The fact that you have locked your steel security door may not be enough to keep a home intruder or thief out if they are determined to break in. Using just a few strong kicks, you may easily dismantle a door that has been built with standard equipment by a builder. Your doors should be reinforced if you want to make your house a bit safer against break-ins.
What should you do when it comes to protecting a steel door from being kicked in? Your door’s fragility stems from the fact that it absorbs impact at many relatively tiny pressure points, making it easier for the plate to bend and fracture under strain. When the kick’s power strikes across a larger region, the strain on a single point is reduced, which is beneficial. However, practically every door feature may be made more robust with suitable materials.
Rather than focusing on security, the contractor who constructed your home was more likely to be concerned with looks. Dreadfully unsecured doors are routinely included with new homes as standard features. A few inexpensive pieces of hardware may make a significant difference in the long-term durability of your front door. Here are a few suggestions for making your doorway more difficult to open and close by invaders.
Learn how to make your steel security door even more robust with the following steps:
1. Make sure the door is locked
It doesn’t matter if you have the most robust steel security door in the world if you forget to lock it. You’d be surprised at how many residents fail to lock their doors or forget to do it altogether. As a result of research, it has been estimated that up to 30% of thieves gain entry into a residence via an open door or window.
As a precaution, double-check that you’ve properly secured your front door. If the door is not locked, the remainder of our suggestions will be ineffective. It’s easy to lose sight of the importance of anything. However, this is an essential step in protecting the safety of your house. If you’re prone to forgetting to lock the door, you may want to consider purchasing a lock that will automatically lock the door for you.
2. Install smart locks on your steel security door to strengthen its security
When it comes to the forgetful homeowner, smart locks are the answer. Many smart locks enable you to unlock the door with a code, which is convenient. For those who find themselves locked out of their homes (and who do not want to resort to smashing the door down), this may prove to be a true lifesaver.
Smart locks may also assist you if you fail to lock the steel security door, a common occurrence. Many smart locks may be preprogrammed to lock at a specific time of day or after a predetermined period of time has passed since they were unlocked. If you rush late to work and fail to lock the door behind you, your house will still be safe.
3. Replace the deadbolt strike plate with a new one
The deadbolt latches onto the metal plate when installed in the doorframe, which is known as the deadbolt strike plate. When a kick is landed, the great majority of the force generated by the impact will be focused here. Depending on how you measure your steel security door, the striking plate is likely 2–3 inches in length, at the very least. This is often where the door will fail, leaving the lock inoperable.
It is possible to make several simple modifications to the strike plate to significantly increase the strength of the strike plate and transform this weak area into a point of strength.
4. Longer Screws
Changes to your lock are as simple as swapping out the small screws used to keep it in place by default. Typically, the screws used to attach a striking plate are no more than an inch in overall length. The beautiful trim piece around the edge of the door frame is where your strike plate will be fastened, not the actual door frame itself. These little screws may be easily ripped out of the molding with a couple of powerful kicks.
Replace those small screws with a few longer ones 2–4 inches in length to make kicking through the steel security door substantially more difficult. These long screws will be able to go all the way into the studs beyond the door frame and fasten the door frame considerably more firmly than shorter screws can. You may also strengthen both sides of the door by changing the screws on the hinges.
Given the low cost of screws, this is undoubtedly the most cost-effective modification on our checklist. If you just have a dollar to work with, investing in a set of long screws is a great way to save money.
5. Steel door frames
As long as an intruder keeps trying, they may be able to bend or tear away the steel security door frame itself. This is why it’s crucial to have a strong strike plate on your door. It is necessary to strengthen the door frame itself to avoid this.
Some steel door installers use the existing wooden frame to install the steel security door. What’s the purpose of making the door steel if the doorframe is still wood? Go for a steel doorframe for maximum robustness. Though replacing the doorframe requires a few structural modifications, it’s worth the investment in the long run.
Some sellers only sell the door, which is an option that leaves you clueless about the installation. It’s highly advisable to choose a steel security door supplier that takes care of the installation part for you.
