Home Security Gadgets & Reviews

If you’ve read our article on Choosing Deadbolt Locks, then you’re probably shopping for new locks for your doors. As mentioned in that article, lock-picking is actually fairly uncommon when it comes to breaking-and-entering but methods with less finesse, such as jimmying the lock, are simple and therefore popular with thieves.

To thwart a burglar armed with a crowbar, you may want to consider a jimmy-proof deadbolt lock.

Also called a vertical deadbolt, a jimmy-proof lock can put up a lot of resistance to jimmying attacks. These deadbolts have rectangular bodies with multiple cylindrical bolts on the end. The locks are mounted on your door so the bolts are aligned with the eyeloops of a matching strike plate. Because the bolts drop vertically, instead of extending horizontally, the lock can’t be separated from the strike plate without breaking the whole thing.

If you’re considering a jimmy-proof lock, just keep in mind that they’re really only effective when installed on a strong door with a strong door frame. (The doors in a lot of typical homes aren’t strong enough to properly support a jimmy-proof deadlock). But then, for good home security, it may be time to replace your exterior doors anyway!

Several models are available from Amazon: Jimmy-Poof Locks

When you move into a new house, condo, or apartment, it’s a good idea to have the locks changed, since you don’t know how many people have lived there in the past who might still have copies of the keys to your door locks. And if you lose a key during your own time as the homeowner, you may also want to change locks.

Changing out door locks is a bit of a pain however. That’s why this new system from Kwikset looks nice.

Kwikset’s SmartKey lets you re-key your own locks quickly and easily without removing the mechanism from the door. Also the locks are supposed to be good for other home security reasons.

The SmartKey uses a patented “side locking bar technology” which replaces your traditional pin and tumbler design. This design also features “BumpGuard” protection for improved security against lock bumping. (Lock bumping is a burglar’s technique that uses specially cut keys that can get through regular pin and tumbler locks.)

All in all, the SmartKey looks like a wise investment.

More information from KwikSet

We talk a lot about fancy home security systems and home video surveillance around here, but it’s important to remember the basics when you’re protecting your family and your house.

Sturdy door locks go a long ways in fortifying your home. Most thieves are looking for the easy way in, and if they see you’ve done a good job on the doors, they’re likely to choose another target.

Pay attention to each of these areas:

Exterior Doors

For exterior house doors, choose solid hardwood or steel doors with peep holes (glass windows can be broken, and hollow-core doors are easier to kick down). Install deadbolt locks on all exterior doors.

If you’ve got glass panes near the door, consider installing a double-cylinder deadbolt. A keyed entry on both sides keeps burglars from breaking the glass, reaching inside, and opening the door.

Sliding Patio Doors

These glass doors can be weak spots in your home security. Install a keypad lock or a security bar on every patio door in your home.

Garage Doors

Another potential weakness, garages are often poorly secured. Since an attached garage offers entry the house, it’s important not to overlook the doors here.

Don’t rely on an automatic garage door opener for your sole source of security. Instead install a separate keyed locked. If you’re going to be gone overnight, use a padlock and hasp to secure the door leading from the garage into the house. For extend trips away from home, you may also want to consider a padlock through the garage door track just above one of the rollers.

Windows

Don’t forget about the windows when you’re securing the doors. For ground floor windows in particular, you should install a lock on each one. You can add keyed locks for extra security.

Source: “Stop Intruders at the Door” Fall/Winter 2007 Better Homes & Gardens “Exteriors”

If you’ve always thought it was neat when guests came to apartment complexes or condos and pressed the intercom to talk to the homeowner and be let in, now that’s something you can achieve in your own home.

The Doorbell Fon Door Answering System from SmartHome hooks into your doorbell. When the button is pressed, the system rings the phones in your house with a distinctive ring. Just pick up the phone, and you can find out who’s at the door without even leaving the room. If friends are at the door, tell them to let themselves in, and if it’s a salesman, tell him to take a hike.

SmartHome also sells a kit that you can hook up in addition to the Doorbell Fon, which allows you to press star to unlock your door. Just the answering system shown here is $150.

Doorbell Fon Door Answering System

If you travel a lot, or you’re staying in a college dorm room or an apartment in an urban neighborhood, you might want a little extra door security; after all flimsy locks–locks you don’t have any control over if you’re a renter or just staying the night–can be broken down with a strong kick. This door jammer brace from Mace Security International offers a little extra peace of mind.

The heavy-duty 20-gauge steel bar is a suped up version of a door stop. Instead of just being wedged under the door, it is angled and braced underneath the knob. The product description over at Amazon promises it adjusts to fit most hinged doors, and the end caps can be removed to allow for use on sliding glass doors as well. The price is $20.

Big Jammer Door Brace

If you’re always losing your keys, or would just like to take your house into the 21st Century, you could spring for new door locks that don’t require keys at all. This knob can be opened via a combination on a number pad, so it’s just like punching in your ATM code. Enter the string of numbers that you choose as the code, and voila: the door opens.

You can program in combinations from 2 to 8 digits in length, and you can have up to 6 different codes, so everybody in the house can choose their own, something they can remember. The punch keys glow in the dark, so it’s no problem unlocking your door at night.

Available in a handsome oiled bronze finish, the touch pad lockset sells at SmartHome for $125:

Touchpad Lock Doorknob

Doors and windows are the most important parts of your home to pay attention to when it comes to home security. This is because these mark all the possible routes into your home that a burglar could use. We’re pretty good about locking our doors, but we don’t always remember to pay attention to the windows, especially upper story windows.

Both ground floor and second-story windows should have secure locks on them. For added protection, you could install a security bar as well. The nice thing about this bar is that it can provide additional support to a locked window, but it can also ensure a partially opened window is still “locked,” so that no one can get in from the outside. This is nice in the summer when it’s hot and you don’t want to have all the windows in the house shut.

It’s available for $25 from Brookstone:

Window Security Bar

A deadbolt is a smart way to add extra security to your door. Deadbolts are very hard to force, and nobody is going to just kick in the door with one barring the way. Not every hotel room has one, however, so you might want to consider something like this portable “Smart Lock” security door bolt if you travel a lot. It attaches in less than a minute and doesn’t require tools or leave any permanent marks.

This could also be a good choice for a dorm room or apartment where you aren’t allowed to drill holes and start making permanent changes to the premises. It would even work fine in your own home, if you’re not the handy type or just don’t fancy the idea of getting out a bunch of tools and messing with a DIY installation.

The portable system runs $6.50-$18.50 at Amazon: Smart Lock Security Door Bolt