Home Security News

Number Pad Door Lock Means No More Keys

 One of the biggest home security mistakes people (a lot of people!) make is to have a "hide-a-key" located near their door.  Putting a key to your house--where your family lives and most of your worldly possessions reside--three feet from your door just isn't wise.  If you think professional burglars don't know to look under the door mat, above the door frame, or under that little rock next to the path, you're wrong. 

The most obvious fix for this home security problem is not to have a spare key laying around.  If you're truly concerned that someone in the family is going to lose the key and not be able to get into the house, it makes sense to install something like this number pad door lock.

Installing this attractive Schlage Camelot Deadbolt Keypad (or any number pad door lock) means nobody needs to worry about carrying a house key around any more.  Just program in a code, and your door will open up the same way an ATM works. 

This keyless entry system is easily reprogrammed if you decide you don't want the cleaning lady, eldest son who won't move out, etc. not to know the combination any more (a lot simpler than having locks rekeyed!), and it's only supposed to take 30 minutes to install, so it ought to be a simple weekend project. 

Other perks with the Schlage lock (which is available in a number of finishes, so you can get one that matches your door) include illumination for the keypad (so you can see what you're doing at night), a free-spinning keyway to prevent wrench attacks, and a key override system in case you forget the programming code down the line.

This particular number pad door lock costs about $275, though it's on special for quite a bit less at Amazon as I write this:

Schlage Camelot Deadbolt Keypad

Simple Security Door Chain Is an Easy Upgrade

Of all the home security devices you can install in your home, there's not much simpler (or less expensive) than door hardware.  You can get a lot of bang for your buck though.  A security door chain, for example,  adds an extra layer of protection to your exterior doors and is quite inexpensive to purchase. 

Installation doesn't take much time either.  You can easily install door chains on all your exterior doors in an afternoon. 

Door Chain Options

The National Brass Keyed Chain Door Lock costs less than $6.

For more security, consider this upgrade to the basic door chain: a door limiter.  You've probably seen these in hotels; instead of a chain, there's a solid bar which prevents anyone from entering until you unlock it.

These cost about $12: Heavy-Duty Hotel-Style Door Security Lock

For more door security upgrade ideas, check out this article: Beyond Simple Door Locks

Security Screen Doors Can Be Stylish (really!)

When you think of adding security to doors and windows, you might think of those ugly bars you see on storefronts and houses in the bad parts of town, but there are plenty of stylish upscale options when it comes to residential security. For example, you can get laser-cut security screen doors that are attractive enough to add curb appeal to your home.

When I took a look at what is out there in the market, I found the folks at Titan Security.

Their screen doors are "laser cut from a single sheet of architectural grade aluminum," with designs that "provide all the benefits of a Titan security screen door - unsurpassed strength, superior ventilation and incredible rust proof durability - while enhancing the curb appeal of your home."

And it's true--I browsed the designs on their site, and they definitely have some stylish screen door options.

Their doors are custom made to your specifications (you can get them for single, double, and patio doors), and you can even get pet doors integrated into some of the designs. (Hey, you don't want Fido to be inconvenienced just because you're looking to increase your home's security!)

Bump Keys a Threat to Locks and Deadbolts

Bump keys aren't new, but new YouTube videos are providing how-to guides to the masses, showing people how to use them to get past deadbolts.  If it's been a while since you replaced the locks on your doors, maybe it's time to consider it.  You'll want something that is "bump proof."  This means getting a high security lock with a has a secondary locking mechanism as added insurance.  If you're not sure whether your current locks fall into that category, they probably don't:

"For starters, don’t get anything with a “conventional pin tumbler lock”. This is what most of us already have on our front doors, the type of lock that can typically be bumped. Not every last one, but most of them, statistically speaking."

More at "Deadbolts Not Secure From ‘Bump keys’"

When Will Biometric House Locks Be Standard?

I don't know about you, but I'm tired of keys.  It's true that you can get biometric locks (scanners that recognize your fingerprint) for your doors today, but they're pretty expensive still.  When is this technology going to come down in price, and when will it be common place?  When will we hop into our cars and tap the ignition with our thumb to start the car?  When will the front door recognize us coming with bags full of groceries and swing open automatically?

Well, Popular Science magazine had a future house feature in their most recent issue (Nov. 2006), and here's what they had to say on the topic of biometric scanners and home security:

In the year 2015...

"If you want to make sure the cable guy at your doorstep is really from the cable company, just ask him to upload his biometric data (retinal scan, vein scan, fingerprint reading, or facial-recognition data are all possible) to your home security system for on-site scanning.  As the reliability of biometric identification grows, such systems will become virtually foolproof.  Giving your neighbor a spare key to come in and take care of the cat while you're away soon won't be necessary--just enter your friend's biometric data from a card he provides, and your scanners will recognize him when he visits."

Hm, looks like we have less than 10 years to go.

Sturdy Window Locks

Everybody knows locking your doors is a smart idea, when you're talking home security (everybody knows; of course, that doesn't mean everybody does it), but people often forget about windows. 

Take a good look around your house from the outside.  Put yourself in the shoes of a burglar.  Think about your windows.  Do you see any open?  Are there any with loose or non-existent locks that would be easy to force open?  Don't think burglars are only going to try the front door.  A window, even a second story window, can offer them easy access. 

So, what do you do?  Make sure you have sturdy window locks.  This lock from Rocky Mountain Hardware is a good example.  The mini surface bolt is made from white bronze with solid metal parts and is available in 6" or 10" lengths.  If properly installed, it would do a good job of keeping intruders out.

Of course, you'll want to shop for window locks that fit your home decor; just make sure to buy something sturdy instead of something decorative.  And make sure you lock your windows, as well as your doors, when you leave the house!

How to Install New Locks

Again and again, we've talked about how important it is to home security to install new locks when you move into a home (you have no way of knowing how many copies of the key to the old locks are floating around).  It's also a good idea to install new locks if your old ones look flimsy, and you think a burglar would have no trouble kicking through the door. 

But if you're not a handy dandy do-it-yourself type, you may not know exactly how to install a new doorknob and lock system.  Fortunately, there are sites out there with diagrams and instructions on how to do it yourself, whether you have experience or not.  Here is a good run-through that includes pictures:

Installing doorknobs and locks

RFID Door Lock

An RFID (radio frequency identification) door lock?  What's that?  Well, it's another alternative to the old key-in-lock opening mechanism that most houses come with.  Instead of opening the door with your thumb (as with fringerprint locks) or with a numerical code (as with keypad door locks), you use a special entry card.  With the MyKey 2300 (shown here), you press the button in the center, and then you wave wallet, keychain, cellphone, or any place you've stuck an authorized MyKey 2300 RFID card, and the door unlocks. To lock it again, you simply press the button in the center.  If you forget your RFID card, you can still get in via a keypad that's hidden above the button. 

As far as home security goes, the company promises that, unlike with common metal keyholes, their lock can't be picked by would-be thieves.  Also if you lose a card or someone steals one, you can reprogram the lock to deny that card.

The MyKey 2300 will cost you $300.

http://www.mykey2300.com/

Shatterproof Laminate for Windows

pTake a look at the windows on your first floor.  Would they be easy for a burglar to break as a means of gaining entrance to the house?  If so, do you have motion sensors on them that are hooked up to a central alarm system?  If you don't, then it's time to spend some quality time with those windows.  You can use shatterproof laminate to treat them. 

It's fairly easy for burglars to gain entrance--most of the time they just find something laying around your yard (i.e. a landscaping rock), throw it through the window, and they're in the house.  Ok, you could just get rid of the rocks, but that's not always practical--what if your neighbor has rocks?

If money isn't a concern (lucky you), you can get a burglar alarm and security windows.  But if you need a more low-cost way to protect your family, try the shatterproof laminate application.  This is basically a protective sheet that you stick to your windows in order to reinforce them.  It doesn't mess with the views, and it doesn't cost nearly as much as getting the glass replaced.  Shatterproof laminate won't make the windows indestructable, but it's definitely designed to give them extra strength.  Even if a burglar breaks the window, it's not likely he'll be able to get into the house.

Fingerprint Door Lock Review

We've talked about fingerprint (biometric) door locks a couple times, but they're still pretty rare in the residential arena.  I did manage to scrounge up a review (two reviews actually) over at epinions for the 1Touch Fingerprint Lock.  Both are positive (though it sounds like programming the lock could require a true geek):

"All in all, this is a great lock to use, and if you and your family don't want to ever worry about keys, passwords or combinations again, try this lock."

"I debated buying a less expensive unit but as I know that being in the technology industry that you get what you pay for. Hats off to the folks at Fingerprintdoorlocks.com as this product rocks!"

To read the reviews in their entirety, here's the epinions link: http://www.epinions.com/1Touch_Fingerprint_Lock/display_~reviews