The Ugly Truth About Your Home Security Only Locksmiths Know

Learn why your fancy door locks may not offer much protection at all.

Whether you’ve just bought a home, recently moved into a new apartment, or visited the home improvement store to upgrade your locks, you’ve probably heard a whole lot of chatter about how secure and “pick-proof” your new locks are.

But here’s the ugly truth:

What’s inside your doorknob doesn’t really matter.

When it comes to breaking into a home, few thieves will take the time and trouble to actually pick the lock. Instead, your average thief will simply break down the door to gain access.

So, it doesn’t really matter how complicated the pins and tumblers inside your fancy high-security lock are. What matters is:

• Your deadbolt
• Your door
• Your doorframe

How to Choose a Deadbolt

In order to secure your home against opportunistic thieves, you want to pick out a deadbolt with a 1 inch bolt. The deadbolt lock should come with a quality strikeplate and extra-long screws. Once installed correctly, this type of setup will provide excellent resistance to the typical kick-down-the-door approach to breaking into your home.

Considerations for Your Door & Doorframe

Of course, it won’t do you much good to have a strong deadbolt if the door itself is weak. If you fear a break-in, avoid doors that feature glass windows. Side panel windows are especially problematic because they make it very easy to simply break the glass and reach inside to unlock the deadbolt. You should also be careful to choose a solidly constructed door—perhaps solid wood or steel. The hinges of the door must be on the inside so that they cannot be removed, and both the hinge plates and the strikeplate should be firmly attached to the door frame. The door frame should be made of quality wood that will resist splintering and should be attached to the framing of the home.

Remember: More Is Not Better When It Comes to Locks

Sometime people feel safer when they have multiple locks on their door. While having multiple locks would slow down a thief trying to gain entry with lock picking tools, it will actually help a thief who plans to kick down the door. The more holes you have in your door and doorframe the weaker they will be.

Need Help Choosing a Deadbolt?

If you would like help choosing a new deadbolt for your door, just stop by RBM Lock & Key. As your friendly neighborhood locksmith in Ontario CA, we sincerely care about your safety and your peace of mind. We won’t try to upsell you on unnecessary features but instead will provide our honest recommendation as to the best products for your needs.