The strike-plate will tear loose and splinter the jamb, providing easy access to your home. The solution to this security problem is installing a dead bolt along with the lockset. When purchasing your locks, don t pick this time to pinch pennies. A more expensive lock is usually a superior one, even if they look the same. Choose a lock that is constructed with a hardened steel bolt that extends a good inch into the doorjamb.
Doors are the second point of entry for residential burglaries.
If your door is a solid wood or metal door or a door with a solid core , with no glass flanking the sides, a single cylinder dead bolt lock would be sufficient. If your door contains glass, or your entryway has sidelights, stay away from locks with a thumb latch on the inside. This is an invitation for a burglar who will break the glass and unlock the door. Although this will offer the best protection against intruders, it also can present problems for easy egress. You will need to use a key to unlock the door from the inside as well as the out, so the key should be left somewhere near the door, but where an intruder would not be able to see it.