There’s little point in going to the time, trouble and expense of fitting security devices to windows if you don’t carry out a similar operation on doors as well.
A door sitting solidly in its frame may appear an impressive barrier to a wouldbe burglar, but if it’s only fitted with a traditional mortise or rimlock then it’s far more vulnerable than you may think. Modern locks, admittedly, are hard to pick; however, a burglar isn’t going to waste time trying to do this. He wants quick access, and brute force rather than stealth is often his best means of getting in. Consequently, he may try to force open an outside door either by kicking it or by using a crowbar to lever it free. If the door isn’t properly protected, it will only take a few seconds before he’s inside.
Attacking the weak points
Your main entry/exit door is the most difficult to make secure. The best protection is offered by a mortise deadlock fitted into the edge of a substantial door. A rimlock is less resistant to forcing, because it is merely screwed to the face of the door. Check that all fixings – including the hinges – are secure, and that the woodwork is in good condition.
Also make sure that the lock cannot be reached by a hand pushed through the letterbox. For added protection of this door when you’re in the house, the simplest device to fit is a door chain. There are various types, but all depend on a secure fixing if they are to be effective. The plate close, into which the chain is hooked, is screwed to the opening edge of the door, and the chain staple is screwed to the fixed frame. With aluminium doors, it helps to improve the strength of the fixing if a block of wood can be slipped into the door frame section, perhaps through the letterplate opening or lock cut-out.
This will give the self-tapping securing screws more to grip on. Also, fix the chain staple to the timber part of the door frame and not to the aluminium sub-frame.
Security for other doors
The best protection for other doors is given by substantial bolts. These can be surfacemounted, but make sure that the fixings are secure and that they cannot be reached if glass in the door is broken. Better protection is offered by rack bolts mortised into the door edge at the top and bottom. But it’s best not to use these on thin doors as they can weaken the stile. And don’t set them into the mortise and tenon joints at the corner of the door as this will also weaken the door structure. As an alternative, you can fit flush or barrel bolts.
Protecting the hinges
The other area frequently forgotten is the hinge side of the door, which is most vulnerable to being kicked in if the door opens outwards. Hinge bolts, however, help prevent this and can be fitted to front doors as well as other external doors. The stud type (see step-by-step photographs) are best set 25mm (1 in) inside the top and bottom hinges, but on heavier doors it’s best to use the tongue type. The male part is fixed to the edge of the door and a recessed plate is set in the frame.
Patio doors
At one time sliding patio doors had a poor security record, notably because burglars had the audacity to lift the sliding sash clear of the track. This isn’t possible with modern designs, which also incorporate a locking device. However, there are purpose-made patio door locks available to give added security.
SECURING FRENCH DOORS
Because the doors lock against each other they are awkward to secure. Fit hinge bolts on the outside edges, and rack or barrel bolts which should lock into the top frame and the floor.
PATIO DOOR LOCK
This is screwed to the bottom edge of the inside frame and a bar is pushed into a predrilled hole in the outer one.