According to Mark Roemer Oakland, the security of your front door should always be your top priority when you’re thinking about home security. Most burglaries occur through an exterior door and that’s why it’s important to strengthen the security of your front door as much as possible. Let’s figure out how you can do that.
The Details
1. Change the door lock – Every front door needs a lock and yours probably has one. However, the kind of lock you have on the front door can affect its security by a great margin. It’s especially important to change the lock if you see it ageing, rusting, or showing signs of damage. You should also replace your lock if you have lost a pair of keys within the past few weeks. When it comes to buying a new door lock, you have a lot of options.
However, the best option is one that offers multiple locking points with strong and reinforced bolts. These types of locks sit on the door and have multiple locking points in the form of bolts that push into the wall with the turn of the key or handle. Try to stay away from smart locks that are operated by fingerprints since they are still not reliable enough and can be easily breached.
2. Reinforce your door – You can also reinforce your door to make it more secure and prevent a break-in. The cheapest way to reinforce your door is to install a deadbolt on the inside. As long as you don’t have a steel door, you can install a deadbolt on your front door by yourself. Apart from that, you can also add a door chain. They leave clear signs of intrusion if there’s a failed attempt to break in.
The most expensive option for reinforcing your door is to install nickel or steel reinforcements around locks, screws, and hinges to prevent burglars from cutting those vulnerable parts down with sharp tools. Another radical way of reinforcing your door is to install a strike plate. A strike plate reinforces the door jamb, the specific area of the door frame that’s prone to weakening.
3. Replace your hinges and add a peephole – Look at the hinges that hold your front door. If the hinges are hanging outside, you need to change them asap with hinges that hang inside. Hinges on your front door can be easily unscrewed or disabled to gain access to your home if they hang outside. You can also change the peephole on your door with a stealthy wide-angle option. That way, intruders can’t locate the peephole and you’ll get a wide and full view of the space in front of the door.
Conclusion
Mark Roemer Oakland suggests that you use the above-mentioned tips to strengthen the security of your front door. From changing to better locks and reinforcing the door to installing a strike plate and replacing the hinges, you have numerous options available to you.
