You probably have heard or seen some front doors having more than one lock and you’re wondering how many locks an entry lock is supposed to have, right? You’re not alone, we all want to keep our homes secure and it’s okay to inquire about new trends to help you adopt the best method to secure your home. That said, let’s try to approach the question directly:
How many locks should a front-door have?
A single strong lock is sufficient to secure your door. Two locks can be added to your home or business’s security. A front door lock should have one or two sturdy locks.
While solid locks can help secure your front door, you need to supplement that with other security measures—for reliability. If you’re looking to learn more about securing your front door, here are some effective tips for you.
See our related article Check out the Best Kaba Door Locks to see a comprehensive review of the top locks available for commercial use.
How to secure your front door
1. Get a solid door
Before you think of changing locks or putting up other security measures to secure your front door, you should first examine the door to see if it’s solid enough to withstand kick-ins. You may have excellent locks, but they become worthless if your door can’t withstand a kick in.
You will notice that doors that are stronger and more solid are less likely to be broken or kicked in. You should examine your doors and replace any damaged ones. All entry doors should be replaced with metals, solid core, composite, and solid wood doors.
2. Install strong locks
Most people know that not all locks work well for front doors. You need solid anti kick, anti pick, and bump proof locks that can resist any type of break-in.
We recommend that deadbolts be rated for your front doors. Doors that have been tested and approved by the CSA are rated. ANSI/BHMA to withstand certain burglars’ tricks such as picking, break-in, and kick ins. Check out our recommendations for ANSI/BHMA-certified front door locks.
3. Secure Other Entry Locks
You want to make sure your front door is secure to protect your home. Burglars might take advantage of your front door and make it less secure. Protect your front door with sturdy locks.
4. Replace strike plate
You probably don’t know what a strike plate is, and that’s okay since you’re no locksmith. Your door will be tightly sealed with the strike plate in a lock. It’s the metal piece where the deadbolt latch bolts the door frame.
The regular strike plate could easily fall during a forced entry attempt. Therefore, you need a box struck model with a metal enclosure, longer screws, and a stronger bolt to prevent forced entry.
If you have some knowledge about locks, you can replace the strikeplate yourself. Otherwise, it’s best to call a locksmith to do it properly.
5. Install Security Camera/Peephole
So that you don’t open your door to strangers that might be intruders, you want to install a peephole that helps you screen visitors before opening the door.
The peephole is easy to install, and it’s compatible with most standard doors—up to two inches thick.
To monitor what happens at your front door, install a camera. You can even monitor what happens at your front door with your smart home.
6. Change Your Door Locks
It is best to change locks when they are not in use. If you have shared your keys with someone that no longer lives with you, it’s best to change the locks to prevent unauthorized access.
Even more, if contractors have stolen your key, you will need to change the locks. This also applies to your apartment. Make sure to change the locks if you misplace your keys or move into a different apartment.
You want to ensure you’re not sharing your access keys directly or indirectly with third parties you don’t want to give access to your home at the time.
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7. Use keyless door locks
Although keyless door locks have a few downsides, they’re considered safe as they can’t be picked. Also, you won’t carry physical keys around, which means you won’t have to worry about misplacing keys and putting your home at risk.
Other features of keyless locks include alarm, remote control, auto-lock, alarm, and remote control. You can monitor the activities at your front door from anywhere.
This depends on what type of keyless door you have. You can check our selection of touchpad locks, Google Assistant locks, and Alexa enabled locks; they’re all keyless door locks with great features.
8. Keep Your Outdoor Lights On Evening
You probably know that outdoor lights can deter burglars, and that’s a fact. Of course, thieves don’t want to be seen, so they won’t come near your front door when the area and surroundings are well lit.
Outdoor motion sensor lights can be an option if you are concerned about your electricity bills. They automatically turn on when motion from a distance is detected. This is an effective way to secure your front door, and your entire home, from intruders.
Questions regarding Front Door Security
What brand of door lock has the most secure front doors?
Kwikset has reliable front doors. So do Schlage, Baldwin and Yale. We cannot guarantee that all locks made by these brands will work well on front doors. You should take your time to choose the best.
Can I use electronic locks for my front door?
Yes. Yes. However, smart locks can be easily hacked. Make sure you get smart locks that are resistant to forced entry attacks.
Are deadbolts the best front door locks?
Deadbolts, which are more suitable for front doors, are often considered to be the most secure locks. For optimal functionality, however, you need to make sure you get the best deadbolts.
Final Thoughts
While one sturdy lock is enough to secure your front door, you may install another lock—if you really need to add an extra layer of protection to your door. This practice is recommended by building codes and insurance companies to improve your entry doors security.
It is important to remember that your front door security does not depend on how many locks are installed. As you have seen, you should also ensure that you have other security measures in place. This includes changing compromised locks and upgrading strike plates, installing smart locks, peepholes, and installing security cameras, as well as installing security cameras, alarms, and other measures.
You should also ensure that you use the right locks for residential and commercial settings. If you’re looking for the best locks to secure your place of business, see our commercial keyless locks top picks.
