Burglaries and home invasions are always something on a homeowner’s mind. They seem to affect many people in various types of neighborhoods. Most burglaries happen through the front or back door. There are some fairly simple steps you can take to make sure your home and family are kept safe. Texan Lock & Key is here to walk you through steps ensuring your home’s safety.
Make Sure You Have the Right Front Door for Your Home
There are many different types of front doors out there. When choosing the right one for your home make sure it isn’t hollow. If you are just moving into a new home, check this out by simply knocking on your front door. Hollow doors have a cardboard core with sheets of veneer over it and will sound hollow. Hollow doors are great for interior doors, but the front and back door should always be made from solid wood or metal. When choosing a solid wood door, try to pick one made out of hardwood. Pine doors are a common chosen door because they are affordable. Even though these doors may cost less, they aren’t hardwood. When choosing a metal door make sure it is reinforced on the inside. If it isn’t reinforced, it can be bent right out of the frame.
Does Your Door Have Window Inserts?
When choosing your front door steer clear of one that has windows. This makes it easy to break through the glass and open the door. You should also stay away from putting windows beside your front door. This is also an easy access point for burglars. If you have sliding glass doors or windows near or on your front door, you can put a metal grate on the outside over the glass. There are also polycarbonate panels that you can secure on the back of your glass doors to make them safer.
Always Use the Deadbolt Lock
If your door doesn’t have a deadbolt you should be installing one right away. It should be one with no exposed screws on the outside of the door and made out of high quality metal. The throw bolt, or the bolt that comes out of the door, should be at least 1 inch long. You can also install what is called a dead lock. It is a deadbolt that can only be locked and unlocked from the inside the house. It doesn’t afford much safety when you aren’t home, but many criminals won’t even try your door when they see one. You should also make sure the strike plate, or the metal part that secures the deadbolt into the frame of the door, is the box strike model with longer screws and a full metal enclosure. This will help your door be able to withstand more force when someone is trying to push their way in.
Reinforce the Door Jamb & Frame
Even with a solid door and improved deadbolt/strike plate, a persistent burglar can eventually kick down a door with enough force. This is where reinforcing the door jamb can come into play. You can buy reinforcement kits for your door jamb that add an extra layer of steel to keep your door frames from splitting. It helps add that much more security to your front door.
RESIDENTIAL, COMMERCIAL & AUTOMOTIVE Emergency Mobile LOCKSMITH SERVICES IN KILLEEN, AUSTIN, SAN ANTONIO, ROUND ROCK, SAN MARCOS, FRISCO, NEW BRAUNFELS AND HOUSTON TX
Remember to always lock your door. None of these tips Texan Lock & Key has shared with you will do any good if you do not lock your front door! Keep these simple improvements in mind when trying to make your home safer. Call Texan Lock & Key today with any of your locksmith needs.
