Better Maintenance for Higher Home Security

It is a fact that when you care for something well, it works better for longer. This hold true for all security devices used in the typical modern home and for the fixtures and fittings that they are connected to. Find out how you can make your house more secure by maintaining door locksets, other security devices, doors and the surrounding area.

Effective Care on a Regular Basis

Since locks and doors are the main items responsible for home security, you should start by caring for them even better. All locks need inspection, testing, cleaning and lubrication. If you notice any physical signs of damage even in case they are scratches, you should go for lock repair without delay. Test the lockset by turning the key slowly to lock and unlock the door. If the process is harder or slower than usual, you should get the device checked and fixed. For cleaning, you should use a can of compressed air. Graphite powder lubricant, which is especially designed for locking devices, is the right type of product for lubricating the keyhole.

Door maintenance involves the same tasks as lock care. You should check the entire door and especially the hinges, weather stripping and frame for damage and wear and tear. Test how well the door closes. It must fit perfectly inside the frame when it is in closed position. If you notice any issues, timely repair is essential. It is best to clean the unit with cloth damped in a solution of liquid detergent and water. Fresh water rinsing with a piece of cloth is also essential. You need to dry the door with cloth to ensure that water will not get to the metal components including the door lock.

When the door is equipped with a closer, this device must be properly maintained as well. Not only commercial door closers require regular care. The ones used on patio doors need checking, testing, cleaning and lubrication. Watch out for rust and oil leakage. In such cases, repair or replacement is required. The device should be cleaned with a safe cleaner which does not cause corrosion and dried with cloth. Use lubricant recommended by its manufacturer.

One really important detail which many homeowners miss is to make the area surrounding the exterior door as clearly visible from the street and the house as possible. Ensure that there is no thick vegetation which blocks the view to the entry point. Shrubs and low tree branches should be trimmed regularly. Make sure that you change the bulbs of lamps which lit the entryway right away whenever this is required. You can also consider replacing existing lights with ones that have motion sensor detectors for even higher security at night. This can be done along with new lock installation.