House front door - what material to choose for home security

Just started your door and window replacement project? Have in mind that homeowners face the most difficult task – filtering important information. For instance, when we go on a door/window shopping spree, we are bombarded by facts like material life span, efficiency ratings, UV protection. So, losing track and forgetting about security measures is quite common. Apart from energy efficiency and aesthetics, front doors influence and determine the safety of a home. Statistics show that 70% of home invasions happen through doors (garage, front and patio).

To help you out with your replacement adventure, here are some useful tips & tricks while you are at it:

Fiberglass
The most revolutionary material on the market today, fiberglass has the highest resistance coefficient. Although it is the most expensive material, it is the best one for increased security since fiberglass cannot be broken by human force. Its other advantages are that it can be made to look as wood and it requires much less maintenance than any other material.
Steel
When wood became out of fashion, most homeowners went for steel doors. As fiberglass, they also have a high impact resistance coefficient and require less maintenance. However, poor quality steel can be damaged by strong impacts, including human force. It is also less weather resistant than wood.
Wood
The most common wood used for doors is timber. Even though timber is prone to rot, pesticides and cracks, it can be fixed very easily. Whereas, steel for instance is more hard to repair. Timber is also good for home safety, but everything depends on the manufacturer and installers. If your door is made of low quality timber, its impact resistance coefficient will significantly decrease.
Vinyl
These types of doors are made from PVC (a material used for almost everything, even weeping tiles). Vinyl doors are amazing for higher energy efficiency and insulation. However, they provide less security than steel and fiberglass.

TIPS & TRICKS

The door’s material has a large role in home protection. However, if the door isn’t properly constructed or installed, it can cost you much more than its actual price. There are other factors involved when determining door quality: lock systems, size, width, additional coatings and life spans.

To choose the right one, schedule a free consultation and get a personalized advice from our experts. In the meantime, here are some tips & tricks on increasing doorway safety:

Decorative glass
Before you install a door with glass, imagine what a burglar would do if he/she sees it? He will immediately break it and try to open the door from the inside. If you are in love with glass doors or have sliding in your backyard, purchase high impact resistant glass, install metal bars around and purchase security alarms.
Type of lock
Having the highest quality fiberglass door won’t matter if your lock system is old and insufficient. Commonly recommended are deadbolts which can only be opened by turning the keys and which dig deep into the doorframe. Lots of homeowners even install a second deadbolt (operated solely from the inside). This way home security will be increased to a maximum.
Carefully planned entry
Everyone loves having flowers and cute vases on their entry. However, burglars can hide behind them and use an opportunity to get in. This is why you should carefully design your entry without putting large flowers near the door.
Organize your tools
When someone decides to rob a house, adrenalin levels sure go up. This is why burglars forget important details! Surprisingly they aren’t that well organized. This doesn’t mean that you should be defocused as well since if you forget the shovel in your backyard, they will most likely take it and use it for breaking your windows and doors.