3 Ways To Make Your Mobile Home Door More Secure
Do you live in a mobile home? A mobile home can offer a very affordable and enjoyable way to live. However, mobile homes are usually built for cost efficiency. By making mobile homes as affordable as possible, manufacturers may not emphasize other areas like security. Mobile homes can sometimes lack some of the security features that make make houses secure, such as doors that deadbolt or door and window frames made from sturdy construction.
You can take steps, though, to secure your mobile home. Here are tips for securing your mobile home's exterior doors:
Get a solid door. Most mobile home doors are build with affordability in mind. That means they may have a wood exterior over a hollow or Styrofoam interior. The problem with this is that even with a lock, the door could be easily pried or even kicked open.
Instead, look for an exterior door that has solid wood construction, similar to a door for a traditional house. That kind of door will take much more effort on an intruder's part to get the door open. You may have to pay a little more for a solid exterior door, but that money will likely be worth it when it comes to securing your home.
Install a deadbolt. Many mobile home doors often come with only a lock on the door handle. While that lock can provide a good initial level of security, it likely won't stop someone who is determined to break in. A handle lock can be compromised with a screwdriver or even with sheer physical force. A deadbolt, on the other hand, usually can't be compromised in those manners.
If you have a sturdy door, a person can generally only get through a deadbolt if they have the key to turn the lock. You can usually have deadbolts installed as an add-on feature to most doors.
Buy a security plate. A door security plate is a unique tool that goes on the door as a complement to the traditional door knob. One of the easiest ways for an intruder to break into a mobile home door is by using a crow bar to pry the door open.
The security plate prevents this from happening. It goes on over the door knob and a piece of the plate overlaps the door frame. That blocks an intruder from using a crowbar at that portion of the door to pop the handle open. These plates are relatively affordable, so they provide a good, initial level of protection.
If you're concerned about security, talk to you mobile home door dealer. They can recommend the best doors and features for your needs.