How secure are your doors?

If you are unsure whether your front door, back door or patio doors are secure enough to prevent intruders, use this quick checklist to find out how safe they really are .

Front door

• • Five lever mortice deadlock (if door over 44mm) – check they are British Standard 3621 or European Standard EN12209

• • Avoid glazed panels, replace with toughened glass or laminated glass panels

• • Fit a spy hole

• • Fit a door chain or limiter

• • Check hinges are secure - use good long screws and consider hinge bolts

Letter boxes

• • Install them no closer than 400 mm from the door lock

• • Never fit a letter box to the bottom rail of a door

• • Consider an internal cover plate or letter basket (with the bottom removed to prevent mail theft)

Back door

• • Use 5 lever 2 bolt sash lock halfway up the door (British Standard 3621 European Standard EN 12209)

• • Supplement sash lock with mortice rack bolts at the top and bottom of the door

• • Avoid glass panels, use laminated panels fitted from the inside and consider grilles as well

French doors (a burglar's favourite!)

• • Use mortice rack bolts

• • Or, consider surface-mounted locking bolts

• • For extra security, consider mortice sash locks

• • If your doors open outwards, use hinge bolts

Patio doors (a burglar's favourite!)

• • Use extra locks if not fitted with a multi-locking system

• • Anti-lift devices to avoid door being lifted from its track

• • Do not leave keys hanging inside the letterbox, under plant pots or doormats – these are the first places a burglar will check

• • Locks and bolts are only as good as the doors they are fitted to. Make sure weak rotten woodwork is replaced, and that the frame is well fixed.

More information on door security from the Met Police - www.met.police.uk/crimeprevention/doors.htm

Master Locksmiths Association – www.locksmiths.co.uk

Home Office Crime Reduction Site – www.crimereduction.org.uk

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