Julie should also be aware that the easiest and most common way for someone to enter her home is simply to open an unlocked garage door opener repair sonoma county. In fact, this is one of the most common ways that a burglar enters a home through an unlocked door or window. You have seen the commercials showing that most burglary happens while at least one family member may be at home. Very few families take the precaution making sure that the exterior doors are locked at all times, whether someone is home or not. Children who are in and out of the house all day leave doors unlocked, as do people who go next door for a casual visit.
Now, we know that you can’t entirely do away with the possibility of criminals breaking into your home, then what’s the next best thing to do? Make it as difficult and as time consuming as possible and if the burglars still succeed, at least you will have forced them to destroy the lock or a part of the door, or in some other way to leave clear evidence of an illegal break-in. Why should Julie do this? This is very important when you file an insurance claim with your insurance company to recover the loss you have suffered. If nothing else, it will at least reduce the likelihood of your claim’s being denied on the grounds of you not doing what you should have done to prevent any negligence on your behalf.
If I was Julie I would secure all outside doors and above all especially those that offer an intruder cover-such as doors inside vestibules, enclosed porches or enclosed fence. Here a criminal could work at their leisure, safe from observation by neighbors or passersby. Be aware that these protected areas often are of less visibility than other parts of your home. Every exterior door should fit its frame strongly but easy enough for you to open. Sad to say but some house builders sometimes take shortcuts by making the openings over sized, and even a well-fitted door can develop problems as a house settles on its foundation. If in doubt or have concerns ask your locksmith about the best method to reinforce your door. Storm doors are good energy savers, and when equipped with adequate locking devices, they add an element of security by introducing a marvelous delay factor for any burglar. The glass and/or wrought-iron features serve as another deterrent to slow them down.
What else can we do? Let’s strengthen the doors and see how we can apply this to all outside doors. The door itself should be as strong as possible. This can be accomplished by installing a hollow core metal or solid wooden door. For visual purposes, I would recommend doors with heavy glass or wooden panels. These types of doors offer considerably less protection than those just mentioned, but there is one thing in particular that you can do to make them more safe and sound: install double-cylinder locks. This kind of lock requires a key to open it from the inside as well as from the outside, which prevents an intruder from unlatching the lock by reaching through broken glass or a hole in a wooden panel. Just remember to remove the key after locking from the inside. This will delay the burglar unless they are determined. It will send an intruder on his way to easier pickings. A word of caution, in the event of fire or other emergencies double-cylinder locks can delay occupants from getting out of the house. Consequently, a key to the inside lock should always be kept conveniently at hand but out of reach of the burglar. Keep in mind that some jurisdictions restrict double cylinder locks in multiple dwellings. Check with your local laws in your community before installing these locks. (Non-breakable glass should be installed at least 40 inches from the lock, especially where double cylinder locks are prohibited).
If a burglar wanted to gain entry to your home then one of the primary ways would probably be the hazardous patio doors-typically of the sliding-glass type. In general, such doors have locks that are not very useful. Even if they hold up against an intruder, a piece of glass can easily be cut or broken from the doors and the lock disengaged. One safeguard is to attach locks with vertical bolts that fit into holes in the floor and upper frame and hold the door in place when it is engaged. Another safeguard is to replace with the 2 by 4 piece of wood or if you want to be more decorative then replace it with a more decorative object. An economical auxiliary means of securing such doors is to cut a broom handle to fit the track in which the doors slide. Thus, even if the lock were forced, the door would not give entry to a burglar without force.
