Every year I visit the consumer showcase, looking for ideas for this column, and this year was no different. Larry Bernstein of Larry’s Home Maintenance showed me a new device to prevent kick-in attacks, where burglars either kick the front door in or wedge it open with a crow bar. We have all heard of these break-ins in Sun City. The device is named the Door Devil. It is a four-foot long, 16 gage (0.0598 inch thick) steel plate that mounts to the surface of the door frame in place of the standard 2.5 inch latch plate. The Door Devil is held in place by nine 3.5 inch screws that are driven into the door frame.
But wait, there’s more. A strong kick by a large man can also split the door around the deadbolt. The Door Devil includes a door shield to reinforce the section of the door surrounding the dead bolt.
Completing the 1, 2, 3 punch of protection are two Door Devil hinge bolts to fortify the hinge side of the door.
This system is the best I have seen to secure the front door of your home. It would be virtually impossible to break into a house protected by the Door Devil.
Call Larry at 847-338-1644 with any questions you might have or to have him install a Door Devil on your home.
Mouse in the house
A couple of issues ago, there was a question about how to get rid of mice that enter the house and migrate up into the attic. Two different readers wrote in to say our answer was incomplete. They both described a fix that uses steel wool to block their entry under the bottom row of siding.
Here is what you do. Get a dozen or so packages of steel wool. It usually comes in small rolls of six to a package. Stretch it out like a long hot dog, about 1 1/2 inches by 12 to 18 inches long. Place it under the bottom row of siding all the way around the house. The siding will pull away just enough to tuck in the steel wool. That is how they are getting in. One reader applied this fix to his house over 12 years ago and problem is still solved. He also did this for his daughter’s house in LITH. The little guys HATE steel wool. He and his daughter are now mice free.
If you have suggestions for future tips or have questions about maintenance around your home submit them to ask.the.woodchucks@gmail.com
