DIY Security Systems
Think of your home as a fort. The front gate is your first line of defense, while your front door is the second line of defense. Knowing how to reinforce front door locks means you are valuing the overall safety and protection of your family and your home.
Reinforcing your front door lock is one of the easiest and the most cost-effective way to maintain your door’s overall function and home safety. Luckily for you, I have a step-by-step guide on how to reinforce front door locks that will surely help you out.
The Importance of Having Your Front Doors Reinforced
Over the years, crime rates have been soaring higher and higher. This resulted in a rapid increase in security essentials. Whether it be security lights, high-quality front doors, in this day and age, security and protection are paramount. Most robberies and theft happen during day time when homeowners are out and at work.
During the day, most thefts occur by forcibly entering through the front door. In worst cases, they open an unlocked door, and most residential doors can be kicked simply without any resistance, thus opening the doors. Most carpenters aim for profit. This results in having the quality of your door being compromised.
One major thing you can do as an owner is to make their lives difficult. If you know how to reinforce front door locks at home, with all the essential upgrades, your home won’t be as appealing as they once were to burglars. That’s why you should put the utmost importance on your front doors.
The Things to Consider to Reinforce Front Door Lock
If you know how to reinforce front door lock, that doesn’t mean changing it alone. Reinforcing the entire door will help maximize the overall protection and safety that your front door can provide. In this part, we’ll discuss different things to consider before you reinforce the front door lock.
Check the Overall Structure of the Front Door Lock
You’ll never realize how easy it is to kick the door that could easily open up your entire home. This is especially true when your door hardware is old and unreliable already. In this part, we’ll discuss which parts to replace to improve their use further and overall.
When reinforcing your front door lock, the primary parts are the lockset plates and the deadbolt. Reports show that almost 65% of housebreaking occurs by literally kicking the front door, going through the backdoor, or just jumping off through the backyard.
Replace Old Front Door Locks with Newer Ones
Most locks in today’s generation are equipped with innovative technology bound to destroy any possible burglar and theft at home. We have to thank the technology we live in. It even made it possible for people to afford high-grade door locks that are equipped with all features that prove essential.
Usually, most front door locks are grade 3. This means it is not quite up to par with the latest trend. Also, grade 3 door locks are the least graded door lock, which means replacing it with a higher grade lock will prove beneficial. These door locks are made with cheap materials, no resistance to kicking or bumping, and, most of all, offer poorly designed bolts. Mostly, they are the ones certainly least favored.
The Steps on How to Reinforce Front Door Lock
Learning on how to reinforce the front door lock of your house seems difficult at first. That’s why I will give you quick and very simple steps to follow that you, yourself, can make it alone. Remember that these are just the basic steps, but it may work.
Step 1: Replace the Deadbolt
Two screws usually secure deadbolts, one on the interior side, and the other two screws are on the faceplate. When your deadbolt is already removed, measure the cylinder hole size to get an accurate measurement. It would be best if you had these measurements when you purchase your new deadbolt. By replacing your deadbolt, thieves and burglars will have a harder time.
Step 2: Replace the Lockset Door Strike Plate
To further reinforce the door lock, it is also essential to replace the locket door strike plate. These can be easily done with a screwdriver and a screw. Make sure that your screw is 3-inches in length to strengthen its foundation further when screwed upon.
Step 3: Replace the Deadbolt Strike Plate
By replacing your old deadbolt strike plate with a new one, this ensures that the doorjamb is further strengthened in the process. In most cases, you shouldn’t use the strike plate that comes with the deadbolt. They only need two screws. In this part, you should opt for a more expert approach and buy separate strike plates with four screws. This is to add strength and durability to the overall front door lock.
These are just some of the most basic ways on how to reinforce door locks, by replacing some of the essential parts of the lock and replacing them with high-quality materials. The deadbolt strike plate, deadbolt, and lockset door strike plate are essential parts of a door lock. So, ideally, they are the ones that should be emphasized when trying to reinforce the front door lock.
Conclusion
Following this guide on how to reinforce a front door lock is a very easy and cost-effective way further to strengthen the locking system of your front further. Front doors are part of the defense from break-ins. A reinforced front door lock is a good deterrent. It is one good step further in providing enhanced home security. Remember that safety and protection should be your top priority, whether you’re at home or work. Here’s how to learn more about Door Locks.