The Deadbolt On Your Door Will Not Keep You Safe

I do not know how may times I have seen residential doors easily kicked open, even when they have deadbolts. Of course, you should have deadbolts on your doors in order to keep neighbors from using their credit cards to slip your knob open; and most neighbors will stop short of kicking your door down. But do understand that, if you have a back door that is obstructed from view, then a burglar will go for that door and he will kick it in. Also remember that 1 in 5 homes will experience a home invasion.

To date, the only cost-effective device you can use to make a door kick-in attack unlikely, is A-Best Locksmith's Secure Bolt pictured above. This product is said to be tested to hold up to 800 pounds of force. Granted, you cannot leave for work from your front door and hook this Bolt on the way out. But you can have them in place on your garage and rear doors. Hopefully, your front door is visible to neighbors. When you are home, this bolt can secure every door, making you as secure as you can be from a home invasion. In the event you hear somebody trying to come through one of your doors, you will have ample time to prepare. In fact, I doubt if anybody can get past this device without spending a large amount time ripping the door frame out! With this bolt, you should consider an alarm and motion sensor activated lights above each door to your home. If you live in an apartment complex, you simply cannot afford to not have this product.

A-Best Locksmith can install this on your door for $60 each plus a service call of $50. (Murfreesboro, Nashville, Manchester, Tullahoma, Shelbyville, Mt Juliet, and Lebanon, TN.) If you would like to order this product over the phone, your cost is $29 each. Bulk rates are available for apartment complexes. Call David at 615-308-6794. Flat rate shipping of $10.95 USPS. Visa and Master Card accepted.

Sagging Commercial Metal Doors

Pemko Hinge

Because employees often use blocks of wood between the door and jamb in order to keep the door open, door hinges are often damaged, as are the door and frame. When the door frame and door supports for the hinges are bent, it is all down hill for the rear door opening. If you have ever priced a commercial door, you will be in for one big surprise.

Before you spend $50 installing three new commercial hinges, be aware that doing so may not solve your problem. If the damage to the door appears to mild, try this money saving trick. Be sure to use a larger Phillips screwdriver, the one that is sized up above the #2. I think it is a #3. Have someone hold the door open, remove the bottom hinge, which is the least likely hinge to be damaged, and replace it in the top hinge location. By doing this, the bent top hinge will push the lower end of the door out and the normal bottom hinge will pull the top of the door in. If the damage is slight, the door may work just fine. Instruct your employees to prop the door open with a garbage can or large brick. Nothing should ever go between the open door and jamb. When you put something in this place, somebody inevitably tries to force the door shut, unaware of the obstruction. The leverage they apply is multiplied and damage easily results.

If the door and jamb supports have been totally bent, consider using a Pemko Continuous hinge. This hinge installs on the outside and runs the entire length of the door. They have a lifetime warranty. My advice would be to forget the standard commercial hinges in favor of this. Install this hinge once and forget it. Your locksmith pays $97 for this hinge, which comes in bronze of silver, and he will install it for $300 to $400, depending on certain factors. If you are handy, you could probably install it yourself. Just read the online literature at Pemko.

Commercial Rear Door Emergency Exit Rules

If you have an emergency exit sign above a door, then you have an emergency exit. Besides making sure the "emergency exit" sign is well lit, and that there are no obstructions blocking egress through that door, you must also be careful to insure that the door in question can be exited in one motion. That means you cannot have a door that must be activated or unlocked twice before a person can leave. The reasons are fairly obvious. In the event of a fire or violent crime, a person must be able to hit that door running without having to stop and think about which lock to unlock first. It may seem simple at first thought; but think about it. When people are frightened by danger, their only concern is getting away from the danger.

This means you can have only one locking device on that door. However, there are a number of things you can do to better secure your emergency exit. Let's face it: a rear door with only a lever is not going to keep you secure. After 23 years of door lock servicing I can help you with some ideas. I will list some pros and cons for each solution.

1. You can keep the lever, but be sure to add a Don-Jo latch guard on the outside to keep people from prying the door open after hours.  Pro - The guard will take more effort to breach. Con - I have not seen a latch protector yet that could not be breached.  Also, people are learning how to attack the key cylinder with a drill. A skilled burglar with a drill can gain entrance to your business in less than 60 seconds.
2. Install a Security Exit Bar. Pro - I have not seen one defeated in my life. It is easy to install and burglars cannot see it. Con - It can only be legally used when the business is closed. However, use a lever with a latch guard for daytime security. This would be my choice from experience!
3. Install a Detex 230D. This device uses a deadbolt and an alarm which will alert you to employees or customers who are leaving or opening the door unauthorized. Pro - From the outside, nobody knows it is there. Con - You have to unlock it by key every time an employee needs to go to the dumpster.
4. Install a regular panic bar. I like the Von Duprin 22 series. Pro - It can be installed without outside trim so it is invulnerable to outside attack. Con - It does not have quite the holding force of a Security Exit Bar or a Detex 230D.
5. Don't forget the commercial-grade peephole!

Exit Security Bar for the Commercial Backdoor

I can remember one Murfreesboro, TN client who absolutely refused my advice regarding the security of his back door. I told him that, for under $200, he could have the best and cheapest piece of insurance he could ever imagine. All he could say to my advice was, "I cannot afford that."  Two weeks later, this man's back door was easily compromised and he lost $30,000 worth of goods in just under 4 minutes; and the theft occurred with the burglar alarm in full siren!

One customer of mine in Murfreesboro, TN has this bar. But he is also in code violation because he has two deadbolts and a door lever as well.  His business was hit by would-be burglars four nights in a row. Both deadbolts were ripped out of the door as well as the door lever. The bottom of the door was slightly flared out at the bottom. The burglars never gained entry and the bar is still in excellent condition.

In extreme environments, some of my clients in the music industry have two of these devices on each door of their storage warehouse!

Consider the Exit Security Bar for your out-swinging commercial back door. Exit Security Bar is a device that will fit the 36, 42, and 48 inch door. They also have a device for the double door 72 inch opening and a model for in-swinging doors.  All parts are steel and come in an attractive gray finish.  The bars also come with standard L bolts for regular sized door jambs.  However, if your door jamb depth exceeds 6-3/4 inches, then you will need the extra long bolts.

How easy is it to install this device?  I Install it in under 30 minutes!

• First, you need a drill, drill bits, hammer, level, and pair of Vice Grips or socket/wrench set. I install these bars using a pair of Vice Grips.
• Second, hold the appropriate bar against the door to the approximate height and mark the two bolt holes. Use a level or measure from the floor.
• Third, drill the bolts holes through to door.  Insert the elevator bolts through the holes and set them with a hammer. When drilling, wobble out the inside holes a bit for maneuverability.
• Fourth, install bar and use the nuts provided to tighten the bar.
• Fifth, install the L bolts in the appropriate second bar, but do so loosely.  Attach this bar to the bar you attached first, tighten the L bolts nuts. Install warning sticker.

There simply isn't a safer and more durable product on the market.  This product is far more secure than a deadbolt, panic bar, or lever.  If your back door has only a lever with a latch guard, you have no protection.  Most codes will not allow you to have two operating locks per emergency exit.  With the Exit Security Bar, you can keep your present door lever or panic bar. During operating hours though, the Exit Bar must be removed for safety reasons. Use this bar when the business closes for the day.