A few homeowners are not satisfied with the security hardware that comes standard on their doors and windows at home in Birmingham. It is probably a little extreme to line your door with deadbolts from top to bottom, but there are some basic steps that you can do with some basic pieces of hardware that will greatly increase the physical security of your home in Birmingham.
As suggested by locksmith Birmingham let’s start with doors. Most of the time, when a thief breaks into a house through a door, it’s not the door or the lock that fails – it’s actually the door jamb. Whether you have one deadbolt or five, if the door is hit with enough power, the bolts will simply breakdown right through the back of the jamb they are resting in it. A swift backswing to the face of the door would be enough to splinter the backside of the jamb, and the door would swing wide open as though it were never locked and that’s a problem.
One thing to consider at most if you have glass in a door with a deadbolt that operates with a key instead of a levered switch. On a standard deadbolt, you just turn the lever and extend the bolt into the jamb, thus securing the door itself. A door with glass, however, invites an intruder or a thief to simply break or cut the glass, reach through, and unlock the deadbolt. Even if a glass panel is broken or cut and the intruder or thief is able to reach into the lock, the absence of a levered switch means the door can’t be unlocked without a key, even from the inside. These are a great solution for glass doors if you have, but check your local building codes before installing this style of lock. They are currently not accepted everywhere because of fire safety reasons. Make sure that this sort of lock is not installed on a door that is your primary exit in the event of a fire. You don’t want to be stumbling around in the dark looking for your keys when you need to get out of the house very quickly.
As far as windows are concerned suggested by locksmith Birmingham, there are several options available to increase security. The most secure style of window is a casement window. Casement windows are the style that has a crank inside and opens outward on a gear system when the crank is turned. If you leave one open, the arm that operates the window’s action can be disconnected, which will allow the window to swing free. But if you have casement windows, there no way to open these from the outside as long as you remember to close and lock them.
These are just simple tips for your windows and doors that can go a long way. If you want to have a security survey for your home. Call a professional and licensed locksmith Birmingham that can do it for you. Ask for areas that need improvement and fix them right away!