Business Security Information

I just got done watching this short video (2 minutes) on installing a security door plate on a residential door with a wood frame.  It showed how this security plate could provide another layer of security against a criminal that tries to break in by kicking down your door.  As you watch, you will see that the door leads to what appears to be the speaker’s home office.  Although many commercial structures have metal doors with metal door frames which do not need security door plates, I have seen numerous offices and other commercial buildings which have exactly the same type of doors with wood frames where security door plates would have helped reduce the risk of someone kicking down the door.  Also, note that the security door plate helps the deadbolt lock resist such an attack (the door entry lock or door handle lock really is not affected by this security measure.)  Along this line, I would recommend that you install deadbolt locks on your exterior doors if you have not already.  Make sure any exterior door locks you use are resistant to lock bumping (read the definition and watch the videos on lock bumping to understand the dangers from this type of attack).

Installing the Security Door Plate

Since the security plate is installed before installing the door, it would, in most cases, require that you install it when constructing a new building or remodeling an existing structure.  You could remove an existing door, install the security door plate, and then reinstall the existing door, but this may not be the easiest way to go.  I would recommend installation of security door plates either during new construction or when remodeling a structure.

If you have an existing door, you can install a high-security strike plate for the deadbolt lock which provides more resistance to this type of attack.  A strike plate is the metal plate that is on the door frame in which the bolt of the lock fits when the lock is engaged.  This picture gives an example of an installed high-security strike plate.  As you may be able to tell from the picture, the high-security strike plate that I installed on my doors is a basic striker plate that also has a metal box attached to it.  The deadbolt when locked then goes into the metal box instead of the wood door frame.  The high-security strike plate also requires that you use long enough screws to secure the strike plate to the frame of the structure and not just the door frame.

Security Door Plate Video

Other Security Items

There is another security detail that you should pay attention to in the video.  The door used in the demonstration has a window in it which would allow easy access into the structure or allow the criminal to open the deadbolt lock if it was only keyed on the exterior side of the lock.  The speaker showed an uninstalled security grill which would reduce the risk of someone breaking the glass in the window.  One thing I would note is that the security grill should be installed on the interior of the door so that it could not be taken off  by removing the screws (even security screws) if installed on the exterior portion of the door.  Plexiglass inserts could also be used as an alternative to the security grill.  I have used these before, and they are fairly inexpensive, and you can do it yourself if you want.  Get sheets of plexiglass, cut to fit the opening, remove the window framing on the interior of the door, install the plexiglass, and reinstall the window framing.  The speaker also talked about the use of Lexan instead of glass which is a good security measure against someone trying to break through the window.  Lastly, you can also install security film, which is like tint film you install in a car but it strengthens the glass so it is more resistant to breakage.

Paying attention to details can help improve security for your business. Improvements do not always have to be the most expensive ones to be effective.  Remember effective security is in the details.

What other security improvements have you found to be effective?  Leave a comment and share that experience with other readers.

Related posts:

1. Strike Plate
2. Security Lock Plate
3. Anti-Shim Latch