Frank Loeffert, a home-security expert, shares his advice on the subject.
- For added security, make your own doorstop. Have your local hardware store cut a 2-feet-by-4-feet wooden board at a 20-degree angle. Have a hole drilled through the top. Place a ribbon through the hole, and paint the doorstop to match the room. When it's not being used, hang the doorstop from the door handle.
- A cylindrical lock is generally a doorknob lock and should be used for doors inside the house. These types of locks do not provide the security an exterior lock should. A cylindrical lock can be opened by using a key from the outside and can be locked either with a thumb or by pressing a button on the inside of the door. If it is an exterior lock, add a deadbolt to the door for additional protection.
- Mortise locks have to be chiseled into a door's edge. They are not used as much anymore because they require so much cutting into the door.
- Auxiliary locks come in two types--claw lock or a deadbolt. A claw lock is easier to install, but is not as attractive as a dead bolt. A claw lock has a versatile bolt that fits into the eyes of the strike plate. When installing either auxiliary locks, use three-inch screws for added security. Either model will increase your home security and could even reduce the rate of your home insurance.
- An exterior lock should always be equipped with a deadbolt lock or a claw lock. The deadbolt is available in one or two cylinders. Two cylinders means that the deadbolt must unlock with a key from both inside and outside the door.
- An important part of any lock is a good strike plate. Make sure it is secured by at least three-inch screws.
* Note: You should remove old shorter screws, and replace with three-inch screws. - An interconnecting lock combines a deadbolt and a latch bolt. Both locks can be opened with the turn of a single knob inside. Emergency exits are easiest with this type of lock. A professional should install this type of lock.
- If you have just moved into a house or have recently lost a key to your house, instead of changing the whole lock, you can inexpensively have the lock re-keyed. Simply take the lock out of your door, and take it to a hardware store or locksmith.
- A way of securing a double-hung window is to cut a dowel or 1-feet-by-2-feet piece of wood to place above the window. This prohibits anyone from lifting the window. Another way to secure a double-hang window is to drill a 1/4-inch hole through the lower window into the upper window, and insert a pin (which can be purchased at a hardware store) or a 16D nail.
- If you have a casement lock or crank-out window, a good way to secure the window is to simply remove the crank.
- To secure a patio door, place a long bar or broomstick handle between the doors so that the door cannot be opened. Another option is to insert 1/4-inch pins or a 16D nail in the track to prevent the door from being opened.
