There are many ways to prevent anyone from entering the front door of a building or house. Either way, the front door is a vulnerable area burglars like to tackle.
Install an armored door or shield its existing entrance?
Rather than placing your front door, you can choose to replace it and have an armored door. It is a very effective burglar-proof door. To strengthen the security of your home, you will have to choose between:
- The shielding of the existing door;
- And the installation of an armored door.
Note that to measure the resistance time of a front door to a break-in attempt, you must take into account the resistance time of its weakest element. So, if you choose to install a lock capable of withstanding for 10 minutes, but the frame will be able to hold only 2 minutes, then the resistance time of your front door will be only 2 minutes.
Shielding of the existing door
If you choose to shield the current front door, you will not need to replace it. Instead, the All-in-one Locksmith network professionals will install a door set. By changing only some aspects of the door, you can better resist break-ins.
In particular, a steel plate will be added and the current lock replaced. This solution is a less expensive alternative to installing an armored door but will not offer you the same resistance level.
Shielding an existing door is also the best condo solution when you can’t change your front door. Indeed, in buildings, the co-ownership regulations generally provide for a single appearance for all the entrance doors of all the apartments in the building for the sake of aesthetics.
Installation of an armored door
The armored door offers almost total protection and a very high level of security. In addition, the armored door provides outstanding performance in terms of thermal and acoustic insulation. This protection is made possible by the thickness of the door and the type of material used for its manufacture. An armored door can thus be made of steel, wood, or metal.
In addition to reducing heat loss, the armored door also offers excellent resistance to fire.
To choose your armored door, pay attention to the following characteristics:
- The standards respected by the armored door;
- The certification of the door;
- The type of lock;
- The kind of model;
- The level of thermal and acoustic insulation;
- The level of tightness;
- The manufacturer;
- The cost, etc.
The professionals of the All in one Locksmith network install the armored doors.
Go through a single-brand or multi-brand supplier?
By choosing to buy an armored door from a mono-brand supplier, you opt for an entry in which all the elements come from the same brand. This means that all parts of the door will have a similar degree of resistance to break-ins.
If you choose a multi-brand supplier, the frames, lock, handle, hinges, and other door components will be manufactured by different companies. This second solution will offer you a more comprehensive range of choices for the composition of your armored door, in particular for the lock.
Why go through a professional for the installation of an armored door?
If you decide to invest in a powerful solution to secure your home, we advise you to use an expert to install an armored door. This is the only possibility to ensure the optimal reinforcement of your front door.
A professional with APSAD certification is recognized as reliable in burglary protection. This certification attests to the quality of installation of anti-intrusion and fire safety systems. It also makes it possible to certify the installation capacities of video and remote monitoring services.
The different solutions to strengthen your front door
A low-end cylinder on a door allows burglars to enter your home in seconds. To avoid break-ins, if you can’t replace your current door with an armored door, it is essential to firm all your front door’s weak points.
Indeed, you can protect your home by replacing only its weak points. The professionals of the All in one Locksmith network draw your attention in particular to the following possibilities:
- Install a high-security cylinder;
- Install a door lock;
- Provide anti-clamp angles;
- Provide hinge protectors;
- Install a high-security lock: a 3-point, 5-point, or 7-point lock;
- Choose a cylinder guard;
- Opt for an armored door handle;
- Select a wireless doorbell and a wireless video intercom;
- Install a door ajar;
- Install an electronic lock cylinder.
Thus, if you opt for the shielding of your door, the intervention of a professional will be necessary to identify the weak points of your front door. This spotting operation will make it possible to target sensitive issues to be secured by optimizing expenditure.
Install a high-security cylinder
If you want to increase the security of your current front door, the door cylinder is probably one of the first items to replace. To protect yourself against intrusions, opt for a high-security cylinder and a good quality cylinder.
The size of the cylinder will also impact the level of security. The cylinder must not protrude from the door by more than 5 mm on the outside. Thus, it does not offer a sufficient grip for burglars who will otherwise try to pull it out.
Note that a burglar-proof cylinder is always delivered with an essential owner’s card to duplicate a key, unlike a conventional cylinder.
Install a door lock
It is possible to add different locking points on a door, independent of the primary lock. This solution makes it possible to strengthen your front door by multiplying the number of locks.
The downside is that you have to unlock and lock multiple locks on your door every time you arrive or depart. However, this is an effective solution.
Provide anti-clamp angles
If you don’t want to replace your door, installing anti-pinch angles will be an excellent solution to increase the security level of your home. Burglars will not be able to pass tools between the jamb and the door, such as a crowbar, to enter your home.
Most of the time, anti-pinch angles are equipped with screws that cannot be unscrewed. Due to this a burglar cannot dismantle the structure to use his crowbar.
Provide hinge protectors
Burglars don’t just attack front door locks. Indeed, if they realize that it is resistant, they will look for another weak point at your front door. This can, in particular, be at the level of the hinges.
It is possible to reinforce the hinges of your lock to protect your home against intrusions. By installing hinge guards, you prevent the possibility of lifting the door with a crowbar.
Install a high-security lock: a 3-point, 5-point, or 7-point lock
To fortify the security of an entrance door against burglary attempts, an A2P certified safety is essential. This minimum level of security prevents the burglar from picking, removing, or drilling the lock.
Choose a cylinder guard
Since successful break-ins by picking the front door cylinder are so common, as are breaking, drilling, or tearing off the cylinder, it is essential to secure this item.
The more it protrudes from the door on the outside of your home, the more fragile a cylinder is. Therefore, to protect it and reinforce the level of security of your front door, it is essential to opt for a quality cylinder guard.
You put the odds on your side by delaying the break-in as much as possible. It allows burglars to give up their attempt for fear of being spotted by you or neighbors.
Opt for an armored door handle
Install an armored door handle on a conventional door. Again, this is an exemplary process for slowing down break-ins. An armored handle has a lock shield that prevents a burglar from piercing or ripping it off.
By installing an armored door handle, you effectively protect the lock’s cylinder. To choose the handle, you will have to take into account various points, such as:
- The thickness of the door;
- The type of center distance;
- The type of handle (landing door handle or double handle version), etc.
Select a wireless doorbell and/or wireless video intercom
Burglars typically roam the neighborhood for several days or weeks before taking action. They spot your pace and try to identify places. On the burglary, they will always start by checking if you are at home by ringing the intercom.
Thanks to connected systems, installing an intercom or a videophone that allows you to answer remotely is now possible.
By installing this type of equipment, you can answer a person ringing at your gate or your apartment from your place of work or an evening with friends. The burglar will then think you are at home and abandon his idea.
Be careful! Never answer that you are not at home at the moment. Burglars usually have an excuse ready: they want to sell you something or offer you their services, etc.
Install a door ajar
A door ajar is a security system that allows you to verify the person’s identity at your door before opening it fully. This solution is efficient in apartments where it is impossible to install a peephole to comply with condominium regulations.
This mechanism is installed inside your home and prevents the door from opening completely. It helps to delay intrusions. A door lock takes the form of a simple chain or a more solid piece of metal behind the door.
Install an electronic lock cylinder
Today, it is no longer necessary to lock your home with a key. It is also possible to opt for an electronic solution. For example, apartment entrance doors sometimes open with a digital code or personal badge in buildings. This lock solution is also starting to appear on house entrance doors.
To reinforce the security of your front door, it is possible to opt for an electronic lock. The cylinder must then be changed for the electromagnetic pulse to work. For maximum security, you can also opt for a biometric module.
There’re various options to boost the security of the front door. If you don’t know which one suits security needs best, contact Cheap Locksmith in Tampa to fortify your door from the inside.
