I want to upgrade my entry doors, garage doors and windows.?

Question

I am looking for the strongest and the best entry doors, garage doors and windows. I want to make my house as safe as possible. I already have alarms, cameras, and pretty mean dogs.

Answer 1

Any good to high quality door made of steel or wood will give you a secure entry. However, there are other techniques you can use when installing the doors that make them even more secure. For instance, make certain the door is adjusted properly and especially where the bolt drops into the striker plate. No excess gap here will give you maximum contact area and engagement of the bolt into the pocket. Also, using long wood screws to mount the striker plate to the jamb will prevent it from splitting out the jamb easily. Use screws long enough to go well into the stud located behind the door frame. Then add a couple of long screws above and below the striker plate about 8 - 10" apart that also are long enough to go well into the stud. These will keep the frame from being split apart if kicked or hit with a heavy object.

Garage doors should have a good locking device other than the automatic door opener. When I leave for extended periods of time, I put a c-clamp on each of the two channels that guide the overhead door up and down. Install them just above one of the door rollers. Tighten the C-clamp really tight and the door will not budge from the outside.

Answer 2

Go down to home depot & they should help you with the most secure ones. I dont know about garage doors. I think theres no way around them so basically just stay with your current one (unless you want a new one to match your new doors & windows) & have an alarm ready on it. Then, just install new doors & windows that they recommend. Also, what my family does is we have one storm door outside the normal door & in the winter we use glass, in the summer we use a screen. &the windows that face our unsafe backyard have bars on them. Also, if you have air conditioning in certain windows, make sure you get the bars for air conditioners. Also, if you get those cheap catalogs with sorta useless stuff, they feature one great product which is a doorknob that instead of using keys, has a key code (there are backup keys in case you forget your code but the keyhole is hidden).

Answer 3

Go with reputable products from companies like Andersen, Marvin and other established window/door manufacturers.