 In
choosing which lock to buy the options can be confusing.
How long should the throw on the dead bolt be?
Is a spring key knob enough? Are chain locks good
or bad? What are the alternatives?
Dead bolts are essential
for all entry doors. Their effectiveness can be greatly
decreased, however, if not installed properly.
To check your dead bolt open your door and turn your
key until the throw is fully extended. Notice
the placement of the key when the dead bolt is in
the locked position. Repeat this action when
the door is shut and compare the results. Without
taking this safety precaution a dead bolt could be
easily be manipulated. Check, also, that the
throw (the piece that extends into your door frame)
is at least one inch in length. In older homes
this can be as little half an inch.
Installation
If your lock is not installed properly you may not
be benefiting from all of the security it has to offer.
Install the striker with screws that are long enough
to actually pass through the frame and into the stud
beside it for added support against kick-ins.
All exterior doors should have a solid core.
A lock can only be as strong as your door. Inferior
doors can more readily be destroyed than solid ones,
thus making even a quality lock completely ineffective.
Getting into your dwelling should be as difficult
and unattractive as possible to unwanted intruders.
We can actually compromise our security voluntarily
by simply opening the door. No longer can the
lock or the solid door protect us. For this reason a
door viewer or a security chain are a good investment.
A door viewer with a 190 degree field will allow you
to see not only who is directly in front of the door,
but also persons off to the side and crouching below
it.
To make sure of what doors and hardware are right
for you, check with your local expert on the subject.
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