Whether your exterior door isn’t working properly or you want to upgrade your home’s aesthetics, you want a door that will protect your home and make you feel safe.
Security is important to any homeowner. So, when looking to replace your exterior door, you wonder if and how it can improve the safety and security of your home.
Will a new door even make my home more secure? How can I make my replacement door more secure? Is it worth it to replace my door for added security?
These are just a few questions we will answer in this article.
As a San Antonio door replacement contractor since 1989, Southwest Exteriors understands the importance of security in your home. Your windows and doors play a large part in keeping your home safe and secure.
While it’s true that a new exterior door can improve the security of your home, it’s not always a guarantee.
However, there are a few things you can ensure are added to your new replacement door to make it more secure than any old door.
This article will outline three things to include in your replacement door to make it stronger and more secure for your home.
Will a new door improve the security of your home?
Before getting into what additions you should have on your replacement door, we must first address the question of whether new doors actually improve your home's security.
While, yes, a new door with the right improvements can make your home safer and more secure, it does not guarantee your home will 100% be free from possible intrusions.
The truth is, if an intruder wants to get into your home, they will.
We don’t mean to be negative and bring the mood down, but we don’t want you to have unrealistic expectations for your new door. However, there are still certain additions to include in your new door that will make it more secure.
3 additions to make your replacement door more secure
Now that we’ve addressed the assumption that a new door, in general, will improve the security of your home, you want to know how to make your replacement door as safe as possible.
There are three main additions you should include in your replacement exterior door.
Let’s dive into each of these additions and how they can make your replacement exterior door more secure for your home.
1. Multi-point locking systems improve the security of your door
The first way to ensure your new door is more secure is by upgrading the locking mechanism to a multi-point locking system.
Keeping your windows locked is one of the easiest ways to improve the security of your home. When designing a replacement door, choosing a multi-point locking system hardware will take security up a notch.
Multi-point locking mechanisms mean the locks on your doors have more than one step to lock them fully. A multi-point lock secures the door closed and makes it much more difficult to open.
Even if the contractor you work with does not carry door hardware with multiple locks, you can always purchase your own locking system and have it installed with your new door.
2. Tempered or laminated safety glass will make the glass stronger
Depending on the type of replacement door you invest in, you most likely have some glass in it, whether it’s a delicate glass design or a window in your door.
The second way to make your replacement door stronger and less susceptible to break-ins is by upgrading the glass to tempered or laminated. This is especially important if you are replacing a sliding glass door or a door with lots of glass.
Tempered glass is made by heating the glass to extreme temperatures. Once it is cooled, the tempered glass is much stronger than regular glass. When it breaks, tempered glass shatters into small diamond-like pebbles.
Laminated glass is made with a layer of polyvinyl butyral (PVB). This laminate also makes the glass much stronger, and when it is broken, the glass shatters and stays together, held by the plastic laminate.
When laminated glass is shattered, it is much more difficult to remove from the frame. This makes it an ideal glass type to protect your home from potential intruders.
When a potential intruder attempts to get into your home through the door, they will most likely try to break the glass to reach the door handle.
Both tempered and laminated glass increases the strength of the glass and thus makes it more difficult to break. The harder it is for the glass on your door to break, the more an intruder is deterred from entering your home.
3. Double or triple-paned glass is harder to break
Another way to improve the security of your replacement door is by upgrading the glass to double or triple-paned glass.
The number of panes in a window on your door refers to how many layers of glass there are. The more glass panes, the stronger it is. This means the stronger the glass, the harder it will be to break.
Upgrading your door glass to double or triple-paned glass is most common for sliding patio doors or exterior doors with built-in windows.
Adding multiple panes on the glass of your new door is a simple yet impactful customization you can make to improve the security of your home.
Making your exterior replacement door as secure as possible
Now that you know three additions to include in your new replacement door to make it more secure, you can ensure your new exterior door is as secure as possible.
While including these customizations in your new door will help make the door and glass stronger, they do not make your home 100% susceptible to potential break-ins. But they will help strengthen your door and can deter intruders from attempting to enter your home.
To make your exterior replacement door as secure as possible, include these three things in your design process.
- Multiple locking points on the door hardware
- Tempered or laminated safety glass on any windows and glass on your door
- Double or triple-paned glass for door windows, especially sliding glass doors
With these three additions, your new door will make your home more secure and help protect you and your family.
As you consider what you want in your new exterior door, you may be wondering what else you should think about to create the best door that will fit all your needs.
This article will outline four things to consider to design your perfect exterior door, like the door’s aesthetics, material, and more. Then, you’ll know how to better outline your wants and needs for your new door and have a successful door replacement.
Looking to replace your San Antonio door with something durable?
Southwest Exteriors offer high-quality exterior door replacements with doors from Marvin, ProVia, and Anlin.
Whether you want to upgrade your front door or replace your outdated sliding patio door, we have the most durable replacement doors on the market that won’t only make your home look great but will hold up against the harsh San Antonio climate for years to come.
Are you ready to upgrade your door? Schedule your commitment-free consultation with a design consultant today and get the look you loooove coming home to!