Your front door is the most important part of your home’s security therefore, it’s imperative to find the best way to secure it. You need to consider many things when it comes to your front door’s security, including any risks your property is facing and how you and other people operate the door.
If you’re looking to make your home more secure, you may feel a little bit vulnerable to burglary due to so little people visiting you. But, if you have a large family, access control and convenience will need to be balanced with a good level of security to ensure you’re all safe.
Regardless of your living situation, your front door plays a huge role in your home’s overall security. If after reading this article, you’re left wondering whether you’ll be able to do these things yourself then we recommend getting in contact with a locksmith who will be able to help you. Simply, Google “locksmith near me” and you’ll get the closest locksmiths to your home come up. But always remember to read customer reviews before giving a locksmith a call as you want to know that they’re completely trustworthy to do a good job.
The biggest threats to your front door
Firstly, it’s important to know what the biggest threats to your front door are because with knowing, you won’t know how you put preventative measures in place.
Kicking or ramming
One of the most popular ways of breaking a front door is by kicking or ramming it. This is a brute force method that anyone can use to unlawfully enter your home.
Drilling
Drilling is the most effective way that criminals get into their victim’s homes. Unfortunately, a standard drill can work and are widely available in many shops.
Bypassing
Bypassing a door means that there is an issue with it. It allows a burglar to open one without using too much force. Believe it or not, criminals still use credit cards to bypass doors.
Lock picking
Lock picking is an unpopular method for burglars to use, but it’s still very important to consider how resistant your lock’s pick is to reduce the risk of a break-in.
The best ways to secure your front door
Now that you’re aware of the threats, it’s time to get to work and make your front door more secure to protect your home against criminals.
Replace the screws
The first thing that you need to do is to replace the screws on the hinges and strike plate. A lot of doors are put together using 1/3 inch screws that only just reach the trim, which makes kicking and ramming such an effective way of breaking a door. By simply replacing the screws with some longer ones will give you so much more protection and it’s extremely easy and cheap to do.
Fit a hardware cover
No matter how your door is constructed, it will be compromised in some places due to necessities. If you’ve secured the hinges and strike plate by replacing the screw, the next thing you need to do is fit a cover to the lock hardware.
You might be asking why, so let us explain. Your door will have weaknesses that are caused by boring holes. The missing materials that are left by the boring holes mean that they can specifically be targeted by criminals. The best way to secure a door that can be compromised in such a way is by fastening a slipcover around the lock hardware.
Invest in a high-security lock
A high-security lock will give you a variety of protections. It’s the best option you have to prevent a break-in and protect your belongings. As long as you choose a lock from a trusted company, you’ll be on the right path to making your home a secure place to live for you and your family. However, when choosing a lock, be aware that the security level comes from the deadbolt and not the handle even if it’s a keyed lock.
Strengthen the glass
A common method involved with all the threats we previously discussed is by breaking the glass around a front door. With that being said, the best thing you can do to protect your door is by strengthening the glass with window security film. It can be applied really quickly and will prevent the glass from shattering even when a burglar has intentionally punctured it.