Your apartment door is as vital to your security as getting out of bed is to your day. Whether you already have sufficient apartment door locks, or choose to add a camera or load up on deadbolts, the best security system is the one you actually use.
Smart security solutions for your apartment door encompass anything that can be controlled digitally, usually with a phone app as the dashboard. These include camera doorbells, smart locks, or security cameras, in addition to smart lighting options.
Understanding Apartment Door Basics
Let’s start with the materials that make up the door of your apartment. Opinions on the best door material vary. Wood doors last the longest. Yours should be solid wood, not hollow, and at least 1¾” thick. It’s even harder to break down a steel door, but check these periodically for rust.
Sliding glass doors for the porch or balcony open up your space, letting in natural light and views. Of course you’ll want to take measures to make yours more secure.
Apartment doors act as the main entry, so they are the place to start in overall home security. From a robber’s perspective, the easiest way to break into your apartment is simply to walk through the door.
The Best Apartment Door Security Is One You’ll Use
My college student once had roommates who hated to carry a key. Their solution? Keep the front door unlocked. While you may have matured past this type of logic, think about everyone else who lives with you. A child who loses their key might do better with a keyless entry system.
The sliding glass window security bar protects the apartment only when you put it back every time you leave.
Place the most tech savvy person in charge of any smart system, and make sure they teach everyone else.
Start by Evaluating Your Apartment Door Locks
In addition to the lock built into your doorknob, consider three main types of additional locks. Deadbolts, when locked with a key, extend a block of metal inside the door frame to physically prevent the door from opening.
Keyless entry systems work similarly but substitute a keypad for a key, so it can be opened by anyone who has the code. They’re easy to rekey by changing the door code.
Smart locks enable you to lock and unlock the door remotely using your phone, and to control which users have access. They allow you to check and easily lock the door if you forget. You can also let in a cleaner or child using the app.
Once you’ve evaluated the existing door lock on your apartment, you can consider augmenting it. Strike plate reinforcement gives you a way to beef up a flimsy door, making it harder to kick open. You can add a deadbolt lock, or add on a second one.
A deadlock should be placed 12-18 inches above or below the doorknob. Make sure it can be reached by anyone who needs to unlock it. Avoid double-cylinder locks that require a key from the inside, too. These may be dangerous if you need to leave quickly in case of a fire.
Apartment Door Cameras
Doorbell cameras include microphones that enable two-way conversations and record and alert you to motion sensor video of anyone who comes into the camera’s view. A phone app gives you access. Consider a peephole camera style that mounts inside and outside your door. It has similar functionality to other doorbell cameras, but leaves no extra holes when installing.
Fifteen states have specific laws that differ in the legality of video surveillance cameras. As do some localities. All 50 states weigh in on when audio recordings are allowed.
If you decide to go ahead, position security cameras outside, facing your own door, or inside your apartment pointing only at the inside front door. They usually record based on motion sensors, and while many are video-only, some include audio.
Securing Sliding Glass Apartment Doors
Sliding glass doors open the world up for your viewing from inside your apartment. They save space and let in sunshine.
Thieves, hidden behind your place, need only jiggle the included lock, take it off the track, or even break the glass. Having seen your apartment contents through the door, they know what to take before escaping back through it.
Practical tips for enhancing security include two-bolt sliding door locks, security bars, shatter-proof window film, and alarm sensors.
Two-bolt sliding door locks include a steel bolt that goes into the frame. Security bars, essentially a wooden or steel dowel that sits in the inside track, prevent the door from physically opening. Security window film makes the glass harder to break and holds the pieces together if it does.
Lastly, alarm sensors alert you to an open door – audibly and, with some systems, through the app.
Again, choose the solution you’ll consistently use.
Comprehensive Security Measures Beyond the Door
Burglars want to avoid being caught. They do this by entering apartments they believe have no one home. Only after they choose a vacant unit do locks become a deterrent.
Lights on a timer that clicks them on when the sun goes down – or smart lighting systems that allow you to control them remotely – make your apartment look inhabited even when it’s not. A radio or audible TV works similarly.
Don’t let people – online or IRL – know when you’re going out of town. Have packages held or picked up by a friend.
Thieves also don’t like to get caught. So even if you don’t have an alarm system, consider getting a sign for one. Add motion-sensing lights on your balcony or patio.
Don’t get into an elevator if you don’t feel comfortable. Do not hold the main door for a guest you don’t know. Only buzz into your building if you’re certain who’s there.
In general? Consistently use your security measures and secure your apartment door.
FAQ Section
How to secure a sliding glass door in an apartment?
Two-bolt sliding door locks include a steel bolt that goes into the frame. A security bar that sits in the inside track prevents the door from physically opening. Security window film makes the glass harder to break and holds the pieces together if it does. Lastly, alarm sensors alert you to an open door – audibly and, with some systems, through an app.
Can I put a camera outside my apartment door?
Your landlord and the laws of your state dictate whether you can put a camera outside your apartment door. Peephole cameras, a doorbell camera that fits inside and outside of your door’s peephole, can be installed without leaving damage.
What’s the best way renters can secure their apartment doors?
The simplest and least expensive way renters can secure their apartment doors is to install a keyed, single-cylinder deadbolt 12-18 inches above or below the doorknob.
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