7 Ways to Secure Your Back Door

There are all kinds of ways you can enhance your back door security, and below I will list seven of the most popular. I soon learned how to secure my back door once a burglar had prized their way into my home, with relative ease, apparently! It’s is a familiar situation, we think we’re secure but we’re not. Just by locking the door we can get a false sense of security. The doors feel secure to us, but even an average burglar can spot any weaknesses there might be. It is there job after all! So many people fall victim to break-ins for no other reason than their security was inadequate.

The short video below looks at how to prevent house burglars from kicking your front door in:

 

 

Why Burglars Love Doors

The most favored point of entry for any burglar is the doors leading into the property. Around 70 percent of all house break-ins are forced, doors first, windows second. The weaker the doors (or door frames), the easier it is for the crook to get into your property.^[1]

The doors burglars prefer typically include:

• Side doors
• Back doors
• French doors (favorite)
• Patio doors (favorite)

Seven Tips for Securing Your Back Doors

How you secure your side or back doors depends on what kind of doors you have. It also depends on the current locks, door condition and the frames and their condition. Good door security is only as good as its frame, and the frame is only as good as the door it supports. In other words, you need all three areas of door security to be tight if you’re to have the ultimate protection. In general, solid wood or steel doors are the most protective.^[2]

The three door security considerations include:

1. Strong, secure door
2. Tough locks
3. Strong door frames

Once you have identified the above, take a look at the seven measures you can apply to make the side or back entrances into your home more secure:

1. Light up your back and side doors (interior and exterior lighting)
2. Install security cameras above the doors
3. Install wide-angled viewers
4. Install a solid-core wooden door
5. Fit a good deadbolt lock
6. Get a dog or dog alarm
7. Arrange with the neighbors to look out for each other’s back doors

Common Sense Security

And finally, there is a little common sense home security precautions to think about. It’s astonishing how many home owners still leave a spare key hanging on a bit of string inside the letter box. Others will leave a spare key under a door mat or a plant pot. Burglars know all the habits and always take a quick look in these places before forcing their entry.

Resources

1. http://www.safewise.com/blog/overlooking-major-home-security-weakness/
2. http://vancouver.ca/police/crime-prevention/for-homes-rental-properties/home-security.html