Whether you're bugging in or if you just want to make your home safer, it's important to beef up your front door. After all, it's the first thing that burglars will have to pry open if they target your house.
The video below, which was uploaded on the SHTFPrepping101 Brighteon channel, discusses a couple of ideas that can deter trespassers from burgling your property.
View the full Brighteon.com video here:
How to reinforce your front door
A traditional exterior security door can cost as much as $500, so consider other options if you don't want to fork out that much cash, which can be better spent on survival gear or food supplies.
Here are some ideas to beef up the security on your door without spending too much money. With these suggestions, you'll only need about $30 or less.
Install a home security door lock
This is a better alternative to a door chain or a barrel bolt (like those found on hotel doors). A home security door lock is low-profile and it's sturdy enough to resist at least 800 pounds of force.
A typical home security door lock comes with a set screw and three three-inch screws that go past your door frame and past the stud behind it. A home security door lock can also keep young kids from unlocking doors and wandering out.
Reinforce deadbolt latches and door hinges
The little screws that come with a deadbolt strike plates, door latches, and door hinges are often very short that they don't go past your door frame. These won't keep out looters, so you need to reinforce strike plates, latches, and hinges.
Replace at least half of the short screws with longer screws that will go past your door frame. Using three-inch screws that go into the stud past your door frame will strengthen the hinges. This way, if someone tries to break into your house, the hinges will offer more resistance. If an intruder can't break in right away, they might change their mind about looting your house.
Use these two ideas to upgrade your door security without spending too much. (Related: Looking to improve your home security? Here are 25 things you can do right now.)
More tips to improve home security
Follow these additional tips if you want to keep your family safe from intruders:
- Reinforce your door frame. Having several locks on your front door is useless if it's made of flimsy wood. A high-quality metal frame is a good investment because they're very difficult to breach.
- Never leave keys outside. It may seem convenient to hide keys around your house, like under mats or on top of door frames, but doing this also makes things incredibly easy for burglars. Secure spare keys in a coded key vault like the ones real estate agents use.
- Don't put your name and address on a key ring. Again, this is equivalent to handing over your belongings to looters, especially if they know who you are and where you live.
- Keep outdoor areas brightly lit. Make sure your porch, garage entrance and doorways are lit to deter thieves.
- Befriend your neighbors. When SHTF, you can increase your chances of survival if you have a good relationship with your neighbors. Greet them whenever you see them and join some community activities so you can get to know each other.
See the full guide on reinforcing your front door by watching the video, which you can view at this link.
You can learn more about home security at Preparedness.news.
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