Our homes are our sanctuary, and keeping them secure is a top priority. While we have reviewed how to secure the front door of a property, the back door may be an overlooked vulnerability. Keeping back doors secure ensures the safety and longevity of your home and provides peace of mind home ownership.
Why Back Doors Require Extra Attention
Back doors often lead to areas with reduced visibility on your property, making them a target for intruders or wildlife living in your neighbourhood. Back doors are often hidden from street or road view, accessible through an alley or yard. This area may experience diminished lighting or access compared to the front door, providing a hideaway for critters or other unwelcome guests. With a few simple strategies and expert assistance, the back door can be a secure barrier from outdoor inhabitants and the elements.
Essential Components of a Secure Back Door
When considering a new back door for your home, prioritize strength and durability. Researching the types of doors available will help you identify the best suited doors for your needs.
There are a variety of back door designs, including glass panels and sliding glass doors. While sliding doors and glass panels offer a stylish decorative feature to the back door, there are special considerations to consider for these styles of doors. Security bars or dowels placed at the bottom track of a sliding door prevent the door from being opened unintentionally. For glass panels, laminated or tempered glass offer a helpful security measure and provide additional privacy.
- Select a Secure Door Structure: A key element of door security is based on the door material itself. Flimsy, hollow-core doors are the antithesis of security. for materials such as:
- Solid Core or Steel Doors: Both types of doors offer a strong foundation for a durable, long-lasting door offering excellent protection.
- Fiberglass Doors: Fiberglass doors are an alternative solution that combines durability, energy efficiency, and resistance to scratches and dents.
- Reinforce the Door Jamb: Door jambs, commonly known as “door frames”, are a crucial component towards door security. For instance, even the strongest door with a weak frame can splinter under pressure, rendering a robust door useless. Strong door jambs include the following:
- Heavy Duty Strike Plates: Standard strike plates are often secured with short screws that can be easily damaged. Replacing those screws with heavy duty, reinforced strike plates secured with a three-inch screw will ensure the strike plates are secured snugly into the wall studs.
- Metal Frame Reinforcements: For an added layer of protection, consider metal frame reinforcement kits that wrap around the door frame, making the door extremely secure and difficult to pry open.
- Asses The Door Locks: Ensure that the back door has high quality locks that include the following:
- Deadbolt Lock: Grade 1 or Grade 2 residential deadbolts are a high-quality lock that offers superior resistance and security.
- Long Throw Bolts: These deadbolts are made with a longer throw, which is the mechanism that extends into the frame, which provides a deeper, more secure engagement.
- Smart Locks: For additional convenience and control, consider smart locks. Many smart locks offer features such as tamper alerts and integration with home security systems. For more information on smart locks, read our Keyless Door Lock piece for an in-depth review.
- Secure The Door Hinges: If the back door opens outwards, the door hinges are exposed. This creates vulnerability for your security, but also opportunity for a weakening door hinge over time, which may benefit from updates to increase the longevity and security of the door. For inward opening doors, the door hinges will be located on the inside and therefore less exposed to elements over time.
- Security Studs and Pins: These small pins fit into corresponding holes when the door is closed, preventing the door from being lifted off its frame.
- Non-Removable Pin Hinges: This alternative pin option cannot be removed when the door is closed, thus providing a similar protection as the security studs.
By taking these steps to secure a back door, you are investing in the long-term security and lifespan of the door. Securing the back door offers enhanced peace of mind, as well as increased property value. A secure home is an attractive home, which makes the investment of upgraded doors and security features an enhancement in the value of the home.
Further, securing the back door offers protection against the elements, as high quality, well installed doors provide increased insulation and therefore, energy efficiency. A secure back door will ensure harsh weather cannot permeate into the home and help reduce energy costs, which contributes significantly to the longevity of your home’s overall structure.
While some of these tips can be completed as DIY projects, it is recommended to consult with a professional door installation expert to ensure your doors are properly secured. Our experienced technicians can assist with securing a back door, including:
- Assessing your current back door system and identifying areas of weakness or vulnerabilities.
- Delivering recommendations regarding the materials and locking systems best suited to your home.
- Providing expert door repair or replacement services to fix any vulnerabilities.
By taking proactive action towards diagnosing the security of your back door, you are able to address deficiencies quickly in order to achieve optimal security for your entire home. Securing a back door from the elements and unwanted visitors is a necessary and useful practice to ensure your peace of mind and the longevity of your home. Our team of professional door experts are here to ensure that all doors are secure and prepared for the elements in the long run.
