When thinking about home security, any door in the house is a welcome to not only family and friends, it is also the usually entry point for home invasions and break-ins. Even if the bad guy manages to enter the home through a window, chances are they will take their haul of your possessions out through a door they can open from the inside. The need for home door security needs to include more than a contact for a home alarm, as there may be times the homeowner forgets to set the alarm or the break-in is attempted when everyone is home and the alarm is turned off.
The type of lock used on the front door should be better than the budget can bear as many of even the top names in door locks are subject to being opened quickly by a professional thief. There is also a little-known device that can be placed into many of the best-known names in lock manufacturers and rapped lightly with a hammer that instantly unlocks a door. You will want to make sure the lock on your door is not subject to this practice, known as bumping.
Dead bolt locks are commonly installed on main entry doors, as they are more difficult to open with a small plastic card or a thin piece of metal. The ones that require a key both inside and outside are also popular if the door has a small window that can be broken and a thief can reach through and open the dead bold with a thumb turn. However, the down side to these types of locks is that in case of a fire, the presence of mind will be needed to find the right key and open the door from the inside to escape the flames. Leaving the key in the lock in case of emergency simply undermines its installation.
Possibly one of the easiest and best means of providing home door security is by the use of a hinged doorstop. You have probably seen them in large public rooms, used to hold a door open. They are attached to the bottom of the door and can be dropped down for a rubber stop to rest on the floor, effectively holding the door open. Consider installing one of these on the inside of the door and when you are home for the evening, drop it into place. This easy method of home door security will slow down a person attempting to invade your home while the family is otherwise occupied or sleeping.
Whatever measures you choose to take in the way of home door security, remember to have an escape route planned. This can helpful not only cases of fire, but also in the event of a home invasion. Everyone in the home, all except the extremely young, should know what the plan is for getting out of the house and where to meet once they get outside. Even with the home door security measures in place, they need to know they will be safe in the event of an emergency.
