If you’re looking to improve your home security, the first place you should start is with your front and back doors. There are several ways and gadgets you can utilize to enhance the strength of your wooden door. There is a misconception that the easiest part to break on a door is the lock. This is not true. The weakest part of an entry is the wooden frame. The gadget that enhances the security for your wooden door best is a strike plate, also known as a steel security plate.

A strike plate is a metal plate that is affixed to the door jam. It will have one or two holes for the door to bolt. The for door jam is the vertical section of your door frame, the most vulnerable part of your door. Once you close your door, the bolt extends into the holes, which keep your door locked in place until you turn the handle again. According to the FBI, the most common way burglars break-in is by kicking in the door. When the front door is kicked in, the door frame is broken through, causing the strike plate to be ineffective at keeping the door locked.

The primary purpose for upgrading your strike plate is that it eliminates your door from being kicked in. A reinforced strike plate provides a physical barrier against forced entry. Not all strike plates offer the same amounts of protection. Kick-in burglaries happen when the plate is weak, poorly fitted, or just old. The door technicians at Southern Front Door are here to help you assess your back and front door a d decide which strike plate is best for you. If you want optimal security, a deadbolt strike plate is your best option. Having a deadbolt lock is useless without a deadbolt strike plate to reinforce it.