Statistically, at least one burglary takes place every hour across the world. In fact, by the time you finish reading this article, more than 50 homes will have been broken into in the US alone, as well as an equally appalling number in the UK. Consider an instance. On Monday 26 March, a man was arrested in connection with a number of thefts and burglaries in Brighton, UK. From his burglary activities alone, he stole items worth £22,700 within 5 days. Imagine how many more of such criminals roam about.
Statistics show that more than 30% of burglars gain entry through the front door and an even greater percentage do so as a result of forced entry. The front door of a home is the primary target of any illegal intrusion and almost certainly the first place a burglar will try. It’s therefore important that this part of your home features a door that can’t easily be compromised.
There are many things you can do to increase the security potential of your home. For instance, you could get a guard dog, install a home security system, or even hire someone to sit at your gate screening visitors; as effective as those methods might seem though, not everyone can afford them. However, locksmiths all over the world agree that a serious deterrent to break-ins and a strong home security investment is a deadbolt.
A deadbolt comprises a steel bolt that enters the door jamb and metal strike plate in a door frame. There are different types of deadlocks, but the most common is the single cylinder variant. This is usually operated by a knob on the inside of the door and a key entry on the outside. This means that the door can only be locked with a key once the owner is outside, thus preventing unauthorised entry. A less common option is the double cylinder deadbolt, which doesn’t feature a knob and requires a key for both the inside and outside of the door.
Just how secure are deadbolts?
A huge number of break-ins that occur are successful because the intruder was able to use force to gain entry into the premises. They usually do this by ramming or kicking in the door. Typically, when this is attempted, the door itself very rarely breaks, but it’s the door jamb that’s compromised. This is because the door jamb is often the weakest part of your door security.
According to experts at KC Brighton Locksmith, “a deadbolt boosts your security by making the door harder to force open, because of the steel bolt that is held in place against the strike plate in the door frame when the deadbolt is engaged.” If the steel bolt does not extend fully to the metal strike plate in the door frame, then the whole point of a deadbolt is moot. It’s prudent therefore to make sure the strike plate is directly reinforced into the frame of the house, so that even if the door jamb splinters, the frame will still hold. “A deadbolt provides a lot more than prevention against brute force, as it’s also effective against the popular break-in system of using a credit card to slide and raise the bolt.”
Which deadbolt should you choose?
Locksmiths all agree that installing a deadbolt is an inexpensive way of equipping your home with added security, but which is the right one to choose? As earlier indicated, there are two main types of deadbolts: the more common single cylinder deadbolt and the less common double cylinder deadbolt.
The truth is that both deadbolts are equally effective as a security measure for your home, but it’s important to point out that there are features of each that might affect your choice.
Firstly, a single cylinder deadbolt isn’t ideal for doors that have glass panels. This is because a burglar can simply break the glass panel, reach in through the opening and unlock the door with the knob from the inside. Of course, there is always a chance the intruder will be caught before completing this daring move, but who is willing to take that risk? While there’s no chance of this happening with a double cylinder deadbolt, there is the problem of speed in the event of a fire or any other emergency, because a key will be required to open the door from the inside. One solution is to use reinforced glass or changing the door to one where the glass isn’t so close to the knob, but maybe positioned towards the top of the door.
It might be a good idea to hire an expert to install the deadbolt to your door, so you can be certain of a professional and proper job. Ultimately, regardless of the deadbolt you opt for, installing one is a worthy investment that could be the difference between the security of your property and a lot of regret further down the line.