Why Having a Deadbolt on every Exterior Door is Adequate Protection

deadbolt securityThe deadbolt is an essential security feature, but have you considered getting another one; maybe on each exterior door? Many people neglect to appreciate fully how great the deadbolt is to home security.

The desire for security is present, and doors are often outfitted with an array of locks and latches, even high-tech keypad systems; but without sufficient consideration of the deadbolt, it just looks formidable.

The Importance of the Deadbolt

The simplistic beauty of the deadbolt can thwart the efforts of a whole band of thugs attempting to breach your home. This is because the solid steel plug extends through the strike plate and into the door jamb. Only dedicated assailants with time to spend on a planned siege will penetrate this strength.

The difference between a simple quality deadbolt and a top-of-the-line spring-bolt locking system is that you can’t breach a deadbolt with the same brute force approach. This is because throwing weight at a door can usually break the door frame and successfully breach any locks and latches holding the door shut.

The dead bolt penetrating into the door jamb presents an obstacle that would require a sledgehammer of sufficient weight and also the time and patience most miscreants lack to break the door and deadbolt clear through the strike plate and door jamb.

A deadbolt is also strong against soft breaching methods like attempting to pry the door open or slipping a card through the narrow gap and sliding the bar open.

The Necessity of a Deadbolt on Every Exterior Door

According to the statistics posted on the FBI’s main page, the large majority of home break-ins are caused by forced entry. Burglars are looking for the easiest way in, and if a door can be kicked in with body weight alone, that is pretty easy. Especially, if the intruder is gifted with 250 lbs of body weight.

There is not a spring lock or latch that will hold back such a brute. But a deadbolt, can make access to the interior of your home considerably more difficult; but, only if they are on every exterior door. It doesn’t take a genius to walk around to the back and check if the homeowner had the presence of mind to install a deadbolt there too.

Securing every exterior door of your home with a formidable deadbolt is the first and most important step to home security. But it is important to remember that not every deadbolt can be expected to deliver the same level of security.

How to find the Right Deadbolt System

Even when installing a deadbolt, you can only expect the level of security you invest in. There are formidable deadbolts, and then there is the kind of deadbolts that make breaking a hole in the wall an easier entry choice.

Characteristics of Quality Deadbolt Systems:

  • Made of Heavy Gauge Metal – The quality of metal will decide the challenge posed to a burglar trying to get in. This may cost more but is obviously cheaper than getting burgled.
  • Grade 1 Locks – Find a lock and deadbolt combo that has received the Grade 1 ranking from the American National Standards Institute. The rankings run from 1 to 3, but 1 is the option of choice.
  • Solid Metal Strike Plates – The strike plates are the other 40% and must be made of equally sturdy materials if they are to withstand a determined assault. It is not common to find a steel strike plate but the better the quality, the higher the security ó be sure the strike plates are fastened in place with at least three, preferably four, long screws
  • Solid Metal Lock Guards – Burglars will sometimes attempt to use pliers or a wrench to work the deadbolt from its secure position. Metal lock guards make this a much more difficult task.
  • Saw Resistant Deadbolts – Some deadbolts are designed to be especially had to saw through, they have pins that spin and give saws nothing to tear into.
  • Sufficient Throw – The throw is the distance the deadbolt will extend into the door frame. Be sure this is a minimum of a full inch of metal extending into the jamb.

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