steel doors - how much security?

[<no_name]

Just got finished with my last mini-job repairing a steel door that had been "kicked open". This is the third "steel" door I have repaired or replaced in the last two years. All off these doors were the typical doorknob and deadbolt combo door that you buy at the bigbox-type building supply superstore that we see everywhere. The wood prehung frame for these doors is incredibly weak -- very, very poor construction from a security standpoint.

The next time you do a security audit for the protection of your family, check the entry doors first. I recommend upgrading to steel doors with

*steel* frames. If you can't go this route, I would suggest steel reinforcement for the cheap steel doors commonly available.

Just a thought. In this day and age........

[Ed Pawlowski]

Three times in two years? Maybe you should consider moving.

[aemeijers]

Well, yeah- at a minimum, put a steel plate behind the jamb where the latches are, and run extra bigass screws through the jamb, plate and shims into the studs. And make sure the deadbolt is long enough to interface with the steel plate.

I've seen plenty of steel-skin doors forced just as you described over the years.

If it is in a really crappy or private location, consider a metal crowbar guard over the outside of the latch, and one of those rotating sleeve things around the knob, to slow down the vise-grip and cheater bar trick.

And even with metal frames- you need commercial-grade thick ones to make much difference. The apartment I used to live in had front door opened with a crow bar- the steel frame wasn't much thicker than a car fender, and bent easily.

As always, a quality install job is a must. Even a super-solid door won't do much good if it is installed by a hack, and not shimmed and secured properly.

[mm]

I think you mean a steel-clad door, right?

I had a neighbor with one of those, guaranteed, and someone kicked it in. The door company gave her a new door, but she was quite disappointed, she thought it would really protect her. And I think she thought the company would pay more, for other losses, which they didnt' pay for at all.

[Molly Brown]

Did you know that the U.S. is almost the only country in the world where steel perimeter doors and frames are NOT the residential standard; in spite of the fact that crime is much lower in those countries?

[Steve B]

You cannot protect yourself from a pro. A good lock man would be in there within a minute with a $20 set of lock picks. A crackhead would be in there in ten seconds with a rock through the window. It goes from there. It must have been a really dumb bad guy, as he took almost the hardest way to get in, namely kicking in the door.

I would have used the lock picks myself.

Steve

[aemeijers]

In a lot of those countries, it isn't so much the CROOKS they are worried about....

-- aem sends...

[Molly Brown]

There are some expensive locks that cannot be picked and although not recommended for safety reasons with a double cylinder deadbolt lock the door won=92t open from the inside either.

[Evan]

ROFL...

Buy a real door... Not a metal clad door if you are having problems with breaking and entering... "Wood" frame + "metal" door =3D metal clad over some sort of filler, either cardboard, foam or wood core...

Get yourself a real heavy gauge hollow core steel rated door and steel frame...

~~ Evan

[Steve Barker]

If you need more security than that, then you need to move.

[Steve B]

There are some expensive locks that cannot be picked and although not recommended for safety reasons with a double cylinder deadbolt lock the door won?t open from the inside either.

reply: I'm sorry you missed my post. I said that the OP should examine all the avenues of entry, as the door would be the least attractive entry to most thieves.

And the average person/business has crap for locks that can be picked with a paper clip and a safety pin. Lots of times with just a sharpened hack saw blade.

99.9999999% of the populace is not going to pay the big buck$ that "unpickable" locks cost. And then if a thief encountered one of them, they would just drive through.

Security is an all around thing, not only doorknobs.

Part of one of my jobs is security assessment at commercial and HOA residential properties. 97% fail, and I can gain entry with a sharpened hack saw blade, a lock pick, or many times the lock is just plain broken.

Steve

[Molly Brown]

Getting in to a house through a window is one thing but trying to carry out the loot from the same window because you can=92t open the front door is a another thing.

[Jules Richardson]

and don't forget steel panels over your windows...

;)

[willshak]

no [e-mail] wrote the following:

You can put a bank vault door on the front of your house, but anyone that wants to break in will find another entry point. Most burglaries do not involve the front door anyway. Burglars prefer ground level windows and doors which are out of sight of the street or neighbors..

[willshak]

Most doors can be opened from the inside with no problem, and there may be more than one door leading outside.

[WW]

In the UK the crooks are in the gov..........

Harry....Move to the USA. You will feel right at home.

[Steve B]

"Molly Brown" wrote

Getting in to a house through a window is one thing but trying to carry out the loot from the same window because you can?t open the front door is a another thing.

Yeah. A bag full of rings, watches, and jewelry would be pretty unmanageable.

Steve

[hallerb]

plus the burglar opens the door from inside and happily carries out the loot.....

no home is secure, the most you can do is make it very inconveient for a brglar so the pick another house to rip off

[Ralph Mowery]

I do have a safe for the guns and such. It is not very good,but should make it difficult to carry off very fast.

Best thing to do is just have a good insurance policy and not worry.

[Jim Elbrecht]

Yup- It is kind of like outrunning the bear-- You don't need to. . . just outrun the other guy.

Jim