Burglars tend to attack your home's weakest point of entry. That could mean an unlocked window or garage door, or a flimsy lock on a door. The way your doors are installed and kept in place can also be a factor.
Here are a few tips on making your doors more secure:
- Insert a stick or a hockey stick in the bottom track of your sliding patio or balcony door, between the door and the frame. A stick cut to the right length – as tight as possible so the door doesn't have any give – will make it extra difficult to open. In addition to a stick, you can also install a bar that swings down across the door and tightens into place. You can pick one up at your local hardware store.
- knock the pins out and lift the door right off its hinges – whether or not the door is locked. Make sure the hinges and pins of your doors are on the inside, where only you can get to them.
- When installing your door, a screwdriver, some screws and about 15 minutes is all you need to help burglar proof your entrance. Use longer, heavy-duty screws in the doorframe. The screws should measure three inches or more – long enough to penetrate right into the framing stud. You'll make the structure more rigid and the door that much harder to kick in.
- Exterior doors should be solid core. Hollow doors are easy to punch or cut a hole through to reach the lock inside. Exterior doors with glass or thin panels are easy for a burglar to break and reach the lock inside. Inspect the glass in or near your door. You may want to consider replacing it with a more secure glass or plastic or adding a shatter-resistant plastic film on the inside surface.
Sometimes small little fixes and changes can make a big difference and help make your home and family safer.