“Prevention is better than cure” is a saying that applies to many many different aspects of life, one of which is the securing of one’s home. This is when security doors come in as the most reliable option for preventing burglars from coming in through the main entrance of your home. However, there is much more to choosing the right security door than meets the eye, so let’s see what you should know in order to make your investment worthwhile.
Meeting the Standard
“Security door” is a meaningless term unless the door meets Australia’s standard AS5039-2008. Making sure that the door you are buying meets this standard should be your number one priority. Apart from standard for the door’s quality, you should also make sure that the installation company meets the designated standard for that service (AS5040). Having a security door that is not properly installed can be very easy to breach as thieves are masters at finding a weakness in your home security.
Frame
The two common materials frames are made out of are steel and aluminium.
Steel: According to the experts, stainless steel security doors (if properly constructed and installed) can be considered among the most effective when it comes to safety. Security doors that meet the Australian standard should also offer protection against corrosion.
Aluminium: Aluminium is weaker than steel, but more resistant to corrosion and the best model of these types of security doors are of the mesh variety. No matter what material or design you choose, the frame should have a deep receiver channel for the grille, deep enough so that the edge can’t be pushed out of the frame too easily. Also, make sure that the connection between the main part of the frame and the receiver channel is sturdy.
Infill
The infill of your door can be made in many different designs forming a decorative motif or bars, from different materials such as: steel, aluminium, griller, structural grade aluminium perforated sheet, or stainless steel mesh. Among one of the most secure options are stainless steel bars and as mentioned before, stainless steel security doors are considered the best among industry experts. Coming in second are stainless steel mesh doors as they provide you with a view while still protecting your property. They are not as secure as steel bars but are the next best thing. Coming in last are aluminium mesh doors; they don’t offer much protection but their appearance does discourages the burglars.
Grilles
Make sure that the cords of the grilles are thick and durable. However, even the strongest grilles aren’t worth anything if they aren’t secured properly to the frame. There are many cases where the grille is riveted to the door. In such case, make sure that the rivets are not aluminium or are not positioned in a too easily accessible place. In addition, make sure that there are at least 25 cm between each rivet and that the rivets are properly aligned. The best option for this problem is getting the grille welded to the frame as this way you will know that everything is aligned and there are no weak points a burglar could access.
