Are your exterior doors secure enough? This is a good question every homeowner should ask themselves from time to time because they could become an easy entry point for a would-be intruder. In this blog, we are going to examine some of the important features an exterior door should have to make it a secure one.
Firstly, let’s consider the construction of the door. An exterior door should be made of solid materials with a steel or solid wood core. If the door is made of a lightweight, hollow-core wood then it will make it much easier for someone to break through it. Another important aspect is the condition of the door and door frame, check there is no rotting, cracking, or warping.
Exterior door locks are obviously another important security feature. Choose a good quality deadbolt lock. You can use a chain in addition to a deadbolt lock but do not use one instead of it. Bump keys have become a popular way for intruders to enter homes so installing a bump-resistant lock is another good security measure to take. If there are glass panels in the door you will want to make sure the lock is positioned far enough away from the glass so that if someone breaks the glass, they cannot reach the lock.
Some front doors have mail slots in them. In such a case it’s important that the mail slot has a cage or box on the inside that surrounds it, otherwise, a burglar may be able to access the lock from the inside by way of the mail slot.
A peephole is another good safety measure as this allows the homeowner to check who is at the door before they open it.
After this brief consideration, perhaps you will observe some areas of improvement needed on your exterior doors.