Back Door Security Checklist: Fixing the Most Ignored Entry Point

The back door is the #1 target for residential break-ins. It’s hidden from the street, often poorly lit, usually builder-grade, and rarely reinforced. If someone wants quiet entry with minimal risk, this is where they go.

Use this checklist to turn your back door from a weak point into a hardened barrier.

1. Upgrade the Door Hardware

Do These Immediately

• Install a deadbolt with at least a 1-inch throw.
• Use a 4–6 screw reinforced strike plate with 3-inch screws.
• Replace hinge screws with 3-inch exterior screws.
• Ensure the knob latch is not the only thing securing the door.

For detailed reinforcement steps, use Door Reinforcement Basics.

2. Reinforce the Door Frame and Jamb

Break-ins happen because the frame splinters—not because the lock fails.

Fixes

• Add a full-length steel jamb shield.
• Replace damaged or rotted wood.
• Secure the threshold with long screws.

3. Secure Any Glass Near the Back Door

Many back doors have built-in windows or sidelights, which let burglars smash and reach inside.

Protective Options

• Security film to delay shattering.
• Laminated glass if replacing the door.
• Decorative metal grilles on sidelights in high-risk areas.

If someone can break glass and access the lock, the lock must be backed up with reinforcement or a door bar.

4. Improve Lighting (This Is Huge)

Back doors are usually pitch black at night—exactly what intruders want.

Install Lights:

• Directly above the door.
• Along the approach path.
• Covering any side yard that leads to the door.

Combine lighting with camera coverage for best results.

5. Add Camera Coverage Correctly

Pointing one camera straight at the door isn’t enough. You want to capture the approach path, not just the door itself.

Best Placement

• One camera angled at the walkway leading to the door.
• One camera covering the door up close for ID shots.

Use Avoiding Camera Blind Spots and Night Vision Performance Basics for fine-tuning.

6. Add an Interior Door Brace

Even with reinforced hardware, a door bar gives you a massive boost in safety at night.

• Install a steel bar or floor-anchored brace.
• Engage it when home or sleeping.
• Use braces especially if the door has glass panels.

7. Fix Landscaping That Hides the Door

Overgrown bushes, tall planters, and decorative structures can hide someone working on the door.

Cut or Remove:

• Bushes touching the siding.
• Tall shrubs directly in front of the door.
• Any structure someone could hide behind.

A clear line of sight increases detection and discourages break-ins.

8. Check the Locking Routine

People forget the back door more than any other entry. That’s why burglars check it first.

Routine Checklist

• Deadbolt locked.
• Knob locked.
• Alarm sensors working.
• Door bar engaged (if home).

9. Interior Access Door: Reinforce if the Garage Leads Here

If your garage flows into the back yard, intruders may reach the back door through the garage.

• Use a solid-core door.
• Add a deadbolt.
• Reinforce the frame with long screws.

Treat it like an exterior door—not an interior afterthought.

10. Final Test: Kick It (Mentally)

Ask yourself honestly: “Could someone kick this open in two or three hits?”

If the answer is yes, do the upgrades. If the answer is no, you’ve hardened the most ignored entry point in the house.