How to Improve Front & Back Door Security

How to Know if Your Locks Need to be Changed

There are five main reasons why you might need to change your locks.

• First, if your lock is rusty, tarnished, or sticks when you use it, it has worn out over time and should be replaced. Older locks are easier to pick.
• Second, if you've bought a property, you should change the locks. You can't know how many people have had the old keys. It's possible that the existing locks would make your home insurance policy invalid if there was a break-in.
• Third, if you've had a break-in or lost your keys while you were out, always replace your locks. Your safety and valuables are worth the expense.
• Fourth, if you've recently hired contractors and gave them a key for easier access, you should consider changing the locks. Even if you trust them, keys can easily get lost or end up in the wrong hands during construction.
• Lastly, if you've recently separated from your partner or ended a rental agreement with a tenant, then change the locks. Even if your former partner or tenant has returned the key, there's a chance they made a copy.

How Much Does it Cost to Secure a Front Door?

While front door security features may cost extra, they provide peace of mind and enhance the safety of your home. There are lots of affordable ways to secure your door, like adding new locks or bolts. The cost of securing a front door varies depending on how far you're going.

Door security costs to consider:

• Locking cylinders come in various types and levels of complexity. Higher security options, such as those Secured by Design, are usually more expensive. A door lock cylinder can cost between £10 and £100, while more advanced options like smart locks come in at well over £100.
• Multipoint locking systems secure doors at many points along the frame.
• Internal door chains, restrictors and spy holes are extra safeguards to prevent unauthorised access to your home. The relative cost of these front door security accessories is low and ranges from £10 to £50 depending on the material and design.

What is the Weakest Part of a Door?

Your home is only as secure as its weakest point. Most burglaries target the door. If you know where the weakest point is and address it, you can better protect your home from intruders.

The three weakest points of entry for a door are:

• Lock: This is the focal point for door security. It is also the area that burglars target the most, according to the Office of National Statistics.
• Hinges: Door hinges can get worn, loose and damaged from being exposed to the elements. A weak hinge can give burglars an easy way to break in.
• Strike plate: The strike plate is attached to the frame and keeps door latches and bolts in place. A loose or broken strike plate could make it easier for a burglar to get in.

How to Make Your Front and Back Doors More Secure

You want your front and back doors to be secure. We outline the main areas to increase their security in this section.

Features to Look for in Front Door Lock

The locks on our doors carry Secured by Design accreditation. This means we’ve adopted crime prevention measures in the design of our doors. They are ideal to keep your home safe and secure. Secure locks like these will be:

• Anti-drill: Drilling a lock can destroy it in only a couple of minutes. Anti-drill locks have steel cylinders and ceramic plates or steel pins inside to stop drilling.
• Anti-pick: Hairpins or paperclips move the pins inside a cylinder to open the lock. Anti-pick locks protect the pin stack so that picking becomes impossible.
• Anti-snap: Burglars forcefully snap a lock cylinder to access the mechanism. Anti-snap locks have small sections that break away when the door is attacked, but keep the mechanism secure.
• Anti-plug extraction: The cylinder has strengthened clips that hold it in place in the door. This means a burglar cannot extract the cylinder or core from the door.
• Anti-bump: ‘Bumping’ is fast and leaves no trace. A special key ‘bumps’ the pins in the cylinder into their unlocking position. Anti-bump locks have more pins or rotating discs to prevent bumping.

We also supply smart locks that you unlock with your smartphone. They include a tamper alarm and are Secured by Design accredited.

Types of Secure Door Locks

Adding a more secure lock can increase back door and front door security. There are a few different types of locks to think about:

• Five-lever mortice lock: This is a common lock type. The more levers a lock has, the more difficult it is to break into.
• Multi-point locking system: The system has three locking points locking the door to the frame. You operate it using the door handle. All doors now come with this as standard.
• Deadbolt lock: This lock is opened with a key from the outside or a thumb turn from the inside. It can’t be forced open with a knife blade or card.
• Add a night latch: You may also want to install a night latch for extra security on your front and back doors.

Door Handle Security

Burglars can easily break a cheap door handle and get into your house. Spending a little more on a handle can go a long way to increasing door security. Getting handles that lock with a key secures the latch as well as the lock, making it twice as hard to break in.

Securing your Letterbox

Letterboxes, by design, grant some access to your home. Add a restrictor in front of the inside opening to make it harder for thieves to use the letterbox to gain entry. Or install an indoor box catcher on the door for more complete letterbox security.

New Door Frame and Hinges

A weak hinge can help an intruder get into your home. Door hinges can deteriorate over time with years of consistent use. Keep on top of it by checking them often and replace a hinge when it gets weak.

Your door frame can also provide easier access for intruders. If you have a damaged frame, it compromises the security of the door. If you notice anything, it may be time for a new door set.

How to Make Your Home Less Appealing to Intruders

A lack of visible security makes your home more attractive to burglars. As well as front and back door security, consider investing in home security features.

Home Security Systems

Doors that open into an alley or side street with poor lighting could be an easy target for thieves. Security systems with alarms or cameras are a great deterrent. Their loud noise and outdoor flashing light make criminals think twice.

Security Light

Motion sensitive security lights around doorways are a good way to deter burglars. No lighting around doorways makes it harder to see criminals breaking in. A light is a small addition that can make a big difference.

What are the Best Doors to Prevent Burglary?

Modern door materials all offer durability and security. Some materials can be stronger than others and aid security. But most essential is the quality of the lock and how the door fits in the frame.

A low-quality lock or frame can let down even the strongest door. When you get a replacement door with us, you get the whole door set installed for you. Door sets with quality locks and mechanisms are the best way to get a door that keeps your home secure.

Composite Doors

Composite doors are one of the most popular door materials for UK homeowners. Their skin is made of a thermoplastic polymer. It houses either a thick timber or insulating foam in the middle. This makes composite doors strong and easy to maintain.

Choose a composite door with multipoint locking and 3-star cylinder locks. Keep the frame clear of debris and dirt, and moving parts lubricated. This ensures that latches and locks engage properly.

uPVC Doors

Many people choose uPVC doors as they’re long-lasting and affordable. We make modern uPVC doors, like ours, with a multi-chambered uPVC construction. This means that intruders have to break several parts of a door to gain access.

Wooden Doors

Many people choose wooden doors for their traditional, natural look. Wood by its nature is strong and difficult to break, making it a secure choice too. For the best security, choose wooden doors with multipoint locking and 3-star cylinder locks.

The bolts secure the door at several points around the frame and the lock is hard to break. Keep your wooden door mechanisms maintained to keep it strong and secure.

Aluminium Doors

Aluminium is one of the strongest materials you can use for a door. Depending on their quality, modern aluminium doors can be hard to break into. We make ours with a very strong alloy, welded joints and robust hinges.

Aluminium is easy to maintain. We also reinforce our door frames with corner ties for more strength and security.

Front and Back Door Security with Anglian Home Improvements

Our quality doors are Made in Britain and carry several guarantees and industry accreditations.

Features of the Yale cylinder lock include:

• The British Standard Kitemark. This means it’s high-quality and trusted worldwide. Most insurers require it too.
• Three stars. The mechanism has the top level of security — the TS007 British Standard Kitemark. Not all locks have this.
• A 10-year guarantee for extra peace of mind. The cylinder also adheres to the UK police’s Secured by Design initiative.

Fill out our online form for a no-obligation quote to improve the security of your home today.