Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Good dead-bolt locks are worthless if the door can be forced off its hinges.
The next critical point is to make sure that the frame is properly mounted
into the structure itself. The door frame should be steel. Strong steel doors
mounted into wooden frames won't do the trick. A steel frame, however,
can be easily mounted into the wooden structure of the dwelling with long,
heavy-duty screws. Once the steel frame is securely mounted, the steel
door won't be too easy to force open. One note of caution: Many police
officers have attempted to serve search or arrest warrants to people living
in tenements with steel doors mounted into steel frames. Frequently, upon
application of a battering ram, the entire wall starts to buckle in. Overall
sturdy construction cannot be overlooked.
Doors also should have a peephole or eyepiece large enough to see a
significant area in front of the door. Many excellent designs have a lens
providing a 180-degree panoramic view. They are definitely worth the few
dollars that they cost. Every family member, including children and
domestics, needs to look through the peephole prior to opening the door.
Even when someone is expected or if a known visitor acknowledges his or
her presence verbally, look through the peephole. It is very common for
intruders to wait for someone to arrive home before attempting entry.
They may either attempt to rush the door as it is opened or may try to
gain entrance by forcing a familiar person to announce him- or herself.
The simple step of looking before opening the door can provide an added
level of protection against this tactic.
Outside doors must have sturdy dead bolts. Once again, the con-
struction of the frame is critically important. A steel door and heavy dead
bolt is rendered worthless if the bolt is secured into a flimsy frame. This
must be given a great deal of attention. A variety of after-market products
are available to reinforce door locks. Most are excellent, effective, inex-
pensive, and easy to install. Some, such as three- or four-point lateral slid-
ing bolts, which are common in countries like Israel, are more expensive
but are worth the cost. It is worth repeating again that all of these meas-
ures are worthless if the frame is substandard.
Several companies manufacture excellent security doors, which are
also quite attractive and are available in numerous designs and styles. The
Israeli firm Rav-Bariah is one of several. Its security products are among
the best in the industry. Exhibit 6.1 shows examples of residential doors
offered by Rav-Bariah.
All Rav-Bariah doors are available with many desirable accessories,
such as a four-way lock, high-security cylinder, double cylinder protector,
