How to Make Your Home More Secure

• You should assess your home security so you know what upgrades to make. Be sure to inspect your door hinges, frame, and locks for any signs of rot or wear.
• You can make your home more secure by increasing the security level of your locks. Locks with an ANSI/BHMA "A" rating offer the highest security.
• Quality locks are crucial for home security. Deadbolts and electronic door locks are among the most secure.
• Don't overlook secondary entrance points, hide your spare keys freely outside, ignore signs of wear, or install low-quality locks. These common mistakes can compromise your home's security.

Along with your windows, doors are considered the easiest point of entry for your home, with many intruders simply letting themselves in through exterior doors. Itrsquo;s alarming to think of any vulnerabilities, let alone our front and back doors!

But you're still in control of your home's security. Learn more about how to make your home more secure with Door Locks Direct!

Evaluate Your Current Door Security

Before making any upgrades, you must first assess your current home security. Many doors have overlooked weaknesses that an intruder can exploit.

Check Your Door Frame

Even the strongest doors and locks can fail if your door frame is weak. Inspect your door frame for signs of rot, warping, or cracks. You should also make sure that your door jamb is solid and free from rot.

It's time for an upgrade if you see any warping or weaknesses!

Examine Your Hinges

Your door's hinges are another point of vulnerability. Inspect your exterior doors for exposed hinge pins or loose and sagging hinges, which can compromise your door alignment and security.

Replace any weak components and lubricate your hinge pins annually to ensure your door functions smoothly and securely. Non-removable pin hinges offer the best security for exterior doors as the pin cannot be removed without a special tool and the door being open, deterring potential intruders from removing your hinges and door.

Inspect Your Locks

How old are your locks? Are they suffering from wear and tear? Old and outdated locks are easier to pick or force entry upon

Increase Your Door Lock Security Level

One of the most effective ways of increasing your home's security is by installing high-security locks. This begins with selecting the appropriate ANSI/BHMA rating for your locks.

What is an ANSI/BHMA rating? These ratings indicate performance and quality standards for door hardware.

Grade C (Good): These door locks provide a basic level of performance. They're best for low-risk environments.

Grade B (Better): Grade B door locks provide an outstanding balance of performance and are suitable for most homes.

Grade A (Best): Grade A door locks provide the highest level of security, durability, and finish quality. These are the locks to choose if security is your top concern.

Upgrade Your Residential Door Locks

Standard locksets may not be adequate to protect against a forceful entry attempt. You should invest in high-quality residential door locks that are known for their security and home burglarproofing capabilities.

Deadbolts

These high-security locks use a solid metal bolt to securely lock a door, rather than the typical spring-loaded mechanism. The bolt extends fully into the door jamb or strike plate when the deadbolt is engaged. This design is more resistant to forced entry, making it a significant deterrent to would-be intruders.

The most common types of deadbolts include single-cylinder and double-cylinder deadbolts. You can further enhance your security with high-security deadbolt strikes which include longer screws so that the strike plate is secured against your structural studs instead of just the door frame.

Single-Cylinder Deadbolts

Single-cylinder deadbolts feature a keyhole on the exterior and a thumbturn on the inside, allowing for easy locking and unlocking of the door from the inside. They're common on residential front doors where a quick exit is a priority.

However, these locks aren't as secure as other types. Intruders could break a nearby window or glass pane to reach in and operate the thumbturn.

Double-Cylinder Deadbolts

Double-cylinder deadbolts are keyed on both sides. This means that a key is required to open and close the bolt on the inside and outside of the door.

These deadbolts significantly increase protection against break-ins and lock manipulation, as they make it difficult for burglars to reach through a window to unlock from the outside. However, they also pose a safety hazard during emergencies because a key is required for exit, and some municipal building codes do not allow them.

These deadbolts are an excellent option for doors with glass panels and doors with nearby windows.

Electronic Locks

Electronic door locks offer a modern approach to home security. These locks utilize various keyless entry methods, including passcodes, fingerprints, and smartphone apps with Bluetooth or Wifi connectivity.

These door locks combine traditional locking methods with advanced technology. The most common are keyless deadbolts, which function similarly to traditional deadbolts. But unlike traditional deadbolts, they don't require a physical key to operate. Instead, electronics are used to move the deadbolt in and out of the door frame. This eliminates key vulnerabilities, such as loss and duplication.

Many keyless deadbolts, such as the Kwikset digital deadbolt, also feature advanced technology that sends alerts to your phone if the lock is tampered with or when it's opened by a code, providing you the feeling of safety even when you're away. They also may have features such as Kwiksetss SecureScreen technology to prevent user codes from being identified by examining fingerprints on the screen.

Bottom Line: Touchpad deadbolts and other electronic locks offer a high-security alternative to traditional locks, providing advanced features for enhanced protection.

Two-Point Locks

Two-point locks have two separate locking mechanisms in a single handleset. They require a key to lock and unlock the deadbolt as well as to operate the thumb press (deadlatch). This second locking point provides additional security, preventing the door from being forced open at the handle or latch area.

These locks are also great at reducing wear on your door because the stress on the lock and door is distributed across two points, rather than one.

Avoid Common Mistakes When Learning How to Make Your Home More Secure

Your vigilance is just as important as selecting high-security door locks. Avoid these common mistakes to ensure your home's security:

• Overlooking Signs of Wear and Tear: Sticking keys and loose components are early warning signs that your lock needs maintenance or an upgrade.

• Hiding Your Key in Obvious Spots: Though convenient, hiding your key under your doormat leaves your home vulnerable to intruders. There are many other easy ways to securely hide your keys, including pushbutton and combination lock boxes.

• Improper Installation: Always follow the manufacturer's instructions to ensure proper installation.

• Overlooking Secondary Entrance Points: Back doors, side doors, and glass doors also require high-security locks. Our keyed combo packs are the perfect high-security solution for back doors and side doors.

• Installing Cheap or Low-Quality Locks: These locks are easily picked or broken. You should always purchase high-quality locks from a trusted door hardware supplier, such as Door Locks Direct. As the old saying goes, "Buy Once, Cry Once".

Complement Your Door Locks with Added Security Measures

Door locks are just part of your comprehensive security strategy. Fortify your home with these measures:

• Install motion sensor lighting to deter intruders
• Replace fragile glass window panes with shatterproof glass to prevent break-ins
• Always lock your windows and doors
• Get a smart doorbell or security camera to monitor activity
• Invest in a full-home security system

Secure Your Home with Door Locks Direct

The right door locks are the foundation of any home security plan. Run by passionate experts, Door Locks Direct offers a large selection of high-quality door hardware made to secure your home, including deadbolts, handlesets, combo packs, and more. Place your order online now.