Your home’s main door is among the first line of defence against intruders, trespassers, thieves or anti-social elements. Having a sturdy enclosure at the entrance is imperative for maintaining your household’s privacy and security.
According to recorded crime data by the
Australian Bureau of Statistics, there was a decrease of 23% in unlawful entry with intent and other theft from 2019 in Australia. It is welcome news and a motivator for you to improve your door security because it can discourage criminals from targeting your home.
You can take the assistance of professional locksmiths in Australia to inspect the door & window locks to ensure they are working properly. Additionally, here are six smart ways to improve your door security.
1. Keep Spare Keys In A Lock Box
Having a spare key outside your door is a good idea in case you lock yourself out of the home. However, keeping the spares under the pots, over a hedge or any other easily accessible spot is not the best solution.
Thus, finding a good hiding spot is not the solution, and you should invest in a lockbox with a code to keep the spare keys. Make sure only your household members know the combination to the lockbox, and you change it regularly. Furthermore, place the box in an inconspicuous spot to avoid easy detection by anyone else other than your household members.
2. Ensure The Door is Break-in Proof
Thieves or other intruders often use brute force to break into homes. They kick-in doors and if your house door is not robust and affixed properly, breaking-in is easy. Besides ensuring the door locks are good and functioning properly, install a strike plate for the lock on the door jamb to improve stability.
Additionally, ensure the screws of the strike plate and hinges are at least 3 inches long. Most doors have screws less than 1 inch long, making them susceptible to breach and entry by anti-social elements. You can also consider hinge bolts that secure the joints better and work as an extra layer of protection.
3. Install Deadbolt Locks On The Door
Thieves can easily identify which locks are easy to break, and a deadbolt is among the hardest. If your door already doesn’t have a Grade 1 deadbolt, get it installed by a professional locksmith in Australia as soon as possible. You can opt for a traditional deadbolt lock or a modern one with a keypad to enter a security code only you and other household members know.
Having a quality deadlocking fixture is crucial for the safety and security of your home, as they can better resist physical attacks, drilling, and battering. The lack of a knob or a spring makes
a deadbolt better for door security.
4. Get Surveillance Cameras
Invest in a top-quality doorbell camera to have round the clock surveillance at your front door. Since most doorbell cameras are configured with your mobile and other electronic devices, you can remotely maintain surveillance. You can get wired or wireless once as per preference and connect them to the internet connection in your home.
Also,
get home security cameras for the entry points of your house to discourage intruders and trespassers. In addition to the real cameras, set up a few dummy ones to make it seem like your entire property is under surveillance.
5. Reinforce The Door From The Inside
You can strengthen the security of the entrance gateway of your house from the inside by installing a door barricade. This solution is great because the barricade relies on the stability of the floor rather than the door.
Most door barricades slide out of the plate with a single motion when you open the locks, but they remain steadfast in case anyone tries to open the door with force. The best part about door barricades is you can install them for improving the security of single and double entry doors.
6. Get A Horizontal Security Bar
Get a custom-made horizontal security bar for the door to burglar-proof your home. The bars are thick, sturdy and heavy, making them the perfect reinforcer for door security from the inside. While getting the bar, prefer one made with steel or other tough metal. You can take the assistance of a
professional locksmith in Australia to bolt the lag enclosures of the bar and make the necessary adjustments. A bar is useful because it works as a security attachment independent of the door lock and jamb.
The Bottom Line
Increasing the security of your entrance door is imperative to keep household members safe and your property content secure. Thus, hire professional locksmiths in Australia to repair &
maintain the locks of your house. Additionally, use the smart ways mentioned above to improve door security.
