How to Choose the Best Window Locks

Fitting the Right Security Screen Doors to Your Home

20 November 2018

Donald Lopez

On warm evenings it may be tempting to leave your front door open and allow the fresh air to flow through your home. The difficulty, of course, is that an open door is an invitation to thieves to enter your home and swiftly remove all your valuables, so most people suffer through the heat with their doors firmly closed. There is an alternative though: instead of sweltering through the heat, why not consider a security screen that will permit airflow while still protecting your home from anyone seeking an opportunity to break in and steal?

What level of security do you need?

Security screen doors are available in a variety of materials and styles depending on your needs. If your home is in an area that suffers from a high level of crime, then it may be prudent to purchase a steel door with a sturdy grille to deter intruders. If you are more concerned about insects than human intruders, you could be satisfied with a cheaper aluminium screen. With security doors, it is not simply the manufacturing quality which is important but also the standard of installation. There is no value in buying an expensive security screen if it can be easily removed from your door frame leaving your home vulnerable. To ensure the security of your home you should check that any security screen doors you are offered are manufactured to meet Australian Standard AS5039-2008 and that they are correctly installed to meet AS5040.

The construction of your frame

Steel doors are generally considered to be more effective than aluminium doors, although aluminium doors are far less likely to suffer from corrosion. Welded or otherwise reinforced corner joints will help to make the overall construction stronger and less susceptible to damage. The security grille must be fitted into a deep receiver channel so that the edges of the grille cannot be easily pushed from the frame. The infill can be formed from a grille or steel bars; alternatively, you may want to invest in a personalized motif for your infill. Whatever your choice of infill, it is important to check the strength of the material. Often aluminium infills, while giving an appearance of strength, do not offer the same level of protection as a steel infill.

Fixing the grille to the frame

The strength of your frame or grille doesn't matter if the two can be easily separated, allowing access to your home. If your grille is riveted to the frame then it is essential that the rivets are not easily accessible. If you have chosen a grille that is welded to the frame then it is vital that there is no more than 25 centimetres between welding spots.

Locks and hinges

Consider fitting your security screen doors with three-point locks as this should spread the force of any attempted forced entry and stop the top or bottom of the door being pulled back away from a central lock. There should be a least three hinges present on your screen door, and these must be fitted so that they cannot be tampered with by any aspiring intruder.  

When buying or fitting security screen doors, always ask the advice of a qualified professional, who will be able to suggest the right solution for your property.

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