If you are putting in a new side or back door (non-sliding), you know you need to add a lock. But many times these doors come with a space for only a doorknob lock, and no deadbolt. If the doors you've chosen for your home are like this, drill a hole in each for a deadbolt, and more holes for things like keyless deadbolts for extra security. While doorknob locks might seem to work just fine, they are not as secure as you need them to be. Here are three reasons why you really need a deadbolt on those doors.

Doorknob Locks Are Extremely Easy to Bypass

From the credit card trick (sliding a credit card in between the door and the jamb to force the bolt inward) to attacking the knob with a hacksaw (gives access to the internal workings and lets you unlock the knob), these locks are very easy to break through. Someone who is looking for a very easy target, like an unlocked door, might not take the time to get through these doors. But someone willing to take a few moments to try out a trick or two may very well get inside. A deadbolt prevents that because the credit card trick doesn't work on these bolts, and a hacksaw would take a lot longer to use and still not be very helpful.

Doorknob Locks Are Easy to Kick In

Because a doorknob lock bolt is so short, it's relatively easy to kick the door in. Not much of the frame has to break away to let that bolt loose. Even if you have a metal strike plate, the sides on those things are pretty thin, and someone strong enough could do some damage.

Doorknob Locks Indicate the Rest of Your Home Isn't Secure

Someone willing to put deadbolts on all of the external doors is likely to have other security measures in place, even if those are just additional locks. Someone not willing to use deadbolts might not have as much extra security, and that hints to crooks that the rest of your home might be an easy target. Your filing cabinet might be unlocked, or maybe you left your checkbook out on the table instead of locking it away. Add a deadbolt to each door, though, and crooks might decide that it's not worth looking around your home because you're likely to have locked everything away.

If you have other security and lock questions, contact a locksmith like Pinnacle Lock & Safe. Ask about not only deadbolts, but also keyless deadbolts for the interior side of the door, double-keyed deadbolts for doors with glass, and additional locks to help keep your home secure.

Share