A third do not enhance door security

More than a third of Brits do not do anything to improve the security of their home’s entrances, according to recent research.

In 2019 it was reported that 67% of burglars break in through a door, while 21% of all burglars who manage to get in had done so by opening an unlocked door.

Despite this, in a recent survey conducted by bifold door manufacturer Vufold, 34% of respondents confessed to not doing anything to make the doors of their home more secure.

Although over a quarter of people said they ensure the door locks meet British standards (BS3621), only 15% had fitted additional locks.

Rick Collins, director at Vufold, said: “Most bifold doors can be fitted with a multi-point locking system which can provide at least three times the level of security given by a single deadbolt or mortice lock.”

Nearly one in ten respondents had fitted door alarms to prevent break-ins. However, an alarm system must be kept up-to-date, the company said. Previous research found that an ‘old battered alarm system’ could entice burglars as it gives the impression it is not used or working properly.

Katherine McEntire, safety expert at SafeWise, said: “Most security mistakes boil down to simple negligence such as, owning an alarm system but never arming it, leaving access codes out or not keeping them secret, and not using strong passwords or changing them frequently, especially if you have smart devices (eg cameras) in your home.”

A further 8% of survey respondents had installed a security light above the door to ward off intruders.

Rick added: “A light above the door can make homeowners feel safer as it can potentially scare off burglars but it cannot stop someone from entering the home.”

Findings revealed that 58% of burglars break-in when someone’s in the home.

Katherine said: “A security light above a door can only ward off intruders if it mimics human activity. Keeping a light on all day and night might actually attract attention. A better deterrent is getting to know your neighbours and asking them to watch for suspicious activity, especially if you leave town often.”

Large glass doors, such as bifolds, are popular features among homeowners, often used as an entranceway to the garden. To add extra security, they can be installed with laminated glass.

“Laminated glass involves bonding two panes of glass together with plastic interlayers,” Rick said. “This makes it difficult to shatter and, even if a breakage occurred, it would stay in place.”

However, less than 5% of survey respondents had ensured their doors have laminated glass.

Katherine said: “Most criminals do not want to make sound or cause a scene, so they will not try breaking the glass first.”

Installing doors with high-security hinges, a roller system and tracks can stop intruders from removing the doors from its frame.

To protect a property from break-ins, homeowners should install doors with stringent security features that are designed to deny access to an intruder, Vufold said.