4 ms·

This is why my deadbolt uses an Abloy Protec2 cylinder (custom ordered from Bay Area Locks: http://www.bayarealocks.com http://www.bayarealocks.com). It's drill

This is why my deadbolt uses an Abloy Protec2 cylinder (custom ordered from Bay Area Locks: http://www.bayarealocks.com http://www.bayarealocks.com). It's drill resistant, and it's disk-based so it's bump and rake proof. Abloy also claims it's pick proof. Whether that will remain true in the future I'm not sure, but I do know that at the very least it has yet to be successfully picked. If someone did figure out a way it would likely be extremely difficult to do in practice. After watching some videos that showed just how easy it is to simply kick a door in, another thing I did was replace my strike plate with a heavier duty one, and replace the worthless 3/4" screws that "hold" most strike plates in with 4" screws that actually go into the 2x4's of the house frame.

jheriko 13y ago
> After watching some videos that showed just how easy it is to simply kick a door in, another thing I did was replace my strike plate with a heavier duty one, and replace the worthless 3/4" screws that "hold" most strike plates in with 4" screws that actually go into the 2x4's of the house frame. This is good advice. I did this on my own door frame after being broken into on the first day where the door had simply been kicked in. I can not kick the door in now - I tried. Although the quality of the door is important too - mine bends really quite far before breaking. :) If you are really security conscious and you don't have them already - I suggest brushes at the door frame edge and the letterbox to prevent approaches other than picking.
- mynoseknows 13y ago
  If you have a door that's not very strong and you can't afford to replace it with one that is, they do make metal plates that wrap around the deadbolt and optionally the door handle, which apparently makes it much more difficult to break the door itself. They look something like this: http://hostedmedia.reimanpub.com/TFH/Step-By-Step/FH11JAU_DOOSEC_02.JPG http://hostedmedia.reimanpub.com/TFH/Step-By-Step/FH11JAU_DO...
pirateking 13y ago
What about your windows?
- mynoseknows 13y ago
  I've considered putting security film on them: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6lFCbjV7NgQ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6lFCbjV7NgQ But I rent so I hesitate because the film obviously has to be custom cut and I doubt it can be removed in a single piece after being installed anyway. I'm a little less worried about the windows though because only 1/4 of unauthorized entries are through windows, and window entry is (often) louder, more obvious, and takes a little longer to get through vs. quietly picking or bumping a lock or swiftly kicking the door in and entering quickly.
  - pirateking 13y ago
    The security film is an interesting solution. It seems like it only protects the glass and not the mechanism for opening the window. I am interested because I have actually had an apartment broken into via first floor window many years ago (do you happen to have a source handy for those break-in statistics?).
    - mynoseknows 13y ago
      Sorry to hear that. The stats are from 2005 but are probably similar to what they are today: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/artsandliving/homeandgarden/features/2007/burglary-070507/graphic.html http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/artsandliving/homeandga... Yeah, I think it only protects the glass, but I believe there are other things you can do to protect the window from being opened another way.

jheriko 13y ago

> After watching some videos that showed just how easy it is to simply kick a door in, another thing I did was replace my strike plate with a heavier duty one, and replace the worthless 3/4" screws that "hold" most strike plates in with 4" screws that actually go into the 2x4's of the house frame. This is good advice. I did this on my own door frame after being broken into on the first day where the door had simply been kicked in. I can not kick the door in now - I tried. Although the quality of the door is important too - mine bends really quite far before breaking. :) If you are really security conscious and you don't have them already - I suggest brushes at the door frame edge and the letterbox to prevent approaches other than picking.

mynoseknows 13y ago
If you have a door that's not very strong and you can't afford to replace it with one that is, they do make metal plates that wrap around the deadbolt and optionally the door handle, which apparently makes it much more difficult to break the door itself. They look something like this: http://hostedmedia.reimanpub.com/TFH/Step-By-Step/FH11JAU_DOOSEC_02.JPG http://hostedmedia.reimanpub.com/TFH/Step-By-Step/FH11JAU_DO...

pirateking 13y ago

What about your windows?

mynoseknows 13y ago
I've considered putting security film on them: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6lFCbjV7NgQ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6lFCbjV7NgQ But I rent so I hesitate because the film obviously has to be custom cut and I doubt it can be removed in a single piece after being installed anyway. I'm a little less worried about the windows though because only 1/4 of unauthorized entries are through windows, and window entry is (often) louder, more obvious, and takes a little longer to get through vs. quietly picking or bumping a lock or swiftly kicking the door in and entering quickly.
- pirateking 13y ago
  The security film is an interesting solution. It seems like it only protects the glass and not the mechanism for opening the window. I am interested because I have actually had an apartment broken into via first floor window many years ago (do you happen to have a source handy for those break-in statistics?).
  - mynoseknows 13y ago
    Sorry to hear that. The stats are from 2005 but are probably similar to what they are today: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/artsandliving/homeandgarden/features/2007/burglary-070507/graphic.html http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/artsandliving/homeandga... Yeah, I think it only protects the glass, but I believe there are other things you can do to protect the window from being opened another way.