents it from giving way to a powerful kick by an intruder. A practical approach to enhancing home safety and preventing break-ins, door jamb Armour requires about 30 minutes to install and provides peace of mind about unlawful entry into a home.

Door Chains

Homeowners who may never speak to a stranger in a mall or shopping center can face potential harm when opening the front door at home. The best defense strategies lose every trace of effectiveness when the front door opens and allows uninvited visitors to come inside. A similar reversal of logic can occur when the person who answers a knock decides to “put the chain on” and go ahead and open the door. The limited space allows for conversation and the transfer of small packages, but it also gives an intruder leverage that a closed door prevents. A chain may provide some protection for homeowners who do not check the peephole or viewer to see who awaits.

• Chains

The strength of a door chain depends significantly on the length of the screws that attach it to a door frame. Most products come with screws that can pull out under pressure from an intruder, rendering the security device powerless. Experts recommend using the longest screws possible or even coach bolts to attach the brackets to increase the strength of the fitting. Screws that provide optimal effectiveness penetrate the door’s thickness and stop short about 1/8- or ¼-inch from piercing the exterior. The “mushroom head” on a coach bolt provides strong resistance to a kick-in from a potential intruder.

• Lockable Devices

Caregivers may need access to a home that uses door chains and prevents it. An alternative on the market provides a workaround. Lockable chains allow a caretaker to open a front door with a key and provide adequate space to unlock the chain’s lock as well. While an emergency that requires entry may not occur often, a lockable chain can offer options that standard models do not allow.

• Interactive Chain

A recent entry into the door chain market produces a high-decibel sound along with a spray that marks an intruder for days.

Upgrading to Steel Security Doors

Almost every homeowner probably knows that a steel security door offers more protection from break-ins than solid or hollow-core wood security doors, but the preference for aesthetic design creates a potential for tough decision-making. The manufacture of front doors that resemble standard entrances but include upgraded security features make the selection less complicated. An engineer in Italy undertook the development of a design that satisfied the need for security and artistic influence both. Capable of withstanding fire, hurricane force wind and debris, battering rams and intruders, the solid steel doors use welded sheets of 12 gauge steel for the center. Instead of a lock with one deadbolt, the design with upgraded security features has four as well as an anti-pick lock. A factory facility in Florida receives the blanks from Italy and covers the steel core from an inventory of as many as 750 designs for panels.

The advantages of steel doors, with their aesthetic requirements met, allow homeowners to focus on the superior safety and performance that the metal provides. A veneer panel of wood creates the impression of a natural material while the upgraded security features help ensure home safety.

• Designer Patterns

Exquisite wood grain veneer on steel doors imitates the natural material without bowing, twisting or warping as real wood must do when facing the elements.

• Resistance to Attack

Steel doors can resist impact from flying debris, high wind and attempts at intrusion with battering rams. The surface may reflect scars and abrasions, but the door remains solidly in place. Some models have fire ratings that allow a few minutes for residents to escape.

• Maintenance and Efficiency

The exposure to the elements exacts a toll on the appearance of wood doors, and they require regular and frequent maintenance that steel does not need. Wood doors lack energy efficiency, but steel has insulating properties that help control heating and cooling costs while providing superior safety features.

Security Screen Doors

Most homeowners prefer a façade that enhances the beauty and the value of a house, but the concerns about ensuring safety can influence decisions as well. A security door that disguises its functional purpose and presents an attractive appearance can serve both goals. Some considerations that may seem small to homeowners can make a difference in security as well as convenience and beauty.

• Materials

Angie’s List suggests choosing a security screen door frame of steel, a metal alloy or aluminum. The superior strength of steel allows doors to have narrower frames than either aluminum or metal alloy. At 2- to 3-inches wide, they allow about 40 percent more air flow as well as visibility than the 6-inch frames of the other two materials. Aluminum costs more, but it does not rust. Steel frames can resist rust with proper treatment and powder coating for up to 10 years before they need another coat.

• Mounting Method

Two types of mounting for screen doors provide the same amount of security. Flush mounting has the advantage of offering a better seal than tube frames can deliver, and it has no gap around the opening. The method creates a more finished appearance as well. A mounting of a security screen door with the tube frame method makes the door stand out as much as 1.25 inches from the opening. The positioning of the frame on the door trim inside the opening creates the condition.

• Insects

Most areas of the country have flying or crawling insects that can sting or bite, and homeowners need to understand how a new security screen door can “close and seal” them out. Some installation companies insert a self-sticking foam tape to create a seal, and others choose to prevent entry with felt strips. The foam tape can harden and crack, and homeowners need to replace it about it once every year to maintain a bug-free entry. The felt pieces that some quality door companies use may never require maintenance.

• Quality Indicators

A frame that has mitered corners can prevent rain from penetrating the structure and causing steel to rust. The water that seeps onto a patio or sidewalk can create an unattractive stain. Pneumatic closers help ensure security by pulling a door shut. Some installers may offer a re-keying service that lets homeowners use the same key to open the entry and screen doors. Wind chains can prevent gusts of wind from blowing the door open too far and damaging the hinges.

Door Security Bars and Braces

Some of the simplest techniques offer significant effectiveness in preventing a break-in, and they can deny attempts to kick in a door. A door brace fits vertically between a doorknob and the floor to prevent an entry from opening. A barricade fits horizontally within the frame to prevent a door from swinging inward. Door jammers use a portable design that fits under a door to prevent entry into a home, bedroom, hotel room, college dorm or apartment.

As effective as a door security bar that fits below a handle or knob, a jammer provides peace of mind for anyone who wants to prevent unauthorized entry into any room that it protects. Some have an audio deterrent as well. A security bar offers portability with more strength than a jammer with a “wider angle of resistance.” When it fits between the floor and a doorknob or handle, it provides an active block that prevents a door from opening. While it offers excellent resistance, it cannot fit in most travel bags. The effectiveness of the hundreds of pounds of resistance that it provides depends on setting it up correctly. Both devices work only on doors that swing inward.

Garage Door Security

An open garage door presents an invitation to a burglar to steal or break into a home. A Kansas City television station reported that police consider crimes of opportunity as preventable events. Forgetfulness can account for leaving a garage door open occasionally, and the inability to see it from the inside of a home may contribute as well. Some homeowners like to enter through an interior door from the garage, a practice that prevents the use of the front door.

Burglars often detect the neglect of entryways and realize that an unused front door may provide an easy way to break in. An entry that gives an advantage to an intruder may include the overgrowth of shrubs and trees, inadequate lighting or lack of use. While shoring up the safety features of the front door, homeowners may need to improve the appearance of the entry as well. The façade of a home usually requires regular caretaking of exterior lighting of the entryway and trimming of plants that obscure the view.

Sliding Glass Door Security

Even though almost every home has a sliding glass door, it may not attract the attention to security concerns that front doors do. Located at the rear or a home where it may not receive the amount of traffic that matches the front entry, it offers a more secluded environment that can invite potential intruders and break-ins. Most homeowners need to install a sliding glass door lock to provide support for the one that manufacturers provide with the door. New models may have secondary locks, but external devices help increase home security and ensure the peace of mind that accompanies adequate protection from uninvited visitors. Even though the internal locking mechanism that comes with a door may not offer a sufficient defense against intruders, it provides a level of deterrence that can help deter an entry when a homeowner engages it.

• Pin Lock

A skilled do-it-yourself homeowner may choose to drill a hole for a pin lock in the middle frame of a sliding door. Risk of contacting the glass and breaking it presents the need for careful measurement to avoid misjudging the task. Home improvement stores offer pins that slide in and out more easily than a nail, and the device works equally well on the top or bottom frame.

• Lift Prevention

Burglars may exploit the light weight of a sliding door by lifting and tilting it slightly to remove it from its tracks. A screw in the top of the frame about 3 inches from the side can render the effort fruitless.

Summary

The vast majority of security-conscious home owners will focus exclusively on whole-house alarm systems and intruder alert technologies to protect their property. Even so, nothing can beat the assurance and confidence that a well-designed door security device can provide. With options such as door-fitted alarms, reinforced strike plates and a multitude of burglar resistant locks as options, home and business owners alike can rest comfortably with their security well in hand.

For those who prefer easy, do-it-yourself solutions, consider the many simple to install options on the market today. Chains, peepholes, bars and alarms are available to the home or business owner at many local retailers and can be installed following their manufacturer’s directions and using common household tools. Read More https://homesafetydot.com/door-security/