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Deadbolt, gotta gotta have It

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Deadbolts aren’t hyped up; they really are superior to regular knob locks. Though we keep shaking our head in amazement whenever yet another news story comes out about a burglar or rapist who waltzed through an unlocked door and committed mayhem, it remains a hard fact that many criminals gain entry via physical force.

1BYes, what you see in movies and TV shows is true: People CAN kick open a locked door—that’s either missing a deadbolt, has a faulty one or simply because a door jamb itself is just half inch pine. In that case, door reinforcement technologies are needed. Read on.

Nearly 60 percent of burglaries are forced-entry. Many occur during the day. Face it; at a minimum, you need a deadbolt. It can be either single-cylinder or double-cylinder (check the legality regarding doubles).

The door jamb will have a hole for the bolt to extend fully into—partially isn’t good enough. A metal strike plate should reinforce the hole. If both of these factors are not in place, an intruder can force open the door.

In addition, the strike plate should be fastened into the studs of the door frame with three-inch screws.

Finally…the deadbolt needs to be USED. It’s easier to always ensure this if you have a single-cylinder because it requires just a turn of its knob (from the inside). The double-cylinder requires a key from the inside—in place of that little knob. So every time you come home and lock the deadbolt, you’ll need a key. Every time you want to step outside…you’ll need a key to unlock it. Double deadbolts are a little dangerous too due to fires as well. So not recommended.

However, if you have the single-cylinder, and your door is right beside a window, an intruder could smash through the window and reach in and turn the knob of the single-cylinder, unlocking it.

Door Security

  • If you don’t want the hassle of a double-cylinder, consider replacing the door so that windows aren’t close enough to it for an intruder’s arm to reach through.
  • The decision isn’t whether or not to get a deadbolt; it’s what type of deadbolt and door…because it can’t be said enough: A door with only a regular lock can easily be kicked in—by a slight woman—because the standard lock involves a few little screws, one or two little strike plates and a thin pine wood door frame with thin molding.
  • However, this thin wood can be empowered by the Door Devil Anti Kick Door Jam Security Kit. It’s a four-foot-long bar of steel that’s one-sixteenth-inch thick. It gets installed on the center of the door jamb, over the little strike plates. An intruder must get past this; fat chance, because four feet of the door frame will absorb the intruder’s attempted force.
  • The Door Devil’s thick screws are three and a half inches long, and when placed into the 2 x 4 studs (also part of the kit) behind the frame, reinforce the door hinges.
  • You might be thinking, if an intruder is determined enough, he’ll keep kicking till the door busts. What do you think an intruder is, a kickboxing instructor? If he can’t dismantle the door after two, maybe even one, kick, he’ll move on to the next house.
  • Of course, he might not want to even try to kick down your door if he notices a surveillance camera above it—after the motion detector light beams onto him.

Robert Siciliano is a home and personal security expert to DoorDevil.com discussing Anti-Kick door reinforcement on YouTube. Disclosures.

Reinforcing Your Doors Security (Part 3 of 3)

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Frightening Statistics:

1 of every 5 homes will experience a break-in or violent home invasion.

80% of break-ins occur forcibly through a locked door.

A burglary occurs every 15 seconds in the United States.

This is why installing multiple layers of protection including a home security alarm, door reinforcement and numerous other methods are fundamental to your homes security.

In a recent post I discussed 5 different kinds of door reinforcement devices and then focused on door frame reinforcement. Here I’m reviewing door brace options. Door braces are usually floor mounted alloy metal devices that come in two parts. One is the horizontal floor plate screwed right in the floor and the other is a vertical plate that inserts in the floor plate tightly fit up against the door.

I called Mr. Jordan Frankel known as The Security Sensei of ShatterGARD Glass Protection, Inc. A Division of Global Security Experts to review the OnGARD Security Door Brace. Jordan is a passionate inventor and well sought after expert in home security worldwide. In our conversations he was flying between Saudi Arabia, China and somewhere stateside. He’s like the Thomas Edison of home security.

I’ve known of door braces for some time now. Usually they are a “door bar jammer” which are installed under the doorknob and pitch to a 45 degree angle to the floor. The OnGARD Security Door Brace is in a another league.

What I like most about this device is simply how difficult it becomes for a 250 pound man to kick in your door. The device installs on the floor with four heavy screws and you’re done. It works best when you are home as this device essentially (for lack of a better tem) barricades you in. I asked Jordan how else this would work if I wanted to keep it installed when I leave the home and he suggested if you have a garage door then enter and exit through the garage, which makes perfect sense. The OnGard is less than a foot wide and 4 inches tall but is a beast. I like a door brace in combination with door frame reinforcement to add 2 effective layers of door reinforcement security.

I’m sleeping even better these days.

Robert Siciliano personal and home security specialist to Home Security Source discussing burglar proofing your home on Fox Boston. Disclosures.