We have two back doors in our home and both have door security bars on them at night. I love having multiple doors in our home for my own use, but I hate that they could be a security problem and potential intruder access. Let me tell you how I ever found out about door security bars. Frankly, I would never live in any home without them.
When our daughter moved out into her first apartment, I openly expressed my concern for the placement of the front door. The apartment manager recommended a door security bar that our daughter could easily put in place when she was home. The manager said it was better than a deadbolt lock because it couldn't be kicked in like a door frame. I was intrigued by this suggestion since I had never seen a door security bar. For a very small amount of money, we purchased one and immediately tried it out. It was so effective for our daughter, that I purchased two for our home.
That was years ago and several moves due to her career. Her next apartment required two security bars. She told me that she loved being able to enter through her kitchen door and easily see the front door security bar was still in place. I understood the peace of mind it provided her. Since then, she has had door security bars in every home, in every city, in every country she has lived in.
If we are driving when we travel, we have taken a door security bar to hotels with us. They won't travel well on airplanes, but we can easily slip one in our car.
When the door security bars are properly in place, no one has ever been able to push through one in our experience and we have tried. They need to be firmly wedged at an angle under the door handle. I give the base of ours a little kick with the side of my foot to make sure it is tight and secure. Think of the movies when you have seen damsels in distress put a leaning chair under the door handle. It works exactly the same way, just doesn't take up as much space.
Master Lock Door Security Bar
These security bars work well in my home. They easily fit under our door handles and grip the tile or hardwood floors. They may not be very pretty, but security is worth more than beauty.
We remove our door security bar each morning and put it back up at night. Since we never adjust the length of the bars we have on the back doors, they are easy to pull out from under the door handle and set them behind/beside the door for the day. Then, we shove them back in place at night.
- 20 Gauge Steel Construction
- Easy to Remove & Put Back in Place
- Adjustable Length
- Pivoting Ball Joint on Foot Assures Full Contact with the Floor
- Fits Most Standard Doors
- Works in Sliding Doors too
- Remove Y-connector for Door Handle to Use with Sliding Doors
- Won't Damage Floors
- No Tools Required
There are a few things you need to remember when using the door security bars.
- Place them at an angle, like you see in the picture. Not straight up and down under the door knob
- Wedge them firmly between the door knob and the floor
- Do not place them on moveable mats - they need to be able to grip the floor
As I was preparing to write this review, I noticed there are knock-offs that are so thin that they bend. I have purchased the door security bar shown below 5 times. Unless Master changes the way they are manufacturing their security bar, this is the brand I would recommend. Otherwise, search for one that is made with 20 gauge steel. Keep in mind, steel is stronger than iron.