Are you evaluating where your house is vulnerable to a potential break-in? If so, you will want to start by looking at the front door. A home's front door is a place where criminals will typically try to break into a house, with 40% of those break-ins involving forced entry. It is a good reason to look at how you can make your home's front door more secure, which will cause a criminal to move onto the next home because a robbery is too difficult.
Having a daunting lock on a front door will tell a criminal that you are going to make it difficult for them to break in. This can be done by selecting the right kind of deadbolt and using the right installation method. A burglar will look at that lock and determine if it is just going to slow them down or stop them from getting inside.
Your locksmith can give you a couple of options for deadbolts of different grades and may recommend an ANSI Grade 1 deadbolt for maximum security. It offers the strongest type of construction of the different deadbolts out there. It is made of solid metal and manufactured in a way that will prevent the lock from shattering from impact damage, with the ability to withstand up to ten strikes with a force of 75 lbs. It is also very difficult to cut through an ANSI Grade 1 deadbolt.
There are several styles of deadbolts that you have to pick from.
Single Cylinder Deadbolts
A single cylinder deadbolt is very common for residential homes. The lock is fastened inside the door, and the bolt slips out through a hole and goes into the exterior door frame, you operate the cylinder with a key from the outside, and by turning the knob inside.
These locks are vulnerable to forced entry using a pry bar. If the door can be pulled back to form a gap, a criminal could cut right through the deadbolt.
External Mount Deadbolts
The main advantage of using an external mount deadbolt is that it is jimmy-proof since it is very hard to get to the bolt from outside the home. This type of lock is installed on the inside part of your door, slides horizontally across the door frame, and goes into a metal component that mounts to your door frame.
An external mount deadbolt often uses a bolt that is much thicker than the kind used in a single cylinder deadbolt and requires the door to be pried farther away for a criminal to access it. This gives the deadbolt some added security over a single cylinder style.
Vertical Deadbolts
A vertical deadbolt looks like a different variation of an external mount deadbolt. The difference is that the locking component on the front door slides into a bracket, and the bolt extends vertically into it. Since the deadbolt is not crossing the door jam, you cannot cut through by prying the door back.
Consider adding additional components that can improve your home's security.
Strike Plates
A reinforced strike plate will help prevent forced entry through your front door. It is a metal bracket that goes over the hole that a single cylinder deadbolt goes through. The added strength of the bracket will prevent the metal deadbolt from being forced through your wood door frame.
Mounting Screws
When installing a strike plate, it is best to use screws that are wide and long for added security. It prevents the screws from being pulled out to remove any of the hardware.
For help with making
security improvements
to your home's front door, contact Roca Lock & Key for assistance.
