Doors

Tip: Glass around entry doors

Windows and glass panels fill a home with daylight and in turn, make the environment of the home more inviting. For this reason, many homeowners opt to install glass panels in front doors and sidelights in entryways. Even though glass panels and sidelights are visually appealing, they are not the safest choice when it comes to home security. Burglars look for homes that have glass in or around the front door because if they can break the glass, they gain access to the rest of the home by simply reaching in and unlocking the door from the inside. Fortunately there are a few options to further protect these areas, installing an wireless alarm home system, without having to eliminate glass in the entryway.

In homes that are designed with glass in doors or sidelights in entry halls, homeowners can consider installing two sided deadbolts. With a two-sided deadbolt, a key is needed to unlock the door from both the outside and the inside. Two-sided deadbolts are good for keeping burglars from gaining access to the rest of the home, but they can put the family in a compromised position. If there happens to be a fire or another emergency in the home, a two-sided deadbolt is dangerous to have. If family members need to get out of the home quickly, they will not have time to be fumbling for a key

Another alternative to increase home security is to use reinforced glass in the entryway. There are a couple of different types of reinforced glass available. One type is glass that is embedded with wire. The wire in the glass keeps the burglar from breaking completely through it, so they won't be able to reach in and unlock the door. Another type of reinforced glass that can be used is glass bricks. Glass bricks are thick blocks of glass that are extremely difficult to break through. Another great characteristic of glass bricks is that they allow light into the entryway without giving people on the outside the ability to see inside the house