Your front door is carefully chosen to enhance your home’s curb appeal and bring out the best elements of its design. While an attractive front door is appealing, you should strive to make your door as secure as possible. Front doors are the main home entrance — they greet guests and are often the first spot someone will try to enter your home. Modern construction techniques allow you to enjoy a strong, secure front door without sacrificing appearance.
If you’re looking to upgrade your door or want to improve your existing door, the front door is your first line of home defense. Check out these tips on how to secure a front door and easily improve your home’s security.
1. Choose a Solid Core Door
A secure entry door starts with your door’s construction. If your existing door is fairly old or isn’t a solid core door, consider upgrading to a new front door. A solid core door is extremely strong — they’ve got a thick center and are usually fire-rated for extra protection. These doors are highly resistant to force and will hold strong. Ask your door expert about solid core doors — you can pick a door style that complements your home and holds up to force.
2. Replace the Door Frame
If you’re learning how to secure a door, you can’t overlook the frame. Older door frames can be worn and weak. To improve your home’s security, get a brand-new doorframe installed. Doorframes have to put up with years of weathering, screws and use. If you notice cracks, shifting or other issues with the frame when the front door is opened, you should replace the frame. Ensure the frame is as strong and solid as the door for a more secure front door.
3. Install Strike Plates With Long Screws
Deadbolts are essential to front door security. However, the deadbolt is only as good as the strike plate it’s attached to. The strike plate is the metal piece attached to your doorframe that the locked deadbolt sits in when the lock is turned. If the screws holding the strike plate in place aren’t over two inches long, the deadbolt won’t be secure — shorter screws provide a weaker hold and might give way under heavy force.
Replace the existing strike plate screws with screws over two inches long, or replace the entire strike plate for added durability. This holds the strike plate and deadbolt firmly in place, keeping your front door secure day and night.
4. Rekey or Replace the Lock
When you move into a new house, you’re probably thinking about furnishing, cleaning and organizing instead of your locks. If you want to ensure no one but you has a key to your front door, get the lock rekeyed or replaced. A locksmith can rekey your locks, installing new lock pins, so any previous keys no longer fit the lock. With a new lock, you can rest easy at night knowing no one but you has a key to your home.
You should also consider getting a keyless lock for your front door. Keyless locks use apps on your phone and a numeric passcode to unlock the door. This helps prevent anyone with your key or a lockpick from getting through your door since it isn’t a traditional pin-tumbler lock. You can customize your passcode and open the door with a simple button on your phone, improving door security and convenience.
5. Reinforce the Glass
Glass panes are a stylish, sophisticated way to enhance the appeal of your front door. However, they also create potential weak points if not properly reinforced. It’s much easier to break through glass and access the lock than trying to get through a solid door. To prevent this, use a security film on the glass panes.
Security film adheres to your glass panel, bonding with the glass and preventing shattering. If the window is broken, the security film will stop any shattering. Instead, the cracked glass will be stuck to the film, stopping anyone from getting through the broken window. Additionally, frosted films obscure the view into your home, reducing the chances of someone walking by and deciding to steal what they see inside.
6. Keep Your Entrance Well-Lit
While the dark is a protective cover for potential intruders, light gives them nowhere to hide. Adding light around your doors keeps your entryways — and anyone skulking around them — visible. You can improve your entrance lighting by upgrading and maintaining existing light fixtures outside the door. Use light sensors or smart home technology to automatically turn the lights on and off at dusk and dawn.
Finally, consider lighting your home’s interior entryway. A light on the inside by the front door can indicate someone’s home — even if you’re not there, a light on the inside might make people walking by think you’re still home, and they’ll avoid trying to get in.
7. Install a Security System
A good home security system can help deter intruders and record any suspicious activity outside your door. Video doorbells, motion-triggered lights, alarms and keyless locks can all enhance your front door security. These smart security systems alert you when someone’s at your door and can be controlled over Wi-Fi for added convenience. There’s nothing like bright lights, alarms and a video doorbell voice to deter someone from breaking in. The more inconvenient you make it for someone to get through your front door, the less likely they’ll be to try.
8. Lock Your Front Door
This tip might seem obvious, but homeowners often overlook it. It’s easy to leave the door unlocked if you’re just running to the store or if your area doesn’t get many break-ins. However, getting into the habit of leaving your door unlocked exposes you to potential break-ins. All your security measures and upgrades will only help protect your home if you leave the door unlocked. Always lock your front door to improve the security of your home.
Keep Your Home Secure With Garrety Glass
Your first line of defense is a secure front door. Don’t trust a poor-quality door to hold up against years of use and force. At Garrety Glass, we install high-quality, durable front doors so you can enjoy a strong, stylish home year-round. From traditional to rustic to modern, we’ll install the right door style for your unique home.
With years of experience in glass and door installation, you can trust the experts at Garrety Glass to deliver efficient, premium installation services at affordable prices. If you’re looking for professional, customer-first door installation, contact us today for your free quote.