Here's How: Improve Security of Windows and Doors

James Dulley on Jun 26, 2025

Dear James: We have had some issues with thefts on my street. We try to be careful, but what are some additional security steps we can take ourselves? -- Kyle V.

Dear Kyle: Luckily there are many low-cost security measures you can take to keep your family safe. These typically involve improving window and door security to make a would-be burglar take more time to gain entry. The National Crime Prevention Council found burglars typically will spend no longer than 60 seconds trying to break into a house.

Check all your existing locks and doors, making sure they are sturdy and well installed. A flimsy door with a good lock will do nothing to protect your house. In particular, sliding glass doors offer easy access to a home. You can secure them by placing a broomstick on the inside track to jam the door. To prevent the door from being lifted off the track, drill a hole through the sliding door frame as well as the fixed frame and insert a pin in the hole.

For your other doors, a surface-mounted deadbolt or a rim lock can be very effective and secure. These locks are either key operated or have a spring latch that locks the door when it is closed. A rim lock is easier to install, but it does not give as much protection as a cylinder dead bolt.

To keep a burglar from taking the door off the hinges to gain access to your home, remove a set of opposing screws from a hinge. Hammer a double-headed or scaffolding nail in one hole, leaving its head extended out. Drill out the opposing screw head so the projecting head of the nail slips into this hole when the door is closed. If the intruder removes the pins, the door can't be jimmied off the hinges.

Securing windows is a difficult thing to do because a burglar can always break the glass and crawl through. To save money and time, it is wise to secure only the ground-level windows since it is very unlikely an intruder will go through a second-story window.

Basement windows are a common entryway for intruders because trees and bushes often hide them. Also, basement windows are generally poorly maintained and make an easy option for the burglar. To best protect your basement windows, install an accordion security gate. The gate is locked using a padlock through a latch. An added bonus is that accordion gates are fairly easy to open from the inside during an emergency.

Casement windows can be secured by placing a metal strap across them and attaching the strap to the window frame with screws. A plumber's strap is inexpensive and effective. The strap also makes entry through the glass difficult because it divides the size of the window in half.

Another simple option for casement windows is to remove the crank you use to open the window. It is almost impossible to force the window open without it.

You can install hundreds of security items, but one of the most effective and least costly ways to prevent crime is by setting up a neighborhood watch. A neighborhood watch creates bonds between area residents, helps reduce burglaries and improves relations between police and the communities they serve.

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Send your questions to Here's How, 6906 Royalgreen Dr., Cincinnati, Ohio, 45244 or visit www.dulley.com. To find out more about James Dulley and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.