Finding Security in Exterior Doors

While curb appeal, durability, aesthetics and energy-efficiency are often mentioned when choosing exterior doors, security exterior doors should be the first choice for every exterior door of the home. There are important considerations for security exterior doors, and those considerations include:

• Material - Steel tends to be the most popular choice for secure entry doors, but fiberglass and UPVC offer shatter resistant material as well.
• Locks - No matter what the material of the security door, a multiple point locking system is an important aspect of overall safety and security. Multiple point refers to offering locking mechanisms in different areas of the door, such as a deadbolt in addition to a traditional cylinder lock. Interior door locks on the top or bottom of the door offer additional security as well.
• Hinges - Hinges should add to the security level of the door, not offer another option for getting in. Screws in the hinges should be non-reversible and the hinges themselves as sturdy and secure as the door. Hinge pins also need to be heavy duty, not to mention stationary and offer no opportunity for removal.
• Glass - Glass in security exterior doors should be tempered and shatter resistance. Ornamental metal offers more security when used over glass panels and panes and keeping glass panels away from interior knobs and locks adds to safety.

One often overlooked aspect of security exterior doors - all doors need the same level of security, not just the front door (known in the trade as an entry door). Make sure you take the same level of security and safety and use it in each and every exterior door in a home or business.