In 2011 “60.6 percent of burglaries involved forcible entry” according to the FBI
If this is the FBI's statistic during a relatively peaceful time, what will things look like in a crisis situation where chaos abounds?
Did you know that a simple hard kick to your front door or a rock through the window will give attackers access to your family within seconds? For the safety of your household it is critical to learn how to secure your home!
Fortunately, there are 7 steps you can take to better secure your home.
Install Larger Hinge Screws
Most builders use cheap 3/4 inch screws to mount your door hinges. The problem is that these screws are too short to sink into the studs. Replacing your hinge screws with 3 inch screws generally solves this problem and leaves you with a much stronger door frame.
Install Security Door Strikers
Door strikers are the little metal plates screwed to your door frame that your deadbolt slides into. When an attacker kicks the door, this is often where the door frame splits and gives way. A security door striker addresses this problem by drastically increasing the size of this striker plate, sometimes up to 5 feet for maximum strength.
Here are a few door striker options:
- Door and Jam Reinforcement Kit (Type “door jamb reinforcement” in their search field. The above image is this product)
- StrikeMaster II Pro
- Safe Door Systems
Replace Sliding Glass Doors With French Doors
French doors are generally not that secure, but if you reinforce the door locking systems and the pins that secure the passive door, then you’ve got yourself a much more secure entry than a sliding glass door.
Here is a low cost system that will reinforce your french doors:
French door reinforcement kit
Window Security Bars
Your windows are another huge weakness which attackers often exploit. The most secure solution to this problem is window security bars. It may be possible for an attacker to get through the bars but not without some serious effort and time.
Window Security Film
Installing security bars over your windows may not be your cup of tea. If this is the case, window security film may be the right solution for you. It is not as impenetrable as bars over your windows, but it can still be an effective barrier giving you much more time to react.
There are companies which will install window security film for you, or you can install most kinds yourself if you are willing to put in the effort. This can also be a great solution for sliding glass doors if you don’t like the french door solution.
There are a number of options out there, here are a few of them:
- 8-12mm film
- ShatterGARD
- Ballistic Film
Padlock the Garage Door
Nearly all garage doors have a locking mechanism. If you have a garage door opener, your garage door most likely automatically locks when the garage door is closed. If you don’t have a garage door opener you need to know how to lock it when it is down. You may need to invest in a padlock and keep it accessible. If you decide to “bug-in” you will want to make sure that your garage door is as secure as you can make it.
It is also a good idea to secure the door leading into your garage using the methods mentioned above in case attackers are able to get through your garage door.
Plant Hedges
(Flickr) Image courtesy of Stephen Harris
Hedges may not seem like an effective barrier, but if they are large enough they can at least be another barrier for an attacker to deal with, especially if the hedge is dense with branches or has thorns like a rosebush.
In a large scale crisis situation attackers are not going to be concerned with stealth, which means that they will be using whatever force necessary to break into your home.
In this scenario you need to secure your home at least well enough to give yourself enough time to get prepared to defend from inside or slip out the back and get away if possible.