Strong Doors: Your First Defense Against Home Invasion
The FBI reports that a burglary occurs in the US nearly every 15 seconds, and most burglars gain entrance into a home through an unlocked, loosely locked, or poor quality door or window.
Real Home Safety recommends installing a door with a peep hole, a bolt, and a chain to give your home the best initial protection possible. All of your exterior doors should be in good working order, and should shut all the way. With older doors, installing a bolt and a chain can help reinforce weaker construction.
Using High Quality Doors to Protect Your Home
Most burglaries and home invasions occur during the day and at unoccupied houses. When you are gone, it's up to your doors, windows, and other potential entrances to guard your home against these security breaches.
When choosing the best door for your home, here are some security tips to keep in mind:
- Choose a door with a solid core. Metal doors can offer added security as well.
- Your exterior doors should come with heavy duty deadbolts, with at least a one-inch throw bolt.
- Look for a dead-latch mechanism; this mechanism prevents lock slippage and can prevent home invasion tactics like using a credit card to loosen a door lock.
For Safety, Go with Steel
Steel doors offer some of the highest degrees of safety among door types. Unlike wood doors, steel doors come with deadbolt security plates, pin locks, and even laminated safety glass. The frames that come with steel doors also add reinforcement, resulting in what can be as much as 10 times more strength than a wood door.
Steel door frames use vault pins to ensure a very solid fit and seal when the door is closed, resulting in a door that's extremely difficult to force open. The safety of your home is priceless, and steel offers more confidence than other door materials.
Sources:
Crime Doctor, Burglary Prevention Advice
Real Home Safety, Home Invasion
A Reliable Remodeler, Doors
