Home Security - Doors

Illegal entry through the front door occurs more often than all other points of entry combined! All exterior doors should be of solid hard wood or steel reinforced to ensure that your home security is not compromised. A good door does no good if the door frame is in bad shape or of inferior construction. Pay special attention to the door jams. Most, even in expensive homes are made out of cheap pine. It doesn't take much force to "kick in" the door even if protected with dead bolts, if the strike plate is attached with only a couple of 1/2 or 3/4 inch screws.

Whether it is a short vacation for even a few days or if you are going to be away all winter long, always make sure that a reliable person or company is looking after your homes security. Your insurance could be invalidated if you do not have someone routinely checking on your home! Please feel free to email us with additional items at Email: contact@GCCIhome.com We will be pleased to add your items to our list.

Take a few minutes and install 2-1/2 to 3 inch stainless steel or nickel plated screws in all your exterior door jams. Be sure screws go at least 1-3/4 inch deep into the underlying framing lumber. While you at it, consider getting heavy duty strike plates or a door reinforcement kit sold in many larger home improvement centers. Be advised you may have to chisel out more of the door jam to install but it's worth the effort for the greater protection provided. Any kind of sliding glass door is a favorite target. Guard against the door being lifted up and out by installing several screws into the door's upper track. Open and shut the door through its entire range to allow just enough of the screw's head protruding to allow free movement without allowing the door to be removed.

Several devices can be installed into the door's upper or lower track that acts much like a dead bold by running a heavy pin through the door track and deep into the frame. Just having a length of old broom handle at a 45 degree angle in the door track also prevents the door from easily being forced open and works nearly as well! This is an inexpensive way to increase your home security.

Click here for Ottawa Home Sitters

Your garage door is easy pickings unless you have an electronic garage door opener. Today these devices are fairly cheap (around $250) and make it practically impossible to force open the overhead door from the outside without breaking through the actual door panels due to the high tension produced from the worm drive or chain device that makes the openers work

Yes, it is possible for burglar to punch in the right code and gain access, but with today's remote controls providing so many possible combinations, the odds are very slight, and the burglar won't waste the time trying all the possibilities. Final bit of advice on automatic door openers.

Do be sure to change the security code from the pre installed settings which are almost always set to zeros. Also, if you notice your door open and you're sure you shut it, one of your neighbors probably set his opener to the same code. Take the time to change your setting, or you're giving a potential burglar a great opportunity to gain free access.

Checklist for Unoccupied Homes

All content published on this web site is provided for informational and educational purposes only. Always seek professional advice before making any decisions.

We use third-party advertising companies to serve ads when you visit our website. These companies may use information (not including your name, address, email address, or telephone number) about your visits to this and other websites in order to provide advertisements about goods and services of interest to you. If you would like more information about this practice and to know your choices about not having this information used by these companies, click here.