Doors, maybe not as safe as houses.

Everybody thinks that their front and back doors are secure and will deter a burglar. But the sad fact is that more than two thirds of burglars will enter a house through one of the doors. You are likely to have either a front door made from either wood or uPVC. Both of these have short comings in their typical construction.

If you have a uPVC front door, make sure that it uses multi-point locking and has a lock which is resistant to being snapped. The construction of these cylinder locks means that in many older doors a burglar with a bit of knowledge and a couple of hand tools can be inside your home within thirty seconds.

The Home Office recommend that you have a proper five-lever mortise deadlock fitted in all outside doors, something which Exeter Locksmiths Lockfix take seriously. In case you didn't know, a mortice lock is one which sits inside the body of the door and a deadlock is any lock where the bolt only moves from open to closed and back when the key is turned.

Another issue with wooden doors is the frame. Usually also made of wood, this and the hinges can often form a weak link which a single good kick will open. Wooden doors can be made much stronger by fitting reinforcement along the edges of the frame, typically a steel strip or plates around both the door frame and lock.

It's a good idea to remember that an additional layer of complication for a burglar is a wise move, if you have a back garden with a fence and gate, the quality of the lock in the gate can be an additional deterrent.