Few things are more exciting than buying a home for the first time. Once the initial excitement of being a homeowner wears off, you will have to focus your attention on keeping your property safe and well-maintained. Many homeowners think that burglaries are something that affects other people. Statistically speaking, you’re very likely to become the victim of a home burglary at some time in your life.

In the United States, a home burglary occurs once every thirty seconds. The front door is one of the most common access points used by burglars. If your front door isn’t secure, it is time to make changes. Below are some things you can do to improve front door security.

1. Invest in a High-Quality Deadbolt Lock

The first line of defense you have against a front door breach is your deadbolt lock. Many homeowners fail to realize that not all deadbolt locks are created equal. Leaving a low-quality deadbolt in place will make it difficult to prevent forced entries into your home. As you start to look at the deadbolt replacement options on the market, you need to make sure you choose a product that is ANSI Grade 1.

The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) grading system was developed for the sole purpose of identifying durable locksets. The highest grade on this scale is one. An ANSI Grade 1 lock can withstand over ten strikes producing a force of around 75 pounds. With the addition of one of these locks, you can make your front door more secure.

2. Take a Look at Your Door Frame and Hinges

Your door frame and hinges play an integral role in front door security. If you want to improve the security at your front door, then reinforcing these common elements is crucial. Reinforcing your hinges and door frame is easier than you probably realize.

You first need to check the size of the screws in your existing door hinges. You need to make sure these screws are at least 2.5 inches long. Leaving screws that are shorter than an inch in place can pose a serious security threat.

Investing in a door frame reinforcement kit is the next step in this process. These kits will contain things like hinge shields and metal jambs. When installed, these kits can make your front door more resistant to force attacks.

3. Focus Your Attention on the Deadbolt Striker Plate

Your striker plate helps to keep the deadbolt lock engaged when a door is closed. These plates are attached to the door jamb with screws. Replacing the factory striker plate screws with longer options is a good idea. Longer screws will keep your striker plate firmly attached to the door jamb.

This can help your door withstand forced entry attacks. You also need to make sure your existing striker plate isn’t bent or compromised in any way.

The time you spend beefing up front door security will pay off in the long run.