How to Make the Front Door More Resistant to Unauthorized Entry
If you have done any research into burglary and home invasion crimes, you might be familiar with the fact that the front door is a preferred entry point for criminals seeking unauthorized entry. If a criminal can easily get in through the front door, he will do just that. So making the front door more resistant to unauthorized entry makes sense.
How do you do that? There are lots of options, including installing heavy duty deadbolt locks. But I recently ran across a Homes and Gardens post that touched on ideas I had never thought of. Let’s take a look at some of them.
1. Reinforce the Strike Plate
Every door lock has a strike plate. The strike plate is that piece of metal screwed to the door frame that reinforces the wood at the point at which the lock’s bolt slips into the associated hole. It is what gives the door frame its holding power. Reinforcing the strike plate can make an enormous difference.
Unfortunately, it is not unusual for strike plates to be fastened with 1/4 or 1/2-inch screws. The screws are not nearly long enough to give the strike plate the strength it needs to stand up to a swift kick. But you can always remove those shorter screws and install 2-inch screws instead. The longer the screws, the stronger the strike plate.
2. Reinforce the Glass
Glass on the front door represents a weak point if it can be broken fairly easily. The solution is easy: reinforce the glass. One way to do so is to apply a protective laminate layer that prevents shattering. The layer works in a similar manner to the laminate on your car windshield.
You could also replace the glass entirely with new laminated or tempered glass. If a burglar cannot break the glass, you have taken away another option for breaking in.
3. Replace the Door
If your home is protected by a flimsy wooden door installed by an original builder looking to save a few bucks, you might be facing a situation in which not even a reinforced strike plate or better glass will help. You might be better off replacing that flimsy door with a heavy-duty alternative.
Modern security doors come in both wood and metal. For the most protection possible, you can purchase a metal ballistic security door. But that is an expensive top-of-the-line product. More affordable wooden security doors still offer more protection than the standard doors most builders use.
4. Install a Video Doorbell
You can monitor your front door from virtually anywhere by installing a video doorbell. As an alternative, a professionally monitored security system with a number of video cameras does the same trick. Vivint Home Security says both options can effectively deter burglars who tend to shy away from video surveillance. Burglars don’t like video cameras because they increase the risk of getting caught.
5. Install Motion Sensitive Lighting
Lastly, consider installing motion sensitive lighting at the front door. Adequate lighting makes it more difficult for criminals to approach a house undetected at nighttime. Remember that criminals are not looking to get caught. So if you can make it harder on them, they are more likely to leave you alone.
Making the front door more resistant to unauthorized entry is one way to reduce the chances that you will become a victim of property crime. Take away the front door as an entry point and a burglar will have to look at another option. That alone can be enough to deter any attempt to break in.
