How Do I Secure My Front Door From the Inside Without Replacing It
Your front door is an important entrance to your home. You want it to look attractive and blend in with the surrounding environment, but you also need to be able to lock it securely to protect your family’s safety. Fortunately, there are many ways to secure your front door from the inside without replacing it entirely.
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1. Make the door more difficult to break down
Intruders typically need only a few tools to break down a door and get inside your home, even if it looks secure. You can start by installing a sturdy door lock with a long throw bolt. This will help keep burglars from easily breaking down your door, but you can also use additional locks to make it more difficult for them to get inside.
2. Replace the door’s handle and hinges
Most doors come with a set of handles, but these are often a weak point in the security of your home. If they are old and worn, they can be broken or rusted, allowing an intruder to gain access. Replacement handles can be costly and can also look unattractive, but they are a great way to make your home more secure.
3. Reinforce the door from the inside
If you have a single-glazed window, it may be very easy for an intruder to break through and reach around the side of your door to unlock the deadbolt. To prevent this from happening, you can install a double-cylinder deadbolt and have it fitted to both sides of the glass. This will make it virtually impossible for an intruder to open your door from the inside.
4. Replace the screws that are biting into the door frame
It is possible for intruders to kick or ram through your door’s strike plate and hinges, causing them to loosen and fall off. To combat this, you can install stronger screws that go into the stud of your door’s frame. These can be as short as 2.5 inches (6.3 mm) long, but longer ones are generally safer.
5. Add a security bar
For added protection, you can reinforce your door with a metal or steel bar that sits on top of your door. These bars are typically shaped to fit around the top of your door, and they work by applying pressure to the frame to make it difficult to lift. They are an effective and affordable way to improve the security of your front door, but they need to be well-placed.
6. Apply frosted film to your glass
If you have windows near your front door, it can be easy for an intruder to see into the house and identify valuables that are parked on your porch or in your garage. Frosted film is available in plain translucent or decorative geometric or floral patterns and can work to blur what is behind the glass, making it more difficult for a potential intruder to view.
You can also install a door chain or peephole. These are easy to install and will prevent intruders from gaining access to your home without having to break through the glass. These options will also allow you to see who is at the door before giving them permission to enter your home.
