6 Tips to Burglar Proof the Doors in Your Home

Not surprisingly, safety and security starts at your own front door. Obviously strong, burglar-proof doors are an essential for your family’s safety, but most Americans would be surprised to know that over 30% of all burglars enter a victim’s home through the front door. To avoid being part of that statistic, consider taking some steps to secure your home, and especially your doors, from vulnerability.

It’s always great to have a security service monitoring your home, but that can be expensive. Luckily, whether or not your home has an alarm system, home security or any other method of burglar prevention, beginning with the basics – fully secured doors – will reduce your chances of falling victim to a break-in.

Here are some simple tips to make sure you have all your door security bases covered:

1. Install Security Locks

Owning security door locks is crucial. The first and easiest defense against intruders is–surprisingly–a simple deadbolt lock.

You never want your locks to be fragile or vulnerable, so keep these ideas in mind when purchasing a deadbolt:

• Instead of a plate, choose a strike box, which is more secure
• Make sure the nails that secure your deadbolt are at least three inches long
• Make sure your bolts are at least one inch long

2. Protect Your Locks with Extra Hardware

When burglars can’t pick your lock, they can still try to wrench, pry or jimmy their way in. The best way to protect against this is by making sure your locks are reinforced, your lock cylinders are guarded and your strike plate is strong.

Using strong strike plates will prevent burglars from going around the locks you so carefully installed!

3. Secure Your Sliding Doors with Key Locks

Most people have standard sliding door locks, but burglars love how vulnerable those entryways are. It won’t matter how secure your front door is if there’s a more attractive option for intruders.

Your best bet for a secure sliding glass door is a keyed lock with top and bottom closures. Installing these is a fast a simple solution to keeping sliding doors protected.

4. Get Stronger Doors

Your locks are only as good as your doors themselves. Doors with hollow cores are common, but can be busted in far too easily. A solid wood or metal door is your best bet, and some are surprisingly affordable. Steel doors are a great choice for those who want to be secure but are more cost-conscious.

5. Make Sure Your Hinges Aren’t Exposed

If the hinges of your door face outward, your door is vulnerable to break-ins. Faster than you can imagine, a burglar can literally take a door with exposed hinges right off the frame.

To prevent this vulnerability, you can either reinstall the door so the hinges face inward, or reinforce those hinges with pins that can’t be removed.

Either way, make sure you have at least 3-inch nails securing your hinges!

6. Lock Your Doors All The Time

This might seem like the most obvious tip, but this 2014 YouGov poll shows that 23% of Americans seldom lock their doors when they’re home, and 7% rarely lock them at all!

To keep you, your family and your possessions safe, don’t be one of those people who forgets to lock up! Make it a habit to lock your door-including your deadbolt-all the time.

Keeping your home safe from intruders is the top priority for most of us, and a little effort up front can make all the difference. Purchasing and installing quality door hardware is a quick, inexpensive way to protect the things you care about most.