Protecting an apartment or house from break-ins is a headache for owners. The installation of armored entrance doors will help to get rid of any fears. Many believe that they are needed only in banks, company offices, and other places where enhanced protection is required, and it costs exorbitant money.
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But this is not so – now you can find relatively inexpensive armored doors that are perfect for residential buildings. Let’s figure out what their advantages are and whether their installation is so expensive.
Armored doors: pros and cons
To begin, consider the key advantages of armored doors, including:
- Increased security. Unlike ordinary doors, armored doors are practically unbreakable. The risk that burglars break into an apartment or house is minimal.
- Fire safety. Armored doors are made of fire-resistant steel. In the event of a fire outside the home, for example, in the stairwell, the fire will not spread to the apartment, and toxic smoke will not enter the room with it.
- Excellent insulating properties. The armored door closes almost hermetically, therefore it provides increased noise and heat insulation. These properties are especially noticeable if there is an additional layer of mineral wool in the door leaf.
- Long service life. Ordinary doors can loosen on hinges or deform over time. This cannot be said about armored doors, which retain their shape and their original qualities for 20-30 years or even longer. Repair of steel armored doors is practically not required, which minimizes the cost of operation.
- Modern armored doors are produced in various design solutions. This is not just a steel sheet that protects against burglary – you can easily choose a model that will become a successful element of the interior.
Disadvantages
Along with the advantages, there are also disadvantages that should be considered when buying. Among them:
Difficulties in installation. A conventional front door is easier to install than an armored one. Steel structures can weigh more than 100 kg, so a team of craftsmen must be hired for installation.
Price. The price of an armored door is often higher than a regular one.
The need to install high-quality locks. By itself, an armored door will not protect against break-ins unless it is equipped with a good lock, so the owners cannot avoid additional costs.
In fact, the disadvantages, compared with the advantages, are insignificant. All difficulties and costs relate only to installation. The end result will be much more significant than the money saved.
What is the difference between a security door from a regular door?
Entrance doors are the basic protection of housing. Their main task is to detain intruders during unauthorized entry. Modern entrance doors have different degrees of protection. Armored structures are considered the most reliable. They are resistant to breaking and can withstand heavy loads. Armored doors are being installed in rich mansions, country houses, and buildings in criminal areas – that is, at all objects that require enhanced protection.
Quite often, consumers confuse armored and steel doors. In fact, there are many differences between them. In fact, armored doors are reinforced metal structures. The frame is covered with solid steel plates. For this purpose, manufacturers choose sheets from 2 mm. The plates are fastened around the perimeter with stiffeners (horizontal and vertical). Such a complex design cannot but affect the weight of the door. It often ranges from 65 kg. Therefore, to install a heavy canvas, it is necessary to strengthen the opening.
The door frame must be double
It is made by manufacturers from a bent profile. The fastening of the door frame is carried out only in the girth of the opening. Strengthen it with welded metal pins. These items are wall mounted. The cashier and threshold are made of stainless steel. They perfectly tolerate various loads.
It is possible to determine that the door is armored by the thickness of the leaf. The minimum parameter is 20 mm. Such designs are considered the least reliable and protected. They belong to the first class of burglar resistance. Most often, the thickness of the armored door leaf varies from 80 to 150 mm. This design can be safely bought for the home.
Armored door fittings cannot be weak
Manufacturers reinforce crossbars, hinges, locks, and awnings. The latter are often equipped with anti-removable pins. Loops are often installed safe type. They may be hidden. This prevents the possibility of removing the web using special tools.
Any armored door is fire-resistant. Of course, it cannot hold the flame for as long as special fire-fighting structures. However, the canvas may well withstand 5 minutes of exposure to high temperatures.
To sum up
Security door locks cannot be weak. It happens that the structures are equipped with safe-type mechanisms. A comprehensive locking system is provided.
Source of information: secure-house.co.uk