Secure Your Home - Doors
A solid door fitted to a good quality frame provides a good level of security. If your doors are not secure then neither is your home.
In two out of ten burglaries they don’t even need force - they get in through an open door or window.
Here are a few useful tips to ensure your home is protected at all times.
Frame and Hinges
- Wooden frame should be at least 44mm (1¾”) thick.
- Your door can be made stronger by fitting a steel strip and plates around the lock.
- Ensure hinges are secured with strong, long screws and for added security fit hinge bolts which help to reinforce the door against the use of force.
Door Viewer and Chain
- If you do not have a window in the door or some other way of checking who is calling, fit a door viewer.
- Use the chain every time someone calls.
Locks and Bolts
- When moving, ensure that you change the locks immediately; other people may have a set of keys to your home.
- All external doors should be fitted with a 5-lever, 2 bolt mortise sash lock, situated halfway up the door (a deadlock with a handle for convenience), or a 5-lever mortise deadlock about 1/3 of the way up the door.
- Most insurance companies are happy with locks that are Kite marked to British Standard BS 3621.
- Most doors are fitted with a rim latch which locks automatically when the door is closed but you can open it form the inside without a key. This should be fitted 1/3 of the way down the door.
- Mortise bolts operated from the inside of the door offer very strong additional protection. These bolts can only be operated by a key and are far more secure than traditional sliding bolts.
Letterboxes
- Never hang a spare key inside the letterbox; it is an obvious place for a thief to look.
- Letterboxes should be at least 400mm away from any locks.
- Consider fitting a letterbox cage or restrictor such as a cover plate. This will prevent thieves from putting their hands through the letterbox and trying the latches from inside.
Patio Doors and French Doors
- These are potentially vulnerable and several types of security bars can increase your security.
- Special locks should be fitted to both the top and bottom of the door unless they have a multi-locking system.
Keys
- Never leave a spare key in a convenient hiding place such as under the doormat, in a flowerpot, or behind a loose brick. Thieves know all the usual hiding places.
- If you move into a new home, change the front and back door locks immediately. Other people may have keys to the property.
- Decide on a safe place for your keys and always use it so you can find your keys in an emergency such as a fire.
- Store your keys away from the front door to avoid letterbox burglaries.
- Do not label keys with your address in case you lose them.
