Door Hardening - To Prevent Kicked In Doors
DECEMBER 5, 2016
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Kicked in front doors are a very current problem. Many front doors are not properly secured against a simple kick. If the door jamb is not re-enforced with an 18″ or longer strike plate or if the door doesn’t have a Grade I or Grade II commercial deadbolt lock, it probably won’t with stand one or two kicks from an average sized person. Also, there should be #9, 3-1/2″ hardened screws in the hinge plates and strike plates. Lastly, to properly re-enforce a door, the edge of the door where the deadbolt lock is installed should be strengthened wirh door edge re-enforcement plates….
LACK OF ANY OF THESE ITEMS WILL LEAVE YOUR DOOR EXTREMELY VULNERABLE TO A KICK-IN.
| Item | Standard | Recommended |
|---|---|---|
| Strike Plate | 2" long w/2 short screws | 18" long w/4 long screws |
| Hinges | 3″ – 3.5″ w/ 3 hole in each leaf | 4″ w/ 4 hole pattern in each leaf |
| Screws | 1/2″ – 5/8″ long #8 (sometimes 1 1/4″ long #8) | 3 1/2″ long #9 hardened |
| Wrap Plates vs. Door Edge Plates | Wrap plates are for covering damage so that you don’t have to replace a door. | Door edge plates are for reinforcing the edge of the door. |
| Dead Bolts | Grade 3 and Non Graded | Grade 2 – Heavy duty residential qualityGrade 1 – Commercial quality |
| Door Viewers | 1/2″ diameter | 3/4″ diameter1 1/2″ diameter (preferred) |
| Camera Viewers | $100-$200 stand alone models – some record on a chip for down loading later | HD fisheye camera wired through a transfer hinge – connected to a DVR (preferably an IP addressableDVR) |
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