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Ways To Improve Your Door Security

As a place where we can relax and unwind, the home is the one place where we should feel safe and comfortable. However, just in the last year or so, there have been approximately 365,000 burglary cases in England and Wales alone. Moreover, a whopping 74% of those burglars break through the front door, making it the most common access point for home intruders.

It is safe to say that as a homeowner, door security is one of the most crucial things you should pay attention to.

Contrary to what most people believe, a front door lock is not enough to prevent break-ins from ever occurring. This is not to say that a regular door lock will keep your door secure. However, a burglar will not just up and leave when they discover that your front door is locked. They will try everything to gain entry into your home and access your most valuable belongings.

You may be thinking, “Why would a burglar want to come in through my front door and not the back door or a window?” Well, the answer is simple! The front door is the easiest way to get in and out of your property.

To help you ensure your safety, we’ve created a list of front door security tips you will want to take note of. Moreover, we’re giving you tips on preventing any kind of security breaches in your home security in the future.

Are There Houses That Could Be In More Risk Than Others?

Unfortunately, yes. Burglars often set their sights on houses located:

  • Near a highway exit
  • On a corner lot
  • On a through street
  • Near a woodsy area, a park, or a playground
  • In an affluent neighbourhood

Moreover, the following are attractive to home burglars:

  • Houses where there are no signs of children living in the house
  • Properties that have recently been purchased
  • Houses that have an obstructed entryway (high fences or walls, bushes, trees, shrubbery, etc.)
  • Signs of an empty house (i.e., Piled up mail, unkempt garden, trash cans left outside)
  • Unsecured letter slots
  • Access to valuables (i.e., House or car keys on a hook or bowl near the front door)

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Tips To Ensure and Improve Your Front Door Security

Here are some tips to ensure that your front doors are safe and secure from a potential burglar.

Make Sure Your Doors Are Strong

Before you go into a deep dive into door furniture as a means of fortifying your house door security, you should make sure that your door is sturdy.

Most newly-constructed houses are already built with strong and sturdy doors. However, the same cannot be said for older properties. If you are working with an old door, you will want to make sure that it is not fragile or hollow. So, while hollow doors are often easier to install and maintain, it will also be much easier to break into. Doors with a solid core, on the other hand, are tough and harder to get into, thus making it the best option for a front door.

The most common materials used for doors are uPVC, timber, or aluminium. However, most homes have composite doors made with a combination of the previously mentioned materials.

You will also want to check the door frame, hinges, and hinge bolts on your door. After all, any sturdy door will be rendered useless if your hinges aren’t holding them up properly. Fortunately, a “faulty hinge” can only be one of three things:

  • Loose hinge bolts
  • Old and rusty hinges
  • Deformed hinges

So, see to it that the hinges on your front doors are nice and stable. Moreover, make sure those hinge bolts are properly installed and tightened. You will also want to make sure your hinges are installed from the inside as intruders may easily take out the hinge pin to get into your home.

Lastly, if there is a small glass installation or glass window on your door, make sure to use a strong kind of glass for it. The most ideal would be the same reinforced glass that is typically used for a sliding door. Do take note, though, that you are probably better off without a glass installation on your front door.

Change Your Door Locks

It is always a smart idea to change your locks periodically. However, aside from this periodical change in locks, you will want to replace your door locks when:

  • You move into a new place. Previous owners or tenants, after all, may still have a copy of the keys and could come in and out of the house without you knowing.
  • You lose even just a set of your keys.
  • Your door lock starts showing signs of damage or malfunction.
  • Your locks do not pass the British Standard (such locks are tested against common burglar techniques like lock snapping, drilling, and picking.)

Here are some door lock types that you may consider replacing or upgrading:

  • Mortice lock
  • Rim lock / Rim Cylinder lock
  • Night latch

Consider Doubling Up

Adding a porch or installing a screen security door will help provide you with a layer of extra security to your home. It is an extra step that burglars have to go through if they want to break in your house. However, as porches are generally more expensive and difficult to add, it would be more practical for you to use a screen security door.

A screen security door, together with a couple of front door security measures will definitely minimise the chances of intruders getting into your house.

Moreover, security screens have perforations that enable you to open your door and see everything outside without putting yourself at risk.

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Use Additional Door Furniture

The most common door furniture or accessories to enhance your front door’s security include door jammers, a door security bar, a door chain, monitoring accessories, and many more.

Door Jammer/ Sash Jammer/ Door Security Bar

A door jammer or a door security bar can easily be attached to any door. This device prevents both hinged and sliding doors from opening from the outside. Usually made from steel, these can withstand even the force of a pickup truck!

A sash jammer works quite similarly. However, instead of being attached to the bottom of a door, sash jammers are attached to the door (or window) itself.

All these devices provide the best security for front door, as even the strongest burglars cannot easily bypass one. 

Door Chain

Door security is more than just about break-ins that happen when it is late at night or when the house is empty. Some thieves even attempt to prey on the vulnerable and charm or force their way into being let into the house, even with you inside.

A door chain, which works as a door restrictor, will lessen the chances of thieves coming or pushing their way into your home.

Door or Property Monitoring Accessories

You will also want to make sure you are able to monitor activity by your front door and the rest of your property’s perimeter without opening your front door. To do this, you may opt to install an alarm and CCTV system around your property. Here is a list of the best CCTV cameras in the market.

Additionally, you may also get a smart doorbell device or wide-angle spyhole or peephole fitted on your door.

Other Ways To Keep Your Home Secure

  1. Do not forget to turn on your alarm and security camera systems.
  2. Even when you’re out of the house, leave a light on. Alternatively, keep a TV or radio running.
  3. Keep your most valuable items in a safe.
  4. Fortify other entry points such as back doors, windows, and garage doors,
  5. Consider putting signs that could deter intruders (i.e., “Warning: Large Dog,” “You Are Being Recorded On Camera“)
  6. Only hire a professional locksmith and contractor to do any kind of work on your door.
  7. Lastly and most importantly, LOCK YOUR DOORS. The methods you have taken to strengthen your door security will only be useful if you actually use the locks!

Final Thoughts

Remember, these door security tips are merely suggestions on how you can fortify the security of your front door, and in turn, your whole house. Not having every single item on this list does always mean you will get robbed.

However, if you think you are in danger and are looking for ways to fortify your door security quickly, do not wait to get these security methods in place. Instead, contact the authorities who can help you get to the bottom of your concerns immediately.

Meanwhile, if you require professional emergency locksmith services to help you out with fortifying your door security, do not hesitate to call an Aerialforce locksmith today!