When you’re shopping around and researching new entry door options, the benefits of security are always a big issue. All styling and aesthetics aside, the last thing our Orange County, CA customers want are burglars.
Did you know that most home burglaries aren’t committed by professional or experienced thieves?
Most often, they’re done at random and by inexperienced, desperate people.
Nothing makes them move on and away from a home quicker than an obvious high-quality, high-security entry door. They aren’t worth the trouble. Even the strongest of men will over-exert themselves and make a tremendous racket trying to kick them in.
But the question is, when it comes to materials, which is the most secure?
- Wood?
- Fiberglass?
- Steel?
Like so many other good questions in this world, the answer is “It depends on…” a variety of things. First and foremost, who you’re asking.
If you talk to a door company that only installs wood, they’re going to talk up the modern security of wooden doors over other options. The same thing goes for steel. And, here at Today’s Entry Doors, we focus on nothing but Fiberglass Entry Doors, so our focus is their premium security features (coupled with some of our own).
Each material has its pros and cons, but if installed incorrectly or sloppily, even the most secure front door will lose a good percentage of its integrity.
Wood Entry Door Security
Even solid wood doors are going to be less energy efficient and require more maintenance to stay ‘like new’ and secure. Wood breaks down. Wood rots. Wood eventually will succumb to the elements, especially if neglected.
What about a solid wood door & frame system with a proper deadbolt and jamb reinforcement?
It still isn’t going to compete with superior, harder, and more durable materials like fiberglass and steel. Sure, it’s just as hard to kick through a solid oak or mahogany door, but the jamb is usually what breaks first.
Steel Entry Door Security
No one denies that insulated steel entry door systems (solid would be too heavy) are among the most secure in the industry. While they used to be almost exclusively used for commercial businesses, they’ve become more popular in the residential market because of their lower costs compared to high-caliber fiberglass.
And what happens when you kick or abuse a steel door? They can dent, get dings, and nasty scratches. When all is said and done, when side by side, a quality fiberglass and steel front door system will have similar levels of security. However, fiberglass pulls ahead in both styling and energy efficiency.
Fiberglass Entry Door Security
Fiberglass doesn’t dent. It doesn’t ding. And it’s harder to scratch. Custom fiberglass front door systems are at the cutting-edge of home security across the board. Here’s a short video we made to demonstrate the point and provide a bit more visual evidence.
3 Things WE Do To Improve Security With Fiberglass Doors For Our Orange County, CA Customers.
- We invented our own proprietary method and exclusive product, so your locking mechanism is attached to not just the door frame, but also reinforced by being attached to the actual sub-structure of your home. This makes kicking in the door a LOT harder.
- The key to our extra secure installation is a 16-gauge steel security plate designed by Today’s Entry Doors. This plate is installed as reinforcement where the lock meets the door, and then this plate is in turn attached to your house frame.
- We use extra-long screws in multiple places for each hinge. This makes a huge difference in how hard it would be to breach the hinge side of the door. Our method of using extra-long screws also helps keeps the door jamb from being spread apart and sagging.
If you’d like to learn more, please visit our page on Safety & Security.
In Conclusion: It’s Typically Fiberglass or Steel
Key Takeaways
- We can debate material differences, but at the end of the day, the ‘Most Secure’ entry doors are not going to have windows. They’re solid. No glass. No fancy sidelites (especially on the lock side). While not as aesthetically pleasing, this is a fact.
- Nothing compares to a custom, superior-quality entry door system of either fiberglass or steel. Common, inexpensive options from retailers simply can’t compete.
- When you work with a company like Today’s Entry Doors, you get the best security features and deadbolt mechanisms installed by a professional.
We at Today’s Entry Doors believe our fiberglass doors are among the most secure out there. But, we’re not a massive corporation and only really serve homeowners in the Orange County, CA area. What it comes down to for you is your installer. What are they doing to make their doors secure, or are they barely focused on that issue?
If you’re in our part of the country, consider fiberglass and Contact Today’s Entry Doors. We’ll happily answer all your questions, address the security points thoroughly, and walk you through your options. Thanks for your time, and we look forward to hearing from you soon.
