6 Ways Your Exterior Entryway Can Convey Security

We often picture burglars sneaking into homes through dimmed backdoors, crawling through the thick vegetation of backyards and hurdling over fences to get there. However, 34% of burglars actually enter through the front door – that’s compared to the 22% that enter through the backdoor.

Upgrade Your Front Door

What’s the condition of your front door? Remember it’s not just the door you need to assess critically, also consider the hinges and door frame. So start with reviewing its appearance from the curb, if the door looks robust that in itself can be enough to deter someone breaking into your home.

Perception is everything so to send the right message of security to opportunistic burglars choose steel or wrought iron front doors.

Just like having a dog that barks when someone comes onto your property, a sturdy, secure entryway visual from the curb will move the less sophisticated robber on. Make sure your door also has tempered glass, so it’s not easily shattered. If you’re going for a wrought iron door, the glass is likely to be overlaid with thick, undeterred iron detailing for more protection.

Install A Flood Light

Like scarecrows, floodlights turn potential burglars away simply at a glance. A solar-powered, motion-activated floodlight at the front door is not only energy-efficient, but it ensures burglars will be exposed if they attempt to approach your front entryway.

Standard porch lights may not deter criminals, but the strong illuminance of a floodlight is sure to make them feel as though they’re on display. Even if burglars don’t catch sight of your floodlight right away, security expert Jordan Frankel suggests they aid in other ways.

“There are two ways that a motion-activated light can deter a criminal—through its startle effect and temporary blinding illumination,” Frankel writes. “When an outdoor light suddenly turns on, it has a startling effect that heightens anxiety and fear. This alone can cause a criminal to question whether someone can see them and if proceeding further is worth the risk of potentially getting caught.”

Add A Security Screen

A security screen is a screen door that locks and opens in front of a regular door. This provides many benefits when it comes to con-men who specialize in getting people to open up for them. You can keep your security screen door locked but open your (hopefully iron or steel) front door to converse with visitors until you deem it safe to open the security screen as well.

Even the suggestion of having to pick through dual entry locks is enough to make some burglars decide it’s not worth the effort.

Invest In A Doorbell Cam

Doorbell cameras are becoming increasingly popular as they offer homeowners a way to keep their home safe even when they are not there. Doorbell cameras are especially effective against burglars who like to make sure that no one is home before they enter. Why? Because these con-men will ring the doorbell to check and see if someone answers. If they do, they’ll falsify an excuse before proceeding with a home invasion.

Doorbell cams, most notably the Ring, operate on a monthly subscription fee, where front door footage can be easily viewed on your phone. Even for minor crimes, like stealing packages off the doorstep, crooks are being caught with the help of these doorbell cams – and most crooks now know how to recognize them as a result.

In a study conducted by the Los Angeles Police Department, officials saw a 50% reduction in burglaries in a neighborhood with Ring doorbells.

Remove Entryway Foliage

Obscuring your front door with high hedges, leafy plants, and other foliage can be tempting for privacy concerns, but this only serves as a selling point for burglars. Excessive entryway foliage obscures burglars from sight while they pick the lock of your front door, and prevents them from being seen by passersby.

Meanwhile, an exposed front door will make them feel too seen, and more likely to move on.

Secure Sidelights & Transoms

Barred sidelights and transoms don’t have to be unaesthetic features. Since these tend to be made of glass, they’re tempting entryway points for burglars who decide to give up on the front door itself. If you overlay these with wrought iron scrollwork, however, it’ll only make breaking the glass that much harder.