People usually think that burglars and thieves enter the houses through windows, but the fact is that mostly they break into the house through the doors which were either left open by the residents mistakenly or because the doors were not secure enough. But what does it mean for a door to be not secure enough? If you are wondering this, then here is the answer. Mostly the locks are not strong enough to withstand heavy impact, which is why the doors break open even from a kick. When burglars notice that the residents are not at home, they use this method to break into the house and take away everything. Here are some best ways to secure a door from the inside to prevent this from happening to you. Let’s have a look.
1- Increase the Length of the Screws on the Impact Plate
The first thing you should do when looking to secure a door from the inside is to replace the screws on the striker and the door hinges. Normally, a random door uses three screws that are quarter inches apart and cut only the skin around the frame. This allows easy intrusion, even from a simple kick or a jab. However, by simply replacing these three screws with better ones or adding three more screws to increase the length, you can easily strengthen a door. This is considered as the best way to secure a door from inside because:
- It is very easy to carry out this process
- Low cost of parts
- Enhanced level of security
The level of protection you will achieve by this method is unimaginable. The impact plate is by far the most important part of a door. By adding screws, you can add a tremendous amount of strength to the door. However, if you only secure the striker plate, which normally breaks when a force is applied to the door from outside, the hinge will most likely break the doorframe. Therefore replacing the impact plate is also important.
2- Impact Plate Replacement
Apart from using the screws of the right length, you can replace the striker itself. The longer impact plate equally distributes the energy of an attack caused due to huge force along the entire length of the door frame. For some people, this might be the best method of securing the door from inside, but it also has some considerations. A longer impact plate will increase the number of screws holding the plate to the frame, but it will also boost security. The use of screws throughout the frame also distributes the impact force along with the door rather than concentrating it in one place.
Moreover, if you want to improve your strike plate and strengthen your door frame, you must use metallic impact plates. According to white knight locksmith Austin the primary reason behind this is that metal can be improved, and a stronger steel striker is less likely to deform or break. The more impact a metal can withstand, the better and safe your door will become from inside.
3- Install Door Barricades
If you are looking for some easiest and effective DIY tips to secure your door from inside, door barricades are what you should get. Installing door barricades is a great way to keep your door safe from inside. A door barricade which is commonly called a door lock, consists of two main parts:
- A base plate
- A strip that holds the door in place
First, you should install the base plate on the floor with the help of screws that come along. You must follow the guidelines properly. In most cases, a drill is required but installing door barricades is a very easy technique even for a layman. To secure your door from inside, you must simply insert the retainer back inside the base plate.
4- Use a Heavy Door Chain
If you want something else to strengthen your doors from the inside, use a heavy and strong door chain. You must know that a standard door chain won’t offer you much protection, but it is better than having nothing. They are usually too weak to withstand great forces, which results in easy intrusions. The exact purpose of a door chain is to prevent robbers from entering the house when the door is broken or opened. If you choose an enhanced door chain to reinforce your exterior door, it can be very useful. For example, most door chains often don’t offer significant impact protection, but a heavy-duty door chain will certainly withstand the impact.
5- Use the Door Stopper in a Different Way
A door stopper normally serves the purpose of preventing a door from closing, but when it is installed behind a door that opens inward, you can secure your door from inside. It is a very simple technique that ensures that your door does not open even when the door handle is physically turned. This is an effective and simple way of securing the door if you have a broken lock. However, this technique doesn’t work on the doors that open outwards. By applying sufficient force, the intruder can easily pass through the door stopper.
6- Place a Chair Behind the Door
A wooden or a durable chair can be a good choice to keep doors closed and safe from inside. Chairs can be tilted so that the top of them fits under the doorknob, and the legs can be securely anchored to the floor. This creates pressure between the door and the floor along the chair’s back and legs, preventing the door from opening. The chair back may also prevent the lever of the door handle from opening downwards. However, if your door opens by turning the handle upwards, this method will not be very useful. If this is the case, use a rope to attach the handle to the chair so that it does not open.
7- Buy a Door Silencer
Door silencers or jammers are a simple way to secure a door from inside in case you don’t have a lock. A typical door silencer consists of a height-adjustable, rounded end protection strip designed to fit under the door handle. The other end sits on the floor and has non-slipping, padded feet that create a system to put pressure on the floor when someone tries to open the door inwards.
8- Take Advantage of a Strap or Rope
It is generally easy to lock lever-styled door handles because a strap or a rope can be used to limit its physical movement. You can simply attach one end of the rope to the handle and the other end to a stationary object, for example, a chair. Using two ropes will completely prevent the movement where the handle could open up and down. Straps are also considered a good option for securing outward doors as they can be attached to heavy objects such as refrigerators or sofas.
You can use any of the ways discussed above to secure your doors from the inside. The crime rate is quite high these days, which is why it is better to take certain measures to improve the security of your place and keep yourself and your loved ones safe.
