Securing Doors From Burglars

Install motion-sensored lights near your back and side doors. These doors are often hidden from view and give burglars the opportunity to break into your home.

Upgrade your door knock and dead bolt. Use a Grade-1 or Grade-2 lock on your front, back and side doors. These locks feature a dead-latch mechanism that prevents entry with pliers, a credit card or other tools. Ensure that the actual bolt on your dead bolt lock is at least one inch long.

Buy a storm door, and keep this door locked at night and when you're not home. Because a storm door creates extra work for burglars, it might deter them.

Change the strike plate on your door. Strike plates are metal plates located in the door jamb that hold the lock in place. A weak plate can detach with a hard kick, thus allowing a burglar to enter your property. Go to a local hardware store and look for a heavy-duty, four-screw strike plate. Use at least three-inch wood screws to secure the new plate and help stop burglars from kicking in your door.

Install a patio door security bar to stop burglars from opening a sliding door and entering your house. You can also deter burglars by positing a "Beware of Dog" sign or alarm system sign on patio doors. Purchase an anti-lift device from a hardware store to prevent burglars from lifting the door off the track.

Contact a local alarm company to install door sensors on your doors and monitor your property. You can also purchase battery-operated door sensors from hardware stores to scare off burglars. Self-purchased sensors are not monitored by the alarm company.