How Secure is a Residential Door?
How Secure is a Residential Door?
Are you wondering whether residential doors are safe? The best residential door is highly secure in two features – the material of the door and the door lock. Our guide looks at uPVC, composite and timber doors and tells you what to look for when choosing the best residential door.
In obvious terms, the best residential door for security is one that will stop anyone from forcibly entering your property.
Long gone are the days when you could leave your residential door open and today, the stark reality is that homeowners have to make every effort to protect their homes.
The residential door is the weakest point of entry to your home – 76% of burglars gain entry through the door and 59% of burglaries happen at the front of the house. Intruders work fast and with confidence.
To protect your home, you need to know that you have the best residential door for security.
What to look for when buying a residential door for security
There are two important factors to consider when choosing the best front door for security and they are:
The material of the door
The lock – When considering a front door, always look for the British Standard (BSI) Kitemark, PAS 24 and Secured by Design accreditations.
Wooden doors – Timber doors not only look great, but they’re also solid and sturdy and one of the best front doors for security. When we say timber, we mean a heavy, solid hardwood door of at least 44mm thickness.
The strength of any door usually comes down to the quality of the lock and the frame – a solid wooden door can still be kicked in if it has a flimsy latch-style lock or frame.
The superior style of lock loved by insurance companies is the five-lever mortice and this in combination with a solid frame is going to make it hard work for a burglar to jemmy open. It can’t be kicked through, shoved with a shoulder or smashed open.
The only drawback of a timber door is the regular maintenance needed to retain the integrity of the materials and remain solid and impenetrable.
Are glass residential doors safe?
Yes and no, some glass doors are safer than others, and this will depend on the quality and sturdiness of the glass.
There are two flaws with glass doors. They can be broken easily, and they can be lifted out of the frame. Small windows near the door can be broken and then the lock can be opened from the inside by reaching inside.
To make glass doors safer, the glass can be installed with the beading internally to stop the glass from being lifted out of the frame externally.
If you do install glass panels in your residential door, make sure they’re made from toughened or laminated glass.
Or, have a lock that can’t be opened by reaching through the window – such as a double cylinder lock.
If you do have glass panels in a door you can also consider adding safety grills for extra security.
To find out about the residential doors we offer here at Gerda doors, get in touch with our team and we’ll get back to you as soon as possible!
