How to Improve Front Door Security

As a homeowner, security is a top priority in order to protect your family and precious belongings from intruders. While every front door has a typical locking system, it’s important to consider other ways of improving your front door security. This ensures that every detail of your front door is upgraded for enhanced home protection. Check out the 12 tips below to learn how you can improve your front door security:

Top 12 Front Door Security Tips

High-Quality Front Door
Door Locks
Door Handles
Strike Plates
Reinforcement Lock
Hinge Maintenance
Tempered Windows
Textured Windows
Keep the Area Well-lit
Cameras
Lock it Every Time
Rekey as Needed

By considering each of these 12 home security tips, you can significantly improve your front door security. These tips will require a bit of observation—you must be willing to assess the age, structure, and quality of your door in order to correctly apply these tips, as some front door security upgrades are major, while others are minor.

But before we can dive into details of each tip, let’s talk about why front door security is so important in the first place.

Why is Front Door Security So Important?

While the answer to why front door security is important may seem obvious, it’s one of those things that many people surprisingly overlook. Burglaries and home break-ins are oftentimes one of those things that most people think will “never happen to them,” especially those who live in “good neighborhoods.”

Unfortunately, burglaries are more common than you think. According to the FBI, more than 1 million burglaries are committed each year in the United States, with a break-in occurring every 26 seconds. Surprisingly, 34% of burglars use the front door as their access point into the home. Those statistics are eye-opening, and they point to the importance of front door security, in addition to securing back doors and garage doors.

The statistics show that 95% of burglaries involve forced entry into the home. This means the burglar damages your property, such as a window or door, to force their way into your home. This statistic shows that there must have been a weak point on the home’s first level (81% of robberies begin on the first floor), which is most likely the front door.

Given this information, it’s imperative to evaluate the structural integrity of your front door and invest in the needed door accessories. This may be something as small as upgrading to heavy-duty hinges and locks, or it may be necessary to upgrade to a new front door and frame. Besides the structural integrity of your front door, you can improve security with cameras and home security systems, which we’ll cover in more depth below.

Protecting your home from robbery with enhanced front door protection will not only keep your home and family safe, but it will also save you from costly damages and loss of possessions. Statistics show that burglary victims lose an average of $2,416. So, if the cost of front door security is holding you back, consider the costs of what a robbery entails, and you’ll probably be more willing to give your front door the upgrades it needs.

Now that we know the statistics around the risk of break-ins, let’s dive into the practical ways you can improve your front door security.

1. High-Quality Front Door

If you feel your front door security needs some improvements, the first thing to evaluate is your front door as a whole. If your front door or door frame is damaged, warping, or visibly aging, there’s only so much new handles, locks, or hinges can do. If the overall structure is weak, it makes it susceptible to forced entries, as it has lower impact resistance.

Furthermore, older homes usually have degrading wood or hollow-core doors if it hasn’t been upgraded in a while. If these doors have glass, the glass is typically single-paned annealed glass, which is significantly weaker than the standard door glass used today. These details make an overall weak door easy to break down or unlock.

If your front door has any of these characteristics, it may be time to upgrade to a high security front door. The best front doors for security include solid wood doors, solid steel doors, and wood doors with a steel core. These security doors are incredibly strong, impact-resistant, and long-lasting, making them an ideal choice for an entry door.

Upgrading to a high security door doesn’t mean sacrificing aesthetics or style. Rustica has a variety of solid wood and solid steel doors that are both strong and aesthetically pleasing. And let’s not forget that you can custom design each door so that it matches your style while still meeting your security needs.

2. Door Locks

If your front door is still in good shape, upgrading security may be as simple as adding new locks to your front door. Most front doors have a knob lock or lever handle lock—which is the lock in the door handle.

Door knob and lever handle locks alone aren’t enough to keep a potential intruder out, because if the door knob or handle is broken off, the lock won’t work. These locks are also easier to pick than other lock types. Combining a knob lock with a deadbolt lock is a common door lock combination that can be effective at keeping intruders out.

Deadbolt locks are much harder to pick, and are the best way to prevent a forced entry. There are a few different types of deadbolt locks, such as the vertical deadbolt lock, single-sided deadbolt lock, and keyless lock, which are more break-in resistant than other types.

When purchasing new door locks to upgrade your front door security, it’s important to know about the door lock grading system. Door locks are graded by the American National Standard Institute (ANSI) according to their level of security, which takes into account the lock's strength, quality, durability, and mechanics.

Locks are graded as 1, 2, or 3, with grade 1 locks being the highest quality security locks on the market. Grade 1 locks are usually used for commercial doors, but can also be used for residential homes. If you’re upgrading your door locks, it’s best to choose a high-quality, grade 1 or 2 lock in combination with another grade 2 or 3 lock.

You may also want to consider smart door locks for your front door, which are keyless deadbolt locks. These smart locks are connected to your phone and can only be locked or unlocked via with the phone. They also alert you when your door is opened, which is very useful for security.

Lastly, you can install a door guard or chain for enhanced security when you’re at home. Door chain locks prevent the door from being fully opened. Given that 27.6% of burglaries happen when someone is home, this extra layer of protection can be well worth it when it comes to protecting your family.

3. Door Handles

Along with new door locks, installing new door handles is a simple security upgrade that can improve your home’s protection from potential intruders. Old or damaged door handles are easy to break with the right force, making them a weak point in the front door.

By giving your front door new and stronger door handles, you’re making your entryway that much more safe and secure.

Upgrading your door handles typically coincides with new door locks, as the deadbolt lock usually matches the door handle in appearance. So, if you wish to upgrade your door handles, you’ll probably need to upgrade the lock while you’re at it.

4. Strike Plates

Another simple security upgrade for your front door is installing a security strike plate.

A strike plate is a door hardware accessory that accompanies locks, and reinforces the security and strength of the lock. It is installed on the door jamb, and contains a hole that the spring-loaded latch or bolt enters when the door is locked.

Most doors have a standard strike plate for both the knob lock and deadbolt lock. However, these standard strike plates are thin pieces of metal with only two screw holes.

A security strike plate, on the other hand, is a solid piece of metal that has both the knob lock hole and deadbolt lock hole. It is thicker and stronger than standard strike plates. It also has multiple screw holes, allowing for numerous points of contact with the door jamb. This strengthens the strike plate’s secure connection to the frame when compared to standard strike plates.

One tip for installing a security strike plate is to use three-inch screws. This length of screw creates a solid strike plate, as the screws go into the jamb and the wall framing.

5. Reinforcement Lock

A reinforcement lock is one of the best added security measures to prevent forced entry. A reinforcement lock is a hardware accessory installed on the door jamb that sits on the inside of the door.

Essentially, it prevents in-swing doors from being forced open, even if the door locks are compromised.

Reinforcement locks are tamper and pick-resistant because they can’t be accessed from the outside. They are also incredibly impact-resistant, and can withstand up to 800 lbs of force.

With an upgraded grade 1 deadbolt lock, security strike plate, and reinforcement lock, you will have a high security front door with minimal cost and effort.

6. Hinge Maintenance

Given that 95% of burglaries involve a forceful entry into the home, it’s important to check the quality of your door hinges. If you have old, damaged, or rusted hinges, it’s much easier to break a door down with a few forceful kicks.

If you notice that your hinges are old and rusting, it’s well worth the time and effort to upgrade to newer, high-quality hinges. From there, you’ll want to check your hinges about once a year to make sure they’re still in good shape.

By routinely checking the quality of your hinges and upgrading as needed, you increase the structural integrity of your front door, making it that much harder to break down. Using long 3-inch screws will also help reinforce the hinges and prevent them from breaking off the door frame.

7. Tempered Windows

It’s no secret that glass is a weak point on front doors. However, having a strong security door doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice the aesthetics and comfort of natural light streaming through the home
Perhaps you also have sidelights that perfectly complement your front entryway. You don’t need to forego of these decorative and functional elements for the sake of security—you just need the right glass type.

One of the best glass types to use for a strong security door and entryway is tempered glass. Tempered glass is a type of safety glass that is four times stronger than regular annealed glass. Its inherent strength makes it much harder to break.

Tempered glass is thoroughly tested in order for it to qualify as safety glass. According to Federal Specification DD-G-1403B, tempered glass must have a minimum surface compression of 10,000 psi or pounds per square inch and a minimum edge compression of 9,700 psi.

Given tempered glass’s psi, its general breaking point in weight is 24,000 psi, whereas annealed glass’s breaking point is 6,000 psi. With its increased impact resistance, tempered glass can withstand more wind pressure—about twice the amount as ordinary glass. In other words, it takes tremendous force to break tempered glass.

If you’ve decided to upgrade your front door for a more secure entryway but also want a glass feature, simply choose tempered glass as your glass type. Choosing triple or double-paned tempered glass will make it even stronger and increase the its insulation.

8. Textured Glass

Another way to increase the privacy and security of your front door without sacrificing natural light is to use textured glass on your door glass and sidelights.

Textured glass, also known as obscured glass, patterned glass, or decorative glass, features a textured surface on one or both sides of the glass pane. The glass texture depends on the style and pattern, but for most styles, you can feel the texture when you run your hands over the glass. Some glass styles feature textured glass that is smooth on the surface, but still features a pattern within the glass.

The benefit of textured glass is that it distorts or “obscures” the image behind it. Depending on the type of textured glass you choose, the shapes behind the glass are usually so distorted or blurred that you can’t see any details of the image. It simply appears as blurred colors within undistinguished shapes.

Using textured glass in your front door and sidelights makes it much harder for a potential intruder to see into your home, increasing the privacy and safety of your family and possessions. Plus, textured glass has the added benefit of style, as it adds unique character to your front entryway.

What’s more, textured glass can be applied to other types of safety glass styles, including tempered glass. Because of this, your door glass and sidelights can have the safety, strength, quality, privacy, and style you need—making textured glass a valuable and versatile option for your high security front door.

9. Keep the Area Well-lit

One simple way to prevent break-ins through the front door is to keep the area well-lit at night. Potential intruders take advantage of the secrecy of darkness, and are less likely to target a well-lit home. In fact, every entry point into your home should be well-lit at night, as thieves can also break in through the back door and garage door.

To save on energy, you can opt for motion-sensor security lights or ones that are connected to a smart home system that flick on with movement. Not only will this reduce energy costs, but it will also alert you to movement during the night.

Motion-sensor lights have the element of surprise. So, if someone is sneaking up to your home during the night, they might get spooked by the sudden light on them and flee the area.

This simple security feature is best incorporated with some of the other tips above, but is still significant in helping deter would-be intruders. According to one nationwide survey, motion sensors and floodlights are among the top three most important security features in a home security system.

10. Cameras

While motion sensors and floodlights were in the top three most important security features found in the survey, the number one security feature listed for home security was external cameras.
You can install security cameras with a home security system, or you can install a single doorbell camera to see who approaches your door. While a whole home security system is more expensive than a single doorbell camera, it reaches more areas of the home and has more key advantages.

Start with some simple signage on your door or front lawn that shows you have a home security system—this can deter potential intruders from trying to break into your home in the first place. If someone were to approach your home and try to break in, it would automatically alert you and the home security monitoring service. The cameras will be able to capture who the person is, and the police are notified, if necessary. These systems sometimes even have alarms that help scare away the robber.

If you don’t have the means to invest in an entire home security system, a doorbell security camera is your next best option. These handy and discreet cameras automatically alert you, and start recording when someone approaches your door. This way, you can check who's at your door when you’re not home. The angle of the doorbell camera also has the added benefit of fully capturing the person's face.

Cameras and home security systems are the best defenses you can have to protect your home. An intruder is much more likely to avoid a home with cameras and a security system than one without.

11. Lock it Every Time

This tip may seem obvious, but it’s worth the reminder, as some of us forget the importance of this simple security measure. A locked door is the first barrier for a potential intruder, making it the most important thing you can do to protect your home and belongings.

Always lock your doors when you leave the home. It’s also worth locking your front door (and garage and back door) when you’re in the home. You may be surprised to know that 27.6% of home burglaries happen when someone is home.

Don’t get caught unaware—always lock your doors!

12. Rekey as Needed

Another security measure you can take to protect your home from intruders is to rekey your locks as needed. Disturbingly, statistics show that 65.1% of robbery victims personally know the thief.

Given this, it’s important to think about whom you’ve given a key to your house or told where you keep a hidden key. If there’s anyone you can think of that makes you feel unsure about their intentions, then it’s probably worthwhile to rekey your locks.

This is also important to do if you’ve recently moved into a new home or rental. You don’t know if the previous tenants or owners kept duplicate keys or who they gave a spare key. Rekeying your locks can prevent unwanted people from entering your home and protect your family and possessions.

Keep Your Home Safe with A High-Security Front Door

We know that the last thing you want is for someone to break into your home and steal your possessions or harm your family. Because of this, it’s important to take necessary security measures to reinforce your front door and protect your home. With these 12 front door security tips, you’ll be sure to have the right protections in place.

One of the best security measures you can take is to upgrade your existing door to a new solid wood or steel front door. If this is something you’ve been considering, then start designing your custom entry door with Rustica today! With the wide range of high-quality doors Rustica offers, we’re confident there’s one that will fit your style and needs!