With it, you can lock down your house fast and easy. Weve collected everything you should know to secure your door from being kicked in here. Hinge bolts are small metal bolts that sit in a hole in the jamb when the door is closed. I suggest that you start with a good quality deadbolt and at the same time reinforce the strike plate as well. As a side note, you can find many simple DIY security hacks in this article. Learn how to secure your classroom or office door during an active shooter situations. Thats why no amount of kicking can bring it down. Plus, good alarms also notify your phone or the police whenever theres an intruder. By signing up you are agreeing to receive emails according to our privacy policy. Last but not least, you should consider getting a security bar like the Rampart. to get the Rampart up. Consider the risk these locks present before installing them. Did you know that force attacks are one of the most common ways burglars get into a house? Therefore, reinforcing your deadbolt strike plate is a very important step to making your front door more secure. Here are some suggestions. threshold sill door replace diy exterior repair doors entry install replacing floor wood rotting flooring way weather thresholds bhg basement rv door sliding bathroom boondocking bedroom Wont it go down after hitting the door over and over again? If you currently use a weak deadbolt lock, replacing it with a more secure one should be your first step to reinforce your entry door. Changing your screws to longer ones is probably the most cost-effective way to improve your front door security. So installation is not a big deal and can be done in just a few minutes, even if youre not a big fan of DIY. It works just as promised. Lock all exterior doors whenever you go out - even if you'll just be gone a few minutes. Deterring criminals is a really effective way of preventing burglaries. privacy fences shutters screen screens balcony panels aluminium gate door rollashield doors commonly configurations stacking hinged sliding fold bi variety And since the pandemic caused millions of Americans to lose their jobs, we may see even more burglaries soon. In particular, make sure the tracks for sliding doors are in good repair and that the door stays in the track. In some jurisdictions, building codes prohibit their use in residences. You can easily activate the bar by placing it on the bolts. All you have to do is hook it to your doorknob at about a 45-degree angle. Door alarms add no extra-hassle to you whenever you are leaving and coming into your home, and they can even call the police for you automatically when theres a break-in attempt. We founded DailyHomeSafety to help you improve your home. And they wont even have to go for the door lock. How does a door barricade make your door much more burglar-proof? As weve already seen, most of them will try to break the whole door down. wikiHow is where trusted research and expert knowledge come together. With it, you can cut your homes chances of being robbed by over a third. This article has been viewed 1,534,666 times. I highly recommend that you use at least a Grade 2 deadbolt. A box strike plate is an inexpensive item but it has a great impact on your front door security. Neither will someone who knows exactly what they want and where to find it. To find out whether your front door is solid or not, knock on it. Unfortunately, too many front doors have strike plates that only use inch screws, which is terrible at keeping burglars out. wikiHow is a wiki, similar to Wikipedia, which means that many of our articles are co-written by multiple authors. Cameras (even fake ones) are usually great burglar deterrents. Uniden makes good systems that won't break the bank. Thats why without any other improvements, solid doors arent worth much in terms of security. If they arent targeting you specifically, theyd rather try another house when the door doesnt budge. As for the foot, the Rampart uses a special type of rubber that sticks hard. Plus, deadbolts are incredibly affordable. Not only is the Rampart super effective, but its also extremely convenient. Simple Ways to Secure Exterior Door Hinges, 6 Clever Ways to Find Out If Someone Has Opened Your Door (With Illustration), Do I Need a Walker or Rollator? Both portable and permanent door barricades exist, however, I suggest that you go with a permanent one: its more durable and it provides a higher level of security. A strike plate lock is a pretty simple device that works on most doors (you can even use it to turn a bedroom into a safe room). As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. So while replacing your screws helps, you may want to pair it with other security methods. shed door lock locks security sheds doors secure lock2 By now, you should have an idea of the weakness of standalone solid doors. Leave a copy of your key with a neighbor, or discuss hiding it somewhere on their property, rather than leaving an obvious hide-a-key device with your key next to the door. In this article, Ive collected the best ones that are proven to work and have stood the test of time. The first option is to replace the original screws of your old strike plate with new ones that are at least 2 1/2 inches long. According to statistics, most intruders get into a house through the front door (source). School Safety and Security 2020: Is My Child Safe At School? Most models send you a notification to your mobile device if someone approaches the door and they also allow two-way communication. If you dont know the grading of your actual deadbolt, you can check it on the manufacturers website. Youll see how to install them, how effective they are, and what their weaknesses are. Having a hard door means theres no way to break the door by barging at it or kicking it. This way, itll take a lot more force to destroy the strike plate. Once they feel it is too hard, they will move on to an easier target. lock keyed door sliding patio swisco replacement glass outside series If you install a good-quality deadbolt that locks into a poorly made (or poorly attached) strike plate, your front door remains vulnerable to force attacks. Just make sure you lock your door! Without one, all the locks in the world wont keep a burglar out. To create this article, 72 people, some anonymous, worked to edit and improve it over time. A door barricade consists of two main parts: the base plate and the barrier itself. You can set them up to record going to your computer or phone. And its incredibly cheap as well. You can get one in your local locksmith shop or find one on Amazon. Its basically a heavy-duty steel bar that sits on two L-bolts screwed into the jamb or the studs near the door frame. privacy fences shutters screen screens balcony panels aluminium gate door rollashield doors commonly configurations stacking hinged sliding fold bi variety Improve Your Front Door Security, Front Door Security 101 - How to Secure Your Front Door, Active Shooter Plan for Businesses - The 7 Things You Need to Know, The 21 Best Door Security Bars Comparison Chart. Youll either have to pass the back door or leave it unlocked if youre going out. Additionally, install a peep hole in your outside doors so you can see whos there without opening the door. As long as you remember to lock your door, your long screws will help keep burglars off. Plus, since there is no installation required, the Rampart is super convenient. Statistics prove that most burglars enter a house through the front or back door. Youll need to learn how to install properly into your door frame. If you want to secure your door from the inside, you can choose from many solutions, however, only a handful of them will improve your front door security significantly. Its a good idea to hang your Rampart near your door. You can lock and unlock it with a single motion, no keys are required. Thats right, the strike plate is still weak, lockpicks can pick it, people can use a card to open it, and the jambs or door frame might break. In that sense, a lock will probably do a lot of work. We use cookies to make wikiHow great. You see, locking your doors will prevent burglars from just walking right in (which happens more often than you realize), but it wont stop them from breaking your door down. Paired with one or two other security measures though, you can stop burglars from breaking in AND alert yourself, your neighbors, or the police that something is going down. There are dozens of ways you can improve your front door security. Installation is also very straightforward: all you have to do is screw the two L-bolts that hold the bar. Well also look at their weaknesses and how well they do overall. Theyll run in, grab the item, and leave even with the alarms blaring. Even without long screws for the strike plate or a deadbolt lock, your door will stand firm with the Rampart. As said above, door alarms dont prevent anyone from breaking in. The strike plate is most often the first to give when the door is kicked. So you can watch on your mobile whats going on at your front door and at the same time, you can send unauthorized persons away (even if youre hundreds of miles away from your home). Door alarms are perhaps the most convenient security product there is. Well look at how effective they are and how to install them. Installing a motion sensor light above your front door is an affordable way to deter burglars. On the other hand, switching to laminated or tempered glass is quite expensive. When placing a rod behind a sliding door, use PVC, wood, or aluminum. aluminium door doors entrance compelling reasons six modern entry exterior series should why designer spitfire section wooden interior wood You can deploy the Rampart on your front door when you go to sleep or leave the house to prevent any break-ins. Most burglars are opportunists. Criminals are lazy. It certainly isnt nice that there is so much crime nowadays. In this article, well look at 5 of the best methods. With a screeching alarm that attracts all the attention, most robbers would run away and try another house. There are many similar models out there, so if you find one that suits your needs better, just go for it. Screws shorter than 1 inch are a serious security threat, so you definitely want to replace them. Although more burglaries occur during the daytime (source), you want to keep crooks as far away as possible from your home at night too. In reality, 65% of burglars use doors - with 34% getting in through the front door! I recommend that you choose a battery or a solar-powered model so that you dont have to bother with the wiring. If you have a solid door with windows, you dont have to worry. Thats why there are practically no weaknesses to the Rampart except that you cant secure your door from outside. Dont forget about the door windows: use a security grille or film to reinforce them. It secures your entry door from the inside like a keyless door lock but it works in a completely different way. Take Action! Thats why, according to Sioux City Journal, 83 percent of burglars say they look to see if a home has an alarm system before making a decision about breaking in.. Exterior lights are a big help. Talk about convenience, it takes five seconds to deploy and one second to remove! Once deployed, no amount of kicking will bring your door down. But what's the best way to keep your house safe? As a side note, many modern doors come with tempered glass out of the box, maybe yours too. Pair your new screws up with another security product or method, and youll have peace of mind knowing burglars cant get into your home through the door. Door barricades use the strength of the floor so they dont rely on the durability of the door. So crooks can easily remove them and get into your house. By reinforcing your front door, you can significantly reduce the risk of a successful burglary. If a burglar knows what theyre after in a home or doesnt mind being seen, alarms are completely ineffective. Without any other security measure taken, thieves can use a card to open your door! So theyre better than no protection at all, however, you can find a much more durable solution for nearly the same price.