How to Secure a Door from the Inside (10 Effective Ways)
Imagine what it would be like to hear footsteps in the middle of the night? You would drown in fear that someone has broken into your house and would generally freeze in your bed. So would we!
But did you know the possibility of such scenarios would be exceptionally low if you learn how to secure a door from the inside? Yes! It is absolutely possible to increase your home security by following one of the effective ways to hinder forced entry.
What practical ways are we talking about here? Well, that is what this article is exactly about. You will get to know all about the ways that can provide additional security to the entry doors after going through it.
10 Effective Ways to Secure Doors from the inside
How did we find out effective ways to secure the doors? We have implemented most of the techniques that people follow to secure entry doors. And we found that most of them cannot really correctly keep the door closed when an intruder is trying to get a forced entry. However, these are the methods that worked.
Method 1: Install Door Barricade Devices
A few minutes of DIY is something that everyone is okay with, right? Well, if that is the case for you, the door barricade devices would be the right pick!
But what is a door barricade? Otherwise known as a security brace, a door barricade will usually have two parts. One is the base plate, and the other is the barricade rail. Both of them will increase the door security and limit someone trying to get the door open when placed correctly.
Are you wondering how it works? Let us consider the Nightlock door barricade as an example. You would need to get the base plate on the floor by using the screws that came included with the barricade. Use a power drill and place the screws according to the instructional manual of the Nightlock door barricade.
Once the base plate and other hardware are in place, you just need to slide the lock rail on top of the floor plate. That would restrict someone trying to get the door open. But how do you unlock it? Simply follow the reverse procedure!
That said, the Nightlock door barricade is pretty secure on its own. It would be of sturdy metal, an extruded aluminum with an anodized finish, enhancing durability further.
But in the case of sliding patio doors, the Nightlock would not work. You would need to look at the door security barricade options that are specifically for a sliding door. And, those door security options for sliding doors and French doors will have a floor plate and a base plate. So, the setup process should be somewhat the same.
Advantages of This Door Security Method
- Exceptionally effective against kick-in
- Utilizes durable floor plate and parts
- It does not require any modification on the doors
- Compatible with French doors
- Models are available for outward opening doors and sliding doors
Disadvantages
- You would need to drill holes
- Requires you to bend in order to unlock the doors
Method 2: Door Chain Locks
Standard door chain locks might seem like they can secure a door. But in most cases, it would be too weak and would not be able to withstand greater forces. So, an extremely secure option would be to opt for a heavy-duty alternative instead of the standard door chain locks.
If you check out this guide on door chain lock, you will get to know about the models that are capable of increasing the home’s security. They would be better than the standard models because they can highly withstand kick-ins. And in fact, getting one of them would be the best cheap way to secure doors.
That said, the real purpose of the door chain is to secure a door with the door frame. In fact, it can help reinforce a door frame to some extent. But again, that would be only possible if you opt for heavy-duty options. Those would act as a natural barrier to the doors. The standard ones will not cut it!
On that note, if you are looking for additional security, combining the half deadbolt along with door chain locks can be an option. This combination will work like a charm when it comes to keeping doors extremely secure. And if you combine it with a Advantages of This Door Security Method
Another effective method to secure a door from the inside would be to opt for keyless door reinforcement locks. Most of these options will be easy to install, and the installation process will take about 15 minutes. In a general sense, you would just need to mount the door lock into the door jamb using the included screws. However, it would be best if you did some measuring and drilling before that. Once installed properly, these will be capable of withstanding up to 800 pounds of force. Furthermore, most of the reinforcement locks will have a solid overall build quality. That makes them capable of securing the exterior door properly. Also, if you pair these up with a deadbolt, the security level will be exceptionally high. Another great thing about this method is that unlocking the doors would be a relatively easy task. There will be no need to bend over, nor will you need to use a key to open it. And you will not have to worry about drilling wood floors, as it will install directly on the door, just like a door handle. Additionally, it will come into play when you forget to lock the door when you are home. There would be no need to worry about double cylinder lock as this reinforcement lock for the door would be enough to secure the door from the inside. But do check your fire code before installing because the fire code can make you violate some laws. Security bars are a quick solution when it comes to improving the security of the door. And the best part is that a security bar will require no drilling, nor will you have to go through any hassles in terms of installing this to the doors. Like the other options, you will find plenty of models available for the security bars. However, not all will meet the same standard. So, it is crucial to check the build quality and overall sturdiness before purchasing a door security bar. Nonetheless, once you get a proper security bar, you would sign up to enhance the security of the doors. As we mentioned, installing door security bars is pretty straightforward. You need to place the yoke under the doorknob tightly. The bottom part will rest on the floor. In other words, the security bar would only attach to the doorknob. That means you will not have to go through the hassle of drilling if you want to install a security bar on your doors. Most door security bars will also offer you the ability to adjust the height easily. And the best part is you can install a security bar with a sliding door. That said, door security bars are pretty portable. You can use one for bedroom doors, sliding doors, and other doors as required. Also, you can carry them when you are traveling. That will allow you to secure a hotel room door. So, if you are not looking for permanent solutions, a door security bar might be the best pick for you! The portable door lock would be an excellent option for people who want to increase the hotel room’s security. Like the previous lock method, this will secure the door without you having to make any permanent change. Most of the emphasis goes to portability. You can carry it with you anywhere and install it on most of the doors without the need to use any tools. That means it will be possible to get an extra layer of security and privacy without having to go through any hassles if you opt for the portable lock. On that note, it does not require any additional plates. It basically works on the inward opening doors. And you can get it set up in just 15 seconds. The lock will generally consist of two main parts. To make a door secure, you just need to install the claws to the strike plate. After that, close the door and place the rod inside the hole of the metal body. It might seem complicated at first sight, but it is exceptionally straightforward. And let us not forget the retractable nature of the lock. That will allow you to carry it with ease. Door jammers are another option that you should check out if you want to opt for a compact lock system. But can it actually secure the door from the inside? Let us walk you through! First of all, a door jammer lock would be exceptionally small in size. The compact form factor makes the lock highly portable. Most of the door jammers will even weigh just 7.4 Oz. For that reason, you will not have to face any issues in terms of carrying it around. The working principle of door jammers is pretty simple. These would basically convert horizontal force into vertical force. Due to this operating principle, it would be possible to use a door jammer on most surfaces and inward swinging doors. You can even use these on wood floors. Furthermore, door jammers would usually have construction of rugged steel. As a result, a door jammer would have higher durability than any other regular lock system. And you will find door jammers being available in two different sizes. One would be for travel purposes, and the other would be for residential homes. However, the installation process is the key for the door jammers. If you do not install a door jammer properly, it will not be capable of offering extra protection and security on the doors. That said, if you combine door jammers with door wedges, you can get maximum security on the door. The bedroom door is not the only part of the home that most focuses on when planning to enhance the overall home security. And many want to get extra security on the front door without installing door armor. That is where the video doorbells would come into play. There are plenty of options out there. And most importantly, the video doorbells are available at different price points. The advanced ones will cost a bit higher than the usual, but the upgrades that they offer will surely be worth it. That said, no matter which option you get, you will have the ability to view who is at the front door before you answer the bell. Some will even have a built-in speaker, which will let you ask the stranger questions. That feature will come in handy when you get an unexpected delivery shipped to your door. Moreover, many of the video doorbells will have a streaming option. They will let you monitor the front of the door when you are not in the home. When they are paired with a motion sensor, they will start recording once someone is on the front door. That will add a layer of security. If you want to get your door fully packed, door armor such as the reinforcement kits should be in your consideration. These hold the ability to strengthen the strike plate and the door jamb and make them capable of withstanding higher brute force. There are plenty of these kits available in the market. Each will have a unique approach in reinforcing the parts of the door. We are basically referring to the kits that are proven to work in this segment. And those would usually come with two door shields, two hinge shields, and one jamb shield. The concept is pretty simple. Once you get those shields installed, you would have the ability to convert an ordinary door into something highly resistant to kicks and brute force. Some will even come with a lifetime warranty. That means if someone does manage to break in through those kits, you get full support. On that note, you will find a couple of options that will be portable. You can take them with you while traveling. You might have a sliding door in your house. And unfortunately, not all of the reinforcement locks will fit on those. That is exactly where the horizontal bars come into play. Unlike the other methods we have looked at, the horizontal security bar is a permanent solution. And, no, it will not reinforce the sliding door from the outside. Instead, you would have to work on the installation process from the inside. That would call for some drilling and tools. However, just like some of the other methods, you will find these bars available in different models and versions. Each of them is for a specific type of door with a sliding mechanism. That means you will be able to get the one that will have a perfect fit on your door. After a proper installation, you will have the ability to keep the door locked while it is in the open state. Yes, you read that right! That will enhance the airflow in your room. And you should not worry too much about the visuals because when it is not in use, you can hide it! The last and final method we have in our hands is to reinforce the hinges. It is one of the cost-effective ways to add more security to your door. Wondering how? Let us get into describing! If you do not have a proper idea regarding hinges, it is the thing that attaches to the door frame. And it allows the pivoting action. You will find them on the side that is opposite the lock. A weak hinge is the primary target of the burglars. No matter how good of a security system you implement, some of the intruders will target the vulnerability of the door and break in without having to use any brute force at all. When it comes to upgrading, we would recommend getting the options that have a sturdy build quality. Also, consider the screws because they play an important part in terms of adding security. The door chain locks do add a layer of security to your existing door. Considering that, we would say that they are 100 percent worth it! Not really; they would not make sense on a door that has a sliding mechanism. Instead, look for the horizontal security bars. Security bars are a great pick in this regard. They are highly portable and will offer a good amount of security. No! They do not require any drilling. Instead, you would need to attach them with the doorknob. You can increase the security level by utilizing different methods. But the door will not be fully burglar-proof. The bottom line is that if you know how to secure a door from the inside, you can enhance the door’s security and make it burglar-proof at a higher level. And we hope that this article offered you all of the information you were looking for regarding the topic.Disadvantages
Method 3: Keyless Door Reinforcement Lock
Advantages of This Door Security Method
Disadvantages
Method 4: Door Barricade Security Bar
Advantages of This Door Security Method
Disadvantages
Method 5: Portable Door Lock
Advantages of This Door Security Method
Disadvantages
Method 6: Security Door Jammer Or Security Door Brace
Advantages of This Door Security Method
Disadvantages
Method 7: Install a Video Doorbell
Advantages of This Door Security Method
Disadvantages
Method 8: Door Reinforcement Kit
Advantages of This Door Security Method
Disadvantages
Method 9: Horizontal Security Bar
Advantages of This Door Security Method
Disadvantages
Method 10: Reinforce the Hinges
Advantages of This Door Security Method
Disadvantages
Frequently Asked Questions
Are door chain locks worth it?
Can I install chain locks on a door with a sliding mechanism?
Which security for a door can I carry with me easily?
Do portable door locks require drilling?
Can you make a door fully burglar-proof?
Final Words