Screw Safety: Securing the Locks on Your Doors

How much wood can a woodchuck chuck if a wood chuck could chuck wood? Well that is not exactly what I am looking for. I want to know how to better protect our investments. When we buy door handles (locks and all), we get small screws that barely grab any wood. Spending 30 cents more can greatly improve our chances of staying safe. After all, safety and looks is why we have chosen to get the new locks to begin with.

Not everyone lives in crime-ridden cities, but that does not matter: Life happens crime happens. When you compare the amount of wood gripped by a 2-inch screw versus a 1-inch screw it is a no-brainer…2 is better than 1. The structure of walls is strong enough to withstand a solid kick as long as the screw is long enough to give that wood some good gripping surface. The amount of force needed to dislodge a pair of these linger screws is far greater than the simple screws provided. This is where the major difference can be found with these two compared lengths. This usage would not prohibit the fire department from being able to rescue you, but it may give you just enough time to elude a burglar or any person trying to enter your domain for that matter. When you rest your head on your pillow at night doesn’t it feel good when you know that everything is locked and secure for you to wake up when you are ready to, not when someone wants to bother you.

Screws come in all sorts of sizes to best suit your individual needs, but safety should be an eminent concern for you if you are thinking about upgrading your security. Starting with some 30 cent objects should not be too far out of your budget. You should replace the shorter screws with longer ones – at the very least-for your front door. If you have a rear or side entry you should do the same there as well. So far you are only speaking of about an increase of less than one dollar. Your life is worth at least that amount, isn’t it? So for less than a few dollars you can replace the screws for all of the catch plates in you house and enjoy knowing that you have simply protected you and your family all the better. Do not even let the fact that you are renting your place deter you from trying to guarantee your safety. The replacement screws will set right into the exact same holes that your original screws came out of. Well that is if you eyed the screws before screwing them in; you can’t stick a watermelon through a carrot.

Usually you can get this job done with a hand screwdriver. But you may have an electric driver handy, go ahead and use that style; you will be done sooner and set for safety in no time at all. You may choose to go past the 2-inch screw and opt for a 2 �½-inch or 3-inch style. Feel free as long as you know you are not tapping into any wires. The 2-inch versions are not long enough to do this, but usually the 3-inchers are not either.

Think about what your possessions are worth and value some screws to that. So let’s see, two screws for the strike/catch plates and two for the handle itself, which makes four if you need. Two doors, that makes eight screws…easy enough for your stuff to be protected.

I would hope that someone out there would be willing to share this advice with someone else, and that it will save you in the end.