A deadbolt is the right hardware for a front door. However, three things determine whether it performs, and most homes fail at least one of them.
Check one: the strike screws
Pull the strike plate off and look at the screws. If they are under an inch, they grip decorative casing rather than structure. Consequently a single kick splits the trim and the whole assembly leaves the frame. Therefore three-inch screws reaching the stud are the cheapest meaningful upgrade available.
Check two: how far the bolt throws
A deadbolt should throw a full inch into the strike. Consequently a bolt only half engaging because the door has dropped offers a fraction of its rating. Furthermore, if you have to lift the door to lock it, that is exactly what is happening. Therefore alignment matters as much as specification.
Check three: what grade it actually is
Builder-grade hardware is frequently Grade 3, which belongs on interior doors. Consequently many Ottawa front doors carry a lock rated for a bedroom. Meanwhile Grade 2 is the sensible residential minimum. Additionally the grade is usually stamped inside the packaging or on the bolt itself.
What to do about it
Screws first, because the cost is trivial and the effect is large. Alignment second, since adjusting a strike is quicker than replacing a lock. Grade third, if the existing hardware is genuinely underspecified. Consequently that order buys the most security per dollar spent.
Questions we get about this
What is the cheapest upgrade?
Three-inch strike screws into the stud. Because most doors fail at the frame.
How far should the bolt throw?
A full inch into the strike.
What grade do I need?
Grade 2 minimum on a residential exterior door.
My door needs lifting to lock. Why?
It has dropped. Consequently the strike needs adjusting.
