While there are many different reasons one may want to increase the security of their home, the front door is an important access point that shouldn’t be overlooked from a security standpoint. In this article, we will be going over some of our top picks for ways to secure your residential home from potential intruders and burglars.
It’s worth noting that no matter the level of security one might install; if someone has enough motivation and time to get inside, they probably will. Like the old saying goes “locks only keep honest people out”. These tips are to not only help secure a front home door for a longer period of time against someone on foot but they are also intended to provide deterrents to potential home intruders such as burglars.
It is also worth noting that currently in the United States, in 2020 alone, 60.5% of all crimes could be categorized as “crime against property” — FBI 2020 Incident Data
In 2010 there were 1,939,324 burglary offenses, while last year in 2020 there were only 903,627 — Crime Data Explorer.
This shows a steep decline in burglary offenses, which we believe is most likely attributed to an increase in security cameras, alarm systems, and other preventative measures.
Larceny-theft accounted for 73.4 percent of all property crimes in 2019. Burglary accounted for 16.1 percent, and motor vehicle theft for 10.4 percent. Property crimes in 2019 resulted in losses estimated at $15.8 billion — FBI
1. Use A High Quality & Secure Deadbolt
Using a good deadbolt lock is important for a majority of reasons, but it essentially boils down to “you get what you pay for”. A cheap $10 deadbolt lock is very easy to pick or drill into in most cases when compared to a high-security lock. Some of the most secure locks, in our opinion, are locks from Mul-T-Lock. High-quality deadbolts are generally built better, and from better materials, so they can withstand more abuse, and for longer, against forced entry attempts.
It’s important to note that better locks do provide better security, but also at an elevated price compared to traditional locking deadbolts. When it comes to the security of your home, or your front door in particular, a good deadbolt is arguably one of the most important things that someone could do to improve their security.
2. Use Additional Locks & Latches (One-Sided Deadbolts)
Many homeowners may find that they only have one lock on their front door, and we think that’s not very safe. We are of the belief that every home door leading from the inside to the out be fitted with 3 different locks. This includes a secure deadbolt lock, a locking doorknob or lever, and a single-sided deadbolt. A single-sided deadbolt is a lock that can be flipped to locked or unlocked from inside the home but has no keyhole on the outside. Single-sided deadbolts are useful when someone is inside the home and wants to make sure no one else can get inside, such as during the nighttime. With a single-sided deadbolt installed, a burglar could unlock both the deadbolt and the doorknob, but still be unable to gain entry due to the inaccessible (to them) single-sided deadbolt. The only way to get into a single-sided deadbolt is through forced entry, which generally involves lots of noise like drilling or prying.
Besides installing a single-sided deadbolt, we also recommend making sure that your doorknob or lever lock works properly and latches correctly in the door frame. It is true that doorknobs and lever locks are generally less secure than their deadbolt counterparts due to the way the latch is shaped and operates, but they can still add an additional layer of security for a home intruder to get through.
3. Use A Security Bar (Door Brace)
A security bar is a device that is propped up against the door and acts as a last-ditch backup to prevent entry. Security bars, at this point in time, are not yet wireless, so homeowners are only able to use them when they are home. Security bars are great, however, at preventing a door from being opened, even if the door is completely unlocked. In addition to security bars, there are many different types of latches that can be installed on the inside of the door, such as security latches that one might find in a hotel room.
Security bars are relatively inexpensive and they can really make a difference. In the event that a home intruder is able to pick open your home locks quietly, they would be unable to open the door due to the security bar. Trying to force open a door with a security bar would result in noise, giving the homeowner enough time to flee, call for help, or provide them with enough time to stand their ground.
4. Add Deterrents (Alarms, Video Doorbells, Security Cameras, Dogs, Motion Floodlights, etc)
Besides just reinforcing the door itself, there are also many different ways to prevent burglars from seeing your home as a target in the first place. Adding deterrents is just as important as the actual security of your home itself.
By subcategory, 55.7 percent of burglaries involved forcible entry, 37.8 percent were unlawful entries, and 6.5 percent were attempted forcible entry (...) Burglaries of residential properties accounted for 62.8 percent of all burglary offenses — FBI
One of the best ways to deter forced entry attempts is to make your home seem like more trouble than it’s worth. This is why it’s important to add things like motion detecting floodlights, video doorbells, and other types of security systems.
Homes without security systems are up to 300% more likely to be broken into. — Reolink
According to interviewed burglars, some of the best ways to deter them is with a large breed of dog, or if they think you’re home. Most burglars will attempt to knock first to check if someone is home, and most will have backup stories in case someone is home (looking for my dog, sorry wrong house, etc).
KTVB asked 86 different burglars about what their biggest deterrents were and what didn’t bother them, the article can be found here.
5. Get A Strong Door & Reinforced Frame
It’s important not to neglect the strength of the actual door itself as well as the frame that the latches go into. Even if a door is fully equipped with some of the best locks on the market, the security of the entryway is only as strong as the weakest component. This means that strong locks won’t help much if the door itself is flimsy or insecure. From a security standpoint, it’s much better to have a thick wooden door, or even a metal door, versus a cheaper variant that’s filled with foam. Additionally, since the bolt latch will be going into the door frame, it’s important to ensure that the frame is reinforced properly, as to not give way in the event of a forced entry attempt.
Besides replacing the door itself with a strong one, another helpful tip is to use larger screws to secure the latches to the door as well as to secure the metal pieces that the bolts rest inside of, on the frame itself. When attempting to kick open a locked door, all the pressure will transfer to the latches in the frame, therefore, it’s important to have latches and the frame reinforced. Besides using larger screws, or getting a stronger door, it’s possible to reinforce the frame itself with an additional piece of wood or metal.
Best Ways To Secure Your Home’s Front Door
To summarize some of the best ways to secure your home’s front door, we suggest adding deterrents to keep criminals away, using strong locks, backup locks, and a reinforced door frame with a strong door. Deterrents are excellent at keeping criminals away in the first place, especially if they see your home as too much of a challenge. In addition to keeping criminals away, having strong security measures for your front door is ideal for not only keeping you safe, but also your property. Having security cameras is also good because it can record break-ins, or break-in attempts, which can be important for insurance claims and also when filing a police report.
About Us:
Locksmith Services Longmont is a local mobile locksmith company based out of Longmont, Colorado. We have been helping homeowners and businesses for years in the Northern Colorado area when it comes to securing their property and possessions. Our mobile locksmiths are available 24/7 to assist with lockouts, lock rekeying, lock replacements, lock installations, and much more.
Our mobile locksmiths have a quick arrival time, usually within 30-minutes or less from the time we receive a call for assistance.
All of our technicians are background checked and have years of experience working in the locksmith industry, along with the latest and greatest tools. If you are ever in the Northern Colorado area and require a fast and affordable locksmith service, we hope you’ll consider Locksmith Services Longmont.
