Home security is an important issue for every household. Families want to feel secure and to be sure that their home is safe when they are away.
There are a variety of ways to make your property more resistant to burglaries or other types of crimes. You can install cameras and security systems or you can upgrade your locks. This article explains how you can prevent entry in the house by securing your doors and windows.
Securing Doors
The first thing you should do is to replace all door lock plates screws that are ¾” long with ones that are at least 3” or 4”. It is best to use 4” because they are stronger. You need two screws for the deadbolt and two for the depress plunger.
Longer screws can provide a stronger safety connection, which is the reason why we suggest you to buy 4”-long screws. They are #10.
You can also install one sided locks on your door. They are much safer and faster to lock.
There are some security accessories that can help obtain stronger security. They focus on reinforcing door jams with steel. To install such a reinforce system on your door, however, you had better call a professional. This is not a task that can be carried out successfully by amateurs.
If you do not seem to be satisfied with these type of changes and just want a minimum upgrade you can try this one. Simply use a double cylinder deadbolt for your door. It is less secure than the other methods but it is still a great choice. It requires a key on both outside and inside, which makes it more difficult for burglars to enter the house.
Thus, if somebody tries to break the window so that they can unlock the door, they will not be able to do so. For this purpose it is important that you remove the key from the door every time you lock it, otherwise any burglar would be able to unlock it through the broken window. If there are no windows close to the door, leaving the key on the lock is not such a big deal, however.
Another upgrade you can do concerning your home security is to provide a string with a loud bell on it that will make a noise every time the door opens. This will alert you of unexpected visits.
So, to put it briefly, here are some of the ways you can secure your door:
- Replace shorter lock screws with longer (preferably 4” long)
- Install one sided locks on your door
- Reinforce your door jams with steel
- Put a bell on a string
- Use a double cylinder deadbolt
Securing Windows
The first thing to do is to make a habit to always lock the window. If the lock is broken, replace it. Your manufacturer will either give it to you at a very low cost or for free.
Operative windows need more precautions. It will be a wise idea to purchase a turn buckle clamp lock, which should be installed on the very jam of the window. This will enable you to open the window to air the premises. The lock should be installed up to 6” up. Additionally, you can use a self tap screw. It should be ½” long. It won’t allow the window to open higher than 6” or the stated mount.
The next step is to install bars on the window unit that will help obtain more security of the windows. These bars are usually placed outside but they can be put inside as well.
Another precaution for your windows may be using poly propyl. These window replacements are very thick, most of them come in sizes of ¼”, 3/16” and 1/8”.
In a nutshell, you can:
- Purchase a turn buckle clamp lock
- Install bars outside
- Use poly propyl
Written by Chuck Dean
Chuck Dean works as a manager at Shiny London and knows a lot about housekeeping including security.
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