Making your front door secure is the first thing you should do in protecting your home from burglary or invasion. Around three quarters of break-ins occur by gaining entry through the front door of a home, so it’s important to do more than remembering to lock your front doors at night.

We have pulled together the best advice using our expertise in helping thousands of customers to boost front door security.

Door locks and latches

You can easily upgrade the security of an existing exterior door by getting a new lock installed. An effective locking system can not only put off a potential intruder, it can also prevent them being able to open the door if they decide to try.

The different types of door lock:

Door restrictor

A door restrictor is affixed to the inside of your front door and features a chain, an added layer of security above the door’s main locking system. It should always be used as a complement to a robust front door lock and latch.

That said, there are many which are strong and effective at helping prevent someone from fully opening your front door if they do manage to gain partial entry.

Door latch

A night latch - also widely known as a Yale lock or a rim lock - has a key to open it from the outside, and a lever to operate it from inside the property. Once the door is closed behind you, this type of lock automatically locks your door. Traditionally these were built for doors which only opened inwards, however we stock many which can be used on outward or inward opening doors. This Brass Cylinder Bird Narrowstyle Nightlatch is a good example. They are effective and affordable, but it is wise to back them up with one of the other types of lock on this list.

Deadbolt lock

These shouldn’t be fitted to a hollow core door, as they can damage the door, rendering the lock ineffective. However a deadbolt can provide effective lock protection on wooden, steel or composite doors. They can only be opened using a key or a thumb turn and can’t be broken into using a credit card or a knife.

Multipoint front door lock

A multipoint lock has a number of internal levers - usually 2 or 3 - which make it more complicated and difficult to force open from the outside. It is fitted to the inside of the door, rather than onto it like a latch or door protector, and is operated using a handle and key. This Ferco 4 roller lock is suitable for both wooden doors and uPVC doors.

5-lever mortice lock

This is the gold standard in door locking systems. The more levers a door lock has, the more difficult it is for someone to break in and gain entry to your home through the front door. It’s high quality standard is one that most home and contents insurance policies stipulate as the best, and our Atlantic Polished Chrome BS 5 Lever Key Deadlock, which is 2.5 inches long, is one of many 5 lever deadlocks we stock which conform to this quality standard, known as BS EN 12209.

Letter box

Letterboxes and letterplates can offer an added piece of front door security, as they can offer a ‘peephole’ into your home, and potentially access to your door opening mechanisms or keys to open the door. Keep keys out of sight and arm’s reach of your letterbox, and fit it with a draught excluder to prevent people seeing or reaching into your home. The Carlisle Brass Satin Chrome Plain Letterplate is a great example of this year’s trend for satin finishes on metal door furniture.

Security cameras and peepholes

A security camera and/or peephole at an entry door allows you to see who’s there and can put off a potential burglar or intruder. As well as being a deterrent, they can be a practical help in preventing people entering your home by deception. There are many ‘smart’ doorbells with security cameras incorporated which can be accessed remotely. This allows you to talk to anyone near your door, which can put off fraudsters and thieves. Peepholes and cameras can now offer wide angle views of the space outside your door, again preventing anyone from sneaking around or surprising you. The Carlisle Brass Polished Brass Plastic Lens Door Viewer is an elegant example of peephole technology we offer for front doors.

Upgrade your front door

It may be best to replace the door entirely to make your front door more high security. Weakness in the door frame, door itself, or the door jamb can allow break-ins to happen more easily. Replacing an old wooden door with a new timber core, composite or uPVC door can prevent unwanted guests gaining entry. Consider your glazing options when choosing a front door. Tempered glass is best for preventing break-ins as it is very hard to smash, and up the security measures by opting for double or triple glazing.