Home security is fast becoming a major issue of concern here in America. As the economy worsens, the crime rate from robberies and robberies is increasing. The local news has almost daily stories of burglaries from homes and businesses where the predominant method of entry is kicking in one of the exterior doors.
Over the years that I have spent as an insurance adjuster, I have been to at least a hundred homes investigating burglaries and helping homeowners prepare their insurance claim. I have rarely encountered incidents where the thief entered through a window. Thieves almost always enter through a door.
Most people use deadbolt locks and their first line of defense. Nothing wrong with that. I’ve never seen a deadbolt lock fail. The deadbolt is not the weakest link in the chain when it comes to securing an exterior door.
The weak link is the door jamb.
For those who are not familiar with the term “jamb”, it is the frame in which the door is mounted using hinges. When you turn the key, the latch lock throws a steel bolt into a latch on the jamb.
For tens of millions of homes, apartments, and businesses, the exterior door jamb is made of wood. In residential applications, the door jamb is generally ¾ “thick. Sometimes exterior door jambs can be 1 ½” thick.
The screws that mount the closure plate to the jamb are generally ¾ “wood screws and are generally about 1” away from the edge of the jamb. So when a bad boy kicks your door, there is only about 1 “of wood in the jamb that offers strength. An inch of pine, or even oak, doesn’t give you much protection.
In almost every theft claim I handled where the burglar entered a door, it was the wooden door jamb that failed … usually around the second kick. And the cost of replacing a damaged door and jamb can easily run as high as $ 750 to $ 1,000.
The best solution to secure your exterior doors against theft would be to install steel jambs and doors. However, that can be very expensive.
Sliding glass doors are also an easy point of entry for thieves. Placing a dowel, bar, or stick on the track does not prevent your door from coming off the track.
There is another solution that is cost effective and works great!
Armor Concepts is a Saddle Brook, NJ-based company that has created three products that solve this safety problem. Are:
o Door Jamb Armor – A proprietary door security and repair solution that will help stop home invasions before they start. Door Jamb Armor can also be used to repair a previously damaged jamb and can be installed in under an hour by the average DIYer. All parts are made from galvanized steel and are powder coated to withstand the elements and can be painted to match your door. You will hardly notice the steel door frame once it is installed. Door Jamb Armor will allow you to turn any door into an attractive and affordable security door.
o FIX-A-JAMB: an economical, fast and attractive solution to repair the door frame
o Armor Latch: an efficient and economical sliding glass door security solution. Prevents sliding glass doors from going off track.
You can watch some dramatic product testing videos on the company’s website at: http://www.djarmor.com A video shows the use of a police battering ram. The jamb is rock solid.
These products can be found at large home improvement retailers like Lowe’s.
If you don’t protect your doors and jambs, it will be cheaper for you if you go ahead and leave the doors open. At least the thieves will only steal your belongings, they will not destroy your door and then they will steal your things.
