Every front door should be secured by a deadbolt. Deadbolt locks are fundamental to preventing forced entry and losing everything you value. Below, we explain how to install a deadbolt lock on your front door and delve into why deadbolts are essential for home security.
How to Install a Deadbolt to Your Front Door
Installing a deadbolt is easier than most think. Most front doors can be secured with a single cylinder deadbolt. This type of deadbolt is keyed on one side. Double-cylinder deadbolts are keyed on both sides. If a window is positioned by the deadbolt, opt for the double cylinder variety. Everyone in the house knows where the key is and remember to put it back in place without exception. Though you can call a locksmith to install your deadbolt lock, doing so is costly. Take the DIY (do it yourself) approach and you will be able to get the job done in less than an hour.
Select a grade 1 deadbolt. This grade of deadbolt is the toughest of them all. The first step is to install the strike box. This box bolsters deadbolt strength by spreading out the force of impact across a wide space. The strike box also connects the strike to the frame instead of merely the jamb. Opt for a rectangular faceplate instead of a round one. The round variety should be limited to steel doors. The rectangular face plate recesses into the door, bolstering its strength that much more. Drill the face holes, place the deadbolt in the edge hole, screw the dead bolt to the door edge, add the bolt mechanism, drill the dead bolt hole in the jam and set the strike plate with screws.
Why Deadbolts are Essential to Home Security
Forced entry is the primary means of entering homes targeted for burglary. A door lacking a deadbolt will not hold up to a powerful force. A deadbolt is necessary to keep the door securely in place. This type of lock has a steel bolt that moves all the way to the door jamb and door frame strike plate. However, it is a mistake to assume any old deadbolt will suffice. Opt for a high-quality deadbolt featuring a hard steel bolt to ensure burglars cannot force their way through your front door.
The deadbolt you select must extend all the way to the door jamb hole in order to function as it should. This hole should be reinforced with a robust metal strike plate. The lock can be compromised if the bolt does not protrude all the way to the hole or if a strike plate is not in use. Most homeowners are intrigued to learn burglars who kick in doors break the door frame as opposed to the door itself. This is exactly why every homeowner should use 3-inch screw to reinforce the strike plate in the frame studs.
Do not Assume a Regular Lock Will Protect Your Home
The bottom line is a regular lock will not suffice. Burglars have no trouble knocking down doors secured with basic locks. These simple locks can be broken with a crowbar or even with lock picking. There is no way to pick a deadbolt lock. Nor can this type of lock be broken with a crowbar. Deadbolts are comparably dense and strong, capable of withstanding powerful physical forces without giving way.
The money you spend on a deadbolt for your front door is worth every single penny. Even if the deadbolt does not prevent forced entry, it will slow burglars attempting to infiltrate your home. Every second counts as burglars are that much more likely to be identified if they have to spend several minutes or longer attempting to gain access to a home protected by a deadbolt.