How to Make Your Home Locks Tamper-Resistant
Whether you live in a town, city, suburbs or countryside, there’s always a risk of unwelcome visitors in and around your home.
There are lots of different types of door locks that help to protect your home, but not all locks are created equal. In fact, many can be compromised with a little skill and some portable tools. Here’s some checks to make to ensure your home locks are more tamper-resistant.
Key Home Lock Checks
The Bolt Lock
Ensure the bolt extends at least one inch into the door jamb, as this will help if the lock is kicked or struck. Check if the hardened-steel pin on the inside is free-spinning. If it is, the steel will resist sawing on the bolt by spinning around, frustrating any cutting saw movement. If it’s a garage or shed lock, use a six-digit pin lock, rather than three or five.
The Strike Plate
This is the flat metal piece attached to the door frame that the bolt slots into. This should be made of heavy-duty steel or brass and should ideally be held in place with screws that are at least three inches long.
The Plug
This is the part of the lock where the key goes in. This should be made of solid forged brass. Avoid locks with brass-plated zinc, as this is softer and easier to compromise. It's wise to choose a lock that recesses into the door, as this prevents a potential burglar from simply shearing it off.
The Door
Sliding doors are a common watch-out for burglars since they often have a simple latch lock that can be easily defeated. To ensure greater safety, add an auxiliary lock that attaches to the door frame. On sliding doors, these commonly lock vertically on the top or bottom of the frame, rather than at the side.
Home Insurance With Liberty
Double-checking your locks will provide a degree of peace of mind, but knowing that your home insurance is there for you is a whole other level of comfort. With Liberty Insurance, we offer two types of cover for our home policies; buildings insurance and contents insurance, which you can buy separately or as a package. Each cover offers a number of benefits to protect you, should the worst happen.