You deserve to feel safe and protected, whether you reside in a home, an apartment, a duplex condominium, or a mobile home. Security bars are a crucial layer of defense for your entry door that prevents forced entry into your home.
Below, we will show you how door bars can give you a feeling of safety and security in your home.
What Is a Door Barricade Bar?
Standard door security bars (or door barricade bars) are made of thick, high-quality steel bars that stretch across the door’s width to prevent forced entry. They are available in different sizes to fit all sorts of doors. Some even have alarm systems that work well with particular door types like sliding doors.
Why Should We Use a Security Bar?
If you already have a sturdy door with a reliable lock, you might ask yourself, “why do I need to use a door bar or jammers?”. In a simple sentence, they offer an effective and inexpensive additional layer of security for your home.
Thieves and burglars have great skill in easily dislodging sliding doors and breaking all types of door locks. Using high-quality security bars not only protects you and your home, but the peace of mind it gives you is worth a lot.
According to reliable sources, most housebreakers prefer to enter a home via the front door and are always looking for an easy job. Door safety bars are the best strategy for more deterrents because burglars do not intend to mess around with high security.
The better your property is secured, the more likely it is that burglars will move on to easier targets.
Procedure for Door Security Bars
Door bars offer superior protection compared to locks and other door security devices. Some models can withstand up to 350 pounds of brute force while weighing less than a pound.
Since most housebreakers prefer to enter a property via the front door, beefing up its security is the best solution to stop brute-force entry.
Some door bars insert into the door molding, while others attach to the door frame to be virtually kick-proof and offer maximum security.
The length of the bars is from 38 to 43 inches to meet various door widths. Due to the adjustability of most door bars, you can use them to secure most door types. When not required, they are simple to lift or remove.
Some door security bars—even dog alarms—have an alarm installed to give an extra degree of security.
Utilization of Door Security Bars
Make your front door burglar-proof only by installing affordable and efficient door bars to provide an extra layer of security. A solid security bar is essential (for the entry door) because around 56% of all break-ins occur through the entry door.
If you reside in an apartment, there is probably one entryway that needs to be secured, and if you live in a home, robbers will have a lot more access points to pick from, such as:
- Front door
- Slide doors
- Back doors like patio doors
- Garage door, especially those doors that join the garage door to the main house.
Please notice that most burglars have a common procedure for home break-ins:
- Most of them try to enter the house by breaking the front door.
- Entering the home from the sliding door is the second option.
- If they cannot enter the home in the two ways mentioned above, they might give up or come back later.
Most burglars will give up (rather than kill time for the high-security locked doors) if they cannot enter the house through the front door. Remember, they want to enter and exit in the shortest possible time—at most, 8 to 12 minutes.
Due to all this, we insist on installing bar security on all doors, especially the patio and sliding doors, to feel more secure. Some intruders will attempt to break the glass, but this is difficult and noisy; therefore, they will refrain from it more often.
If you have sliding doors, you will need to use patio door jammers, while for patio doors, you need to use security bars. However, almost all door bars fold vertically against the frame when not in use.
The important note:
Kicking a door is the typical method used by burglars to enter a building. Unfortunately, most door locks have a weak lock-strike plate, which makes them more vulnerable to theft. So, we highly recommend upgrading your door lock to heavy-duty strike plates.
Who Benefits the Most from Door Security Bars?
Anyone serious about home security should consider installing security bars or door jammers. We do not advise replacing other home security systems with these efficient protection tools.
“When should we use the security bar?” is one of the million-times asked questions. The answer is simple: when you do not have them. They are good for everyone who lives in a house.
The Best Security Bars and Devices
Boddybar door-jammer
The body-bar door jammer is one of the sturdiest devices on the market, and because of its steel type, breaking it requires a lot of force.
| Pros | Cons |
| High-quality | Expensive |
| Strong construction | Heavy |
| Easy-lock tension lever | It can damage the door |
The device consists of steel with an 8-pound weight that can resist forces up to 2,560 pounds.
While most other security bars require you to fiddle with push-button adjustment, the Buddybar has only a lever lock, similar to what you might find on a tension-mounted baby gate. To make the bar fit between your floor and door handle, lift the lever to release the tension and lengthen the bar. Then, lower it to ratchet up the tension.
The negative?
The Buddy Bar weighs about 8 pounds, making it an unsuitable security item for traveling. If you have difficulty lifting it, you might also have trouble putting it together. If you are not careful with the tension, it may scratch your door.
However, you should spend more than $100 on this bar; we assure you that it is well worth the purchase due to its high quality.
The nightlock security lock door barricade
This device consists of solid aluminum and works like a vertical doorstop near your door base.
However, this device is a much more permanent security solution that needs some degree of installation.
| Pros | Cons |
| Simple to install | It is perfect only for swing doors |
| Available in various finishes | Designing for higher clearance |
| Good for hard floors | Semi-permanent |
Unlike the traditional door security bars, its base plate is screwed into the floor, and its vertical barricade rail slides into the base plate, preventing the door from opening. You can find them in various colors, like brushed nickel, dark bronze, and bright brass.
Due to its unique design, you will need at least half an inch of clearance between the door bottom and the floor. If you have thick carpeting, you will probably have some trouble with the device because you need proper room on each side of the base plate to slide the rail in and out.
This device cannot be a good choice for renters or travelers because its base plate should be screwed into the floor. Moreover, this device works only for swing doors.
A significant question
Will a door security bar work well on windows?
The answer to this question is yes, but you will probably need a particular security door bar lock that can anchor to the base of the windowsill.
The master lock security bar
The master lock security bar is an economical device for extra reinforcement by adding a layer of protection to swinging or sliding doors. Although it is not as good as our other top choices, it might act as a deterrent and help you buy some crucial time in the case of an intrusion attempt.
| Pros | Cons |
| Simple to use | Possibly prone to failure |
| Low-priced | Only adjustable for sliding or swing doors |
| Lightweight (only 2.5 pounds in weight) | |
| Adjustable for sliding or swing doors |
The Master Lock Security Bar is an excellent and inexpensive temporary solution (less than $20).
Its installation is an easy process without the need for any particular tools. You will only need to remove the Y-shaped yoke to secure it into the track of the sliding patio door.
However, this lightweight and inexpensive device might cause problems for some individuals. According to some users, the metal spring-loaded pin used to change the bar’s length may become loose and cause the bar to fail and collapse. Additionally, the plastic yoke may crack if it is dropped or put under pressure.
The Master Lock is supposed to have a padded foot in the advertisement, but several reviewers complained that their product did not have a cover for the harsh plastic foot. We recommend contacting the company if you receive a product without cushioning because the hard plastic may scrape and damage floors.
Best alarm: Security Man 2-in-1 Security Bar
Check out the Security Man 2-in-1 Bar if you want a door jammer that not only deters intruders but also forces them to run by sounding the alarm. Immediately after the detection of the vibration, is 120dB siren sounds.
| Pros | Cons |
| Able to endure 350 pounds of force | Its alarm is sensitive |
| Battery included | Lack of effectiveness on smooth floors |
| Adaptable to various door types |
The Security Man 2-in-1 is among the best adjustable security bars (with a height range of 22.25 inches to 43.7 inches). It has a similar design to the Master Lock but is slightly more expensive.
Best Device for a Traveler: The Doorjammer Door Lock
This small and lightweight aluminum device is considered an excellent option for travelers. Its installation is easy: push the lip under the door, screw the foot until it makes tight contact with the floor, and now it’s ready to go.
| Pros | Cons |
| There are two main sizes: XL and travel-size | Works only on doors that open inward |
| Lightweight (8 oz.) | Not appropriate for sliding or French door |
| Simple to install |
Although it is perfect for dorm rooms, hotel rooms, and plain conventional doors, the door jammer travel security gadget is not impenetrable. This device is incompatible with sliding glass doors and French doors. Additionally, it must mount on the portion of the door that moves inward.
FAQ
Can we use security bars on windows?
The size and type of the window will determine this. As long as it fits, a sliding door bar jammer can perfectly match a large window that slides horizontally, but if it is used for a window that raises vertically, it can easily fall out due to its position at the end of the window.
Can the door security bar protect my home when I am out?
The goal of security bars is to lock from the inside. Before leaving the house, you can lock them, but you’ll need to go through a door without a security bar, such as your garage door.
How can I prevent the door jammer from sliding on the floor?
Ensure that the floor is spotless and debris-free, as well as the foot of the door jammer, to create more friction between the surfaces and prevent the foot from slipping. Double-check the bar’s placement to ensure the foot is placed on the ground and the yoke is directly under the door handle.
Do I need a door bar if I already have a good door lock?
It’s likely that if you’ve lived in your house for a while, you’ve given out some keys to housekeepers, dog walkers, or babysitters. Your landlord also has the keys to your apartments.
Door security bars ensure that, even if they have keys, only individuals can enter your house that you choose to let in.
What should I do to make my entryway more secure?
The striking plate, or the location where the lock enters the doorframe, is one of the weakest spots on most exterior doorframes. Replacing the screws in the strike plates with 3-inch screws is one of the best choices for increasing your home security. Moreover, installing a strengthening kit, such as the Strikemaster II, is another wise choice for preventing kick-ins and forced entry.
Ask an Expert Team a Help
Are you looking for a reputable company to entrust your project? Why not contact Esna Glass?
Esna glass is a reputable company in the field of security bars and gates with many years of experience, eager to help you make your property the safest place in the world.
