A front door is the main entrance to your home and also serves as an excellent stylish accent to your home’s curb appeal.
Additionally, a front door serves a significant role in enhancing the security of your property and must therefore be appropriately secured.
Apparently, the type of lock you put on your door can enhance its security function or compromise it.
Apart from type, the number of locks is also a key consideration.
In this regard, How Many Locks Should A Front Door Have?
A front door should have at least two locks. The standard lock is built with the doorknob and an additional deadbolt lock. Regularly check the strike plate where your deadbolt latches to ensure it is in the right state. Use material strong enough to resist any force that pushes the door open. Generally, an effective strike plate should have a full metal enclosure, a solid box strike model, and longer screws.
See Also: Is It Easy to Break into A Mobile Home?
Four Front Door Security Considerations
Your front door serves many functions, but one of the main ones is security.
When using your depend on your door to secure your belongings, you should not just focus on having better locks but also ensure your door is standard.
The number of locks is not the only factor.
Some of the other things that hold significant importance include:
1. Lock Quality
High-quality locks cannot be compromised easily.
For this reason, one quality lock on your front door is better than two poor-quality locks.
Buy locks from trustworthy manufacturers whom you believe won’t be broken easily.
Several reputable companies manufacture high-end lock brands that can give you confidence that your property is safe.
Avoid buying flimsy and cheap locks online or in the market stores because when burglar visits, they will easily break in.
2. Install The Locks Correctly
If not installed correctly, doors and locks will not serve their intended purpose.
Ensure the door is in the right space within the door frames and the lock is sturdy and firm enough to hold the door with the frame when locked.
3. Quality Of The Door
Even with high-quality door locks, a door can still be broken down if it has weak points.
For example, if the hinges are weak or not correctly fitted, it is easy for one to break in and steal or mess with your items.
Similarly, a very old door, whose whole particles have slowly disintegrated, can break from just one strong hit by a determined burglar.
Therefore, there is no point in investing in expensive and quality door locks when the door is low quality.
4. Regularly Check Your Door
Think of a situation where a thief visits your home regularly and tries to tamper with the integrity of your door.
For example, it starts by loosening the visible lock screws and then one day manages to remove the lock.
This is why you need to regularly check your door to ensure it is in good condition, and in case of problems, correct it before moving to the next day.
When you want to improve your door locks, first ensure that the door itself is in good condition.
A newer and stronger door will likely withstand kicks and pushes, thus giving assured protection.
Instead of having a glass door, replace it with a composite, solid wood core, solid wood door, or metal door.
The Three Best Front Door Locks
There are several locks that you can use on your front door, and each has its advantages and drawbacks.
1. Traditional Knobsets
A simple deadbolt is an effective lock for front doors and other exterior doors as long as it is correctly installed.
It can be fitted on almost all door types.
Actually, when you buy a door, you will find that it has either a deadbolt knob set or a lever lock.
2. Multipoint Locking Systems
A multipoint locking system has three deadbolt locks.
The locks are usually located at the top, center, and bottom parts of the door.
For modern multipoint locks, only one mechanism is used to lock and unlock the three locks.
You will just have one key entry point, mainly in the middle of the door, which is turned to open or lock the three locks.
With most such locks, the door locks automatically once you shut it.
You, therefore, always need to have the keys with you so that when it accidentally locks, you can easily open them.
3. Electronic Locks
Electronic locks have an electronic keypad beside or on the door.
The electronic keypad doesn’t have a cylinder mechanism; thus, it might not be bumped like other conventional door locks.
The pin or entry code be reset regularly to enhance the keypad’s convenience.
Four Additional Home Security Safety Measures
Apart from installing quality doors and locks on your house, it is also essential to take responsibility by practicing common sense.
Here are some safety practices you can consider to keep your home secure.
- Ensure you lock your door
- Change the locks if someone who had access to the keys moves to a new residence
- Have security cameras
- Keep the lights on at night.
Conclusion
If your front door has a flimsy lock, it can easily be broken into.
Therefore, it is important that you invest in quality front door locks and ensures you have at least two locks for maximum security.