Door Security – Fitting Hinge Bolts and Door Guards
Apart from windows, the other major vulnerable security areas are the front and rear doors to your property. I’m well aware that in certain areas crime, particularly burglary, is more prevalent. However, that definitely does not mean that we have just got to accept the inevitability of becoming a victim, because there are certain preventative measures that we can take, which I’ve aptly named ‘odds reducers’!
A few but simple, well-taken preventative measures can reduce your susceptibility to burglary by enormous margins – door security being one of the most valuable.
Securing a front or back door must include all aspects of the door – the frame, the door itself, the glazing, the locks, the KEEPS of the locks, the hinges and the lighting. Ensure that the frame is securely fixed within the masonry. It wouldn’t hurt to add a couple of extra frame fixings equally spaced apart to both uprights of the frame. The new chemical fixings now available are exceptionally good. Next thing to check is the door. Check that it is in good condition, and hasn’t been weakened by too much cutting down of the rails (the skeleton frame of the door itself). Check that the panels of the door are substantial. Door panels are quite often easily smashed in or removed. You can counteract this risk by fixing a sheet of ply cut to shape and size to the inside of the door with screws. Glass panels can be protected from the inside by detachable fine mesh or ornate metal grilles. Ensure that there is a high level light or vandal-proof low-level light fitted externally to observe clearly who’s calling at the door. See below for lots of information about hinge bolts, doorguards, bolts and locks, and finally connect the front door to the alarm system.
Alarm systems are great, provided they’re fitted properly, and you don’t do what I did in my first house. After I rebuilt this derelict box (the house), which took about 18 months to complete, I finally had the alarm fitted over the weekend then went to work on Monday morning forgetting, of course, to set the alarm. On my return home in the evening from work, I discovered that somebody had used my shovel from the garden to smash through the large but thin plywood panel on the brand new back door to break in. I learnt three lessons that day! Don’t leave tools accessible outside, select your main front and rear doors very carefully, and don’t forget to turn on your alarm!
Fitting hinge bolts is a relatively simple job. It’s a good idea to fit at least two bolts per door – basically, the more you have, the more secure your door will be. Open the door and drill a hole on the inside of the door large enough to accommodate the bolt. Mark a point on the frame directly in line with the bolt hole and drill another hole. This is where the locking plate will be situated. Recess the locking plate into the frame and screw in place.
Fitting a door guard is also an easy job with no special skill required, as the components are all face fixed. Place the door guard a few inches above the door handle and position the receiving bracket on the doorframe. Mark, pilot drill and screw fix. The fixing plate may have to be recessed to finish flush with the door. Position the bolt arm on the door, mark, pilot drill and screw fix. Check that the alignment of the bolt arm and receiving bracket is correct and then adjust as necessary.
Fitting good locks and bolts is essential. Cheap locks are a poor buy, but good locks poorly fitted are not much better than useless. Bolts are very good for security, but are only useable when you’re at home.
My bare minimum recommendations for good door security would be a deadlocking cylinder rim lock fitted about a third of the way down from the door top and a mortise lock fitted about a third up from the bottom. Personally, I would also have a second mortise lock fitted to the central door rail, lockable with matching keys to the bottom mortise lock. (The local locksmiths can match a second lock to the first.) I would also fit a third hinge centrally if the door only had two, as this will strengthen the whole door and reduce the likelihood of it being smashed or kicked in on its hinged side!
Packing out door bolts sometimes become necessary if there has been movement or expansion in the door. Unscrew and remove the catch plate on the frame. Pack out with small pieces of card until you get the correct alignment of the bolt and catch plate. Screw back into place.