Residential security doors can be a good choice for any home, as they're more difficult to force or pry open than standard doors. Security doors can also help to stop a fire from spreading, as they fit very snugly in their frame so that less oxygen can get in and feed a house fire. The doors themselves are usually made of metal, vinyl, or PVC, so that they also won't feed a fire, as does a wood door. Whatever your reasons for considering security doors for your home's entryways, note a few common misconceptions about these doors, so you can determine if they're the right choice for your home.
Security doors are prone to hanging crooked
If you know someone who has a residential security door that doesn't hang quite properly, there's a good chance they installed the security door on a standard doorframe, rather than upgrading the frame along with the door. Some security doors are heavier than standard doors, so they should be installed with their own frame. A security door frame will be stronger and thicker, and usually connected to the home with heavy-duty bolts, so that the door itself won't pull away from the frame. This will mean a security door that hangs straight and that opens and closes smoothly.
Security doors can't be installed in older homes
As said above, it can be good to have a security door installed with its own frame in every case, but especially for older homes. An older home may have settled over the years so that doorframes are not completely level and even, and the wood of the framing may have softened. However, the frame for a security door can easily compensate for this unevenness, and a professional installer will be able to add extra bolts so that the frame is secure when attached to older wood. This allows you to add a security door to any home, no matter its age or condition.
Installing a security door is a DIY job
It's never good to install any door in the home yourself, as doors need to be consistently checked while being installed to ensure they're level, and to ensure that deadbolts slide easily into the door's framing. The heavy-duty bolts used for security doorframes can also be more difficult to attach to the home's frame than you realize, and the door itself may be heavier than you expect. To ensure your own safety and to ensure the job gets done right, leave this installation to a professional.
Share
