How Burglars Can Break In Using a Water Bottle and How To Stop It

In this video I show how someone can break into a home using a plastic bottle or credit card. I also show how this is possible, and how to stop it from possibly happening in the future. This tactic is nothing new and can be readily found in video form and on websites with written out directions. The important thing is to take measures to make sure nobody can use it to break into someone else's home that is not their own.
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How To Home assumes no liability for damage or injury. How To Home highly recommends using proper safety procedures and professionals when needed. Our content is for entertainment purposes only. No information contained in this video shall create any express or implied warranty or guarantee of any particular result. Any injury, damage or loss that may result from improper use of these tools, equipment, or the information contained in this video is the sole responsibility of the user and not How To Home. How To Home will not be held liable for any negligent or accidental damage or injury resulting from equipment, tools, electrical, fire, electronics or any items contained in this video. Attempt projects and repairs at your own risk.

[@HowToHomeDIY]

I will be doing more videos on ways to keep your home as safe as possible. What are some ways you know of or have had happen to you in the past where burglars got in? Thank you for the feedback!

[@A.J.Collins]

I would love to see more details about how to clean the air handler in my house. Thanks for you great work!

[@davemi00]

That Only Works on Latches Not BOLTS

[@eb8967]

Let's just show people how to get into people's homes.

[@dasfahrer8187]

Well, this was informative and revealing. Had no idea what that pin was for, so when I've been shutting my outside doors I've been closing it hard enough to hear a second *click* to help ensure a better seal. Turns out I was also making my home less secure.

[@SSintox]

Sorry. It seems you did this video without spending 1min to look at the lock and asked yourself: Why the round pin is there, for what purpose. If the strike plate IS the correct one that ships with the lock, then, when the door is closed, the hole on the strike plate fit snuggly the shape of the moving latch BUT not the round pin. And as long as that pin is retracted (pushed in by the strike plate), the latch WILL NOT RETRACT NO MATTER WHAT. THE ONLY WAY for that pin to extend (thus allowing the latch to retract) is to open the door from the inside, or with a key from the outside.

[@daveweigle1623]

As a certified Master Locksmith for over 30 years, I have a comment or two. The "safety pin" is the dedlatch and, as you said, it prevents the latch from being slipped with a shim as you demonstrated. Alignment so that the deadlatch is depressed when the door is closed is vital. Also, deadbolt locks with security strikes installed with 3" screws will protect your house against all but the most determined burglars...if you lock them! Thanks for encouraging folks to pay attention and be safe.

[@johnhaller5851]

A subdivision not far from me had a ring camera showing the perps just kicking the door out of the frame. They only left because the homeowners screamed. It was Texas, so the possibility of the homeowners being armed was high.

[@bc1969214]

I'm curious why lock manufacturers don't include the 3" screws as original hardware. Another thing that would seem a plus if it's easy to do is have the door so you pull it open from the outside. That would seem to make the kickdown less likely.

[@mrobvious1100]

If they want to get in they will get in

[@athgt6630]

​@@johnhaller5851 indeed, in Texas screaming comes usually from the perpetrator.

[@joeysplats3209]

@@johnhaller5851 several years ago we had a rash of home invasions. A couple of the fools got themselves no longer with us and strangely, the invasions stopped. I feel bad for their loved ones.

[@jamesm28]

I never thought of that, thanks for showing me how to break into houses!

[@annettemoolman6504]

I just got a little screw next to the plate so any card or plastic will get stuck on it. Works well! Thank you for keeping us informed to stay safe. ❤

[@billmmckelvie5188]

For more security you need a _3 point multipoint door lock_ . This consists of an upper and lower claw bolt and the central lock is a straight rectangular bar without any slope. After lifting the handle the three bolts engage and turning the key deadlocks them in place!

[@Blackjack2359]

Having been a locksmith for many years, I have educated most of my customers on this. All a knoblock does is to keep your door closed. ALWAYS have a deadbolt installed, always.

[@mikeroman5208]

I was about to comment on this. I've never seen a front door without a deadbolt and I've lived in the East Coast, West Coast and in the Midwest.

[@purplefreak3]

Yea when bought the house I live in and had the locks redone, the locksmith said to always use the deadbolts and not to rely on just the doorknob.

[@herrakaarme]

Here in the Abloyland, I have my regular lock set so that it operates like a deadbolt all the time. I need a key to close the door from the outside, which conveniently prevents me from locking myself out. From the indoors side, you can use a handle to close the door without the key. But I also had a locksmith install a separate, high security deadbolt lock as well.

[@adamrussell658]

@@mikeroman5208 Very true. But what about the door from the garage into the house?

[@thiemecraft]

Robert Archer, is there a way to determine if the strike plate is correctly installed so that the little pin thing is working correctly, any indication that could be seen while the door is closed? I'd like to check mine, because all the plumbing and wiring done by the previous owner is all kinds of messed up and that makes me not trust the door installation either.

[@honestlee4532]

If you want to stop locking yourself out of the house, always use your key to lock the door when you're already outside of the house.

[@cindysmith6612]

Thank You! I’m 60 and I lock myself out of my house all the time

[@libertypastor1307]

I keep a key hidden outside, buried somewhere in a water proof bag. When I need it, I go "weed pulling" and "look for trash" so when I dig up my key, no one knows what I'm doing. I always go to the trash bin and throw something in it, being mindful to hold my spare key with my little fingers and release the trash or weeds that are held by my big fingers.

[@DannyMostarac]

Lol😂

[@user-qc8bk6tk7p]

or replace your handset with a passage handset n add a single cylinder d bolt that needs to be locked from the outside with a key.

[@Mushroom.Madness.]

Uh how else would you lock the deadbolt?

[@jodychalk5879]

I used an old plastic credit card to show a neighbor and she was shocked!

[@Fallen_Angel17]

hope not ended up in the bedroom🤭🤭🤭😁😁

[@mutinyrider666]

Exactly. Came to say the same lol been doing this since I was a kid .whip out any plastic card swipe It and go in

[@suewalker3603]

My dad kept a bunch of fake credit cards by the garage door for this reason. Lol

[@lyndaniel3369]

Wow! I would never have thought a harmless plastic bottle could open a door! I've learned a lot from your video. Now, if I can just remember it past ten minutes! Thanks so much for your expertise!

[@peterburi2727]

I worked as a locksmith for many years. Latch/strike plate alignment is crucial. A lot depends on what type of weather seal is used on the door. A majority of homeowners have a tendency to over close their doors. If the weather strip is a soft type, it can be compressed too much forcing the deadlatch into the strike rendering it useless. French doors usually have this foam weather strip. My old saying is entry locksets are designed to keep honest people out, deadbolts are designed to keep the dishonest people out. Use the deadbolt to secure your home. If you don't have some...get some.

[@BigHackAttack]

Yes! My first thought was that alignment will change over time as the weatherstripping thickness changes. Worse yet -- if I understand correctly -- there's no way to verify the deadlatch is still catching properly.

[@gregbenwell6173]

I totally agree, and I am one of those people who "know things" and I have been asked to "break into homes", usually when the home owner locks himself out of their own house!! I learned how to defeat entry locks and "break into homes" in the late 1970s when my friends both dared me, and bet me, that I couldn't break into their parents homes!!! And because of "how I think" about things, I realized getting through most entry door locks was stupid easy as long as the dead bolt lock was not enabled or installed!!! BUT TOO there are other ways into many structures, and I have constantly found holes in what passes for security at times!! Once I was working at a mall, in a department store when the big boss, had lock himself out of the store office!! I had mentioned to the head of security once prior to this event that "getting into the office would be a snap if I was a bad person"!! And then that night I had to prove to the boss AND the head of security just how simple it was!! They were both stunned, amazed and terrified by how simple it was for me to break into the store office without a key!! Even though the door had a self locking dead bolt system on it!! Some times the door isn't your only option, and there are at times other ways to enter a property, people simply walk right by and ignore as "being safe"!!

[@slc1161]

I actually fixed my door that kept popping open by adding extra weather seal to the frame. Now it engages.

[@MADDOG100ful]

The credit card works just as quick and you already have it in your pocket but most people do

[@ianbelletti6241]

Then you must be familiar with the magnetic bypass that's been found on a lot of smart locks. Smart locks are designed by electronics engineers who know very little about the physical security world of locks leaving some of the stupidest vulnerabilities.

[@yvonnejackson1696]

Once when I lived in a small city a certain clever thief would lure a homeowner out into the front yard and keep them talking while his partner slipped through the neighbor’s back yard, in the back door and robbed the house with the owner a few yards away.- Remember to lock all doors even when you’re home.

[@chairmanmaoio9937]

Once I lived in a chocolate city, and they'd just come inside while you were eating breakfast. If you were lucky they'd just steal something in your entry and leave. If you weren't lucky... you didn't make the news. Because gudboi dindu nuffin. You can never relax.

[@TheCharleseye]

A large, imposing dog in the house does a pretty good job, too. Had a drunk guy stumble into my yard, thinking he was home. Trying to open the front door (jiggling the handle and struggling with his key in the lock) alerted my Mastiff. Suddenly, the drunk was very glad he couldn't get the door open. I promise, if anyone was stupid enough to come walking in my back door, they would have second thoughts about their life choices.

[@beverlyhill9947]

GREAT SHARING WITH US ALL! THANK YOU, FOR THIS INFORMATION. WE ALL NEED TO BE MORE CAREFUL OF ALWAYS KEEPING OUR DOORS LOCKED.

[@jackieperry7912]

​@@TheCharleseye I have deadbolts and a pit that would attack anyone who came into the house. We got the dog after my son moved out so the dog isn't use to him my dog stayed between my husband and me and my son. We have to put the dog in another room to hug my son!. I wanted a good guard dog and boy did I get one. I might feel sorry for the guy who breaks in but hey he gets what he deserves right

[@andreah6379]

Wise advice! You watch true crime stories enough, you'll see it's not uncommon for too trusting persons to leave their doors unlocked while their inside & then you got trouble. Golden State serial killer, Joseph DeAngelo used that method of entry. And he also was an ex-cop so he was aware how often ppl do keep doors unlocked while they're at home.😮

[@mark2oreo]

I am so grateful I saw this. For years, I always just pushed the door in enough so the safety pin would also go in, thinking that was properly closing the door..... Fortunately, never had any issue with burglary (having a cop neighbor helps), but now that I know that I will not be doing that!

[@Douglas_I]

The angled screw for the latch is definitely a pro tip! Thanks for that!

[@Cetok01]

It's also recommended that you replace all the supplied screws for your lockset and door hinges with longer (2-1/2" - 3") stainless steel screws, biting them deeper into the wood framing. That will give more resistance to someone trying to force the door. Of course, try to avoid using exterior doors with windows or sidelights.

[@specialkcarellc]

I moved into an apartment where the door was kicked in and the hinges and strike plate were no aligned. They tried to just replace the lock but still you could kick my door open. Cement screws fixed my problem with realignment.

[@terrebear426]

@@specialkcarellc😊😊😊😊😊

[@bobinthewest8559]

One of the first things I’ve done in every rental unit I’ve occupied, is replace all locks (including corrections and improvements/upgrades). Peace of mind is priceless.

[@billyking7464]

Thanks! I checked my doors, and one of them needed adjusting. Thank you! I don't have much money to give, so I hope more viewers give to you as well for helping to protect us.

[@HowToHomeDIY]

I am really glad that you were able to find that and get it fixed! Thank you so much for that feedback and the Super Thanks. You didn’t have to do that but it is appreciated! Let me know if you need anything!

[@deedywoodruff9224]

Thank you & that was soo thoughtful 💵 Billy! I’m Just giving this a Shot: Is there ANY Ideas or Tricks to unlocking My CAR 🚘 w/o a Locksmith⁉️ It’s Shocking when it happens; even when I’m Super careful But it’s Recently Happened to me TWICE⁉️😑😭

[@jimbouchard9387]

Keep a spare key in your wallet ​@@deedywoodruff9224

[@alisonscousin9275]

I watched guy from tow truck take a hanger and break into my new, Ford 350 by moving the window and pushing lock button with it. I was appalled.

[@InfiniteMindset99]

Stellar safety!

[@999gremlins]

Wow....every homeowner should have to watch this. I've heard for years about breaking in using a credit card. This is more useful to me as a way of preventing a break in. But also good to have as an option if I lock myself out. Great video...thanks

[@JCWren]

Anyone who watches The Lock Picking Lawyer knows that locks only stop honest people and casual walk-in burglars. Anyone who's serious uses a pick kit, bump key, or whatever. What's more effective against most burglary attempts are alarm system warning signs, cameras, and dogs. Unless you've got something they know about and are directly after, they're more interested in the easy targets.

[@HowToHomeDIY]

You are right. If they want in badly enough they will find away no matter what. The easy targets though are the most likely option though. Thanks for the feedback.

[@lym3204]

If I get locked out of my house I can get in thru my window in 5 minutes. There are burglars that will knock on your door and if you don't answer just try the knob to see if it is unlocked. Same as with cars they will just lift the door handle and go to the next car if yours is locked.

[@Datawarlock]

Actually, alarm warning signs don't help you at all unless it's a real professionally installed and monitored system. Most people go out and buy those cheap do it yourself kits that are just stick on/screw on magnetic sensors that can be defeated by a good magnet, or a $15 fuzzing device off amazon. Using the warnings for those just tells the burglar how easy it'll be to bypass your "security".

[@JCWren]

@@Datawarlock As I continually say, it goes back to how determined someone is. Your casual criminal does not carry the tools to defeat sensors. A sign >helps< stop the casual burglars because they want easy targets. People who KNOW what you have and want it are a different level. No house is impenetrable. It's a matter of degrees. So, yes, signs DO help.

[@palfruswyrmrest8321]

@@lym3204 I watched part of a talk show on the subject of burglars, one of the guest ex-cons, living in Florida, said (paraphrasing) "I stay away from XXXX county, those people will sit at home in the dark with their doors unlocked and shoot you when you come in the door."

[@cedarwaxwing3509]

I’ve owned six homes over the past four decades. Every one of them either had deadbolts on the doors or I had them installed. And it takes no time at all to train yourself and your family to use them. That being said, thank you for the video and I look forward to your upcoming videos on home security.

[@HowToHomeDIY]

What I assume he’s saying is train them to actually use it. It is incredibly common for people to have deadbolts and not use them.

[@jamesthomas4080]

My solution, which also prevents being accidentally locked out, is to have the knob be non-locking so only the deadbolt can lock the door.

[@bobfitzgerald5056]

My house has door latch but you need to use the deadbolt to lock the door too

[@stuartkidney3257]

@@HowToHomeDIY and...as is evident by the previous comment, there are LOTS of "untrained" people In the Midwest we label lots of those kinda people as st&pid or d&mb!

[@warrenpuckett4203]

I often left the door open and the the re-enforced screen door unlocked. In LA. Some thought it was strange to have 2 x 4 blocking the door by the rail on the porch. It was not there to keep anything out. It was there to keep some thing in. Kinda like keeping the breeding bull inside a re-enforced fence. There was triple tag team of 140lb dogs the door was designed to keep inside. Also back door was always open. There was no free stuff in the garage, inside the 6 foot fence. Unless you wanted to pay the price of admission. You definitely did not want to come inside when the girls had puppies in the garage. For some reason.

[@stevec9669]

When I saw the title, I would sad no way! I am glad I spent the time and watched the video. Now, I also learn what that little pin is for. 💯👍

[@user-wj5fo6mk4z]

Thank you, both for spotlighting the problem, and for providing us a easy to apply solution. Surprised it's taken this long for your video to get the appreciation it deserves.

[@offgridcabinbelgium]

It's fascinating to see this. I'm a contractor in the Netherlands. I have worked everywhere in Europe and Asia, only the US seems to have these type of door locks. Because our doors and windows are much better secured a "break in" here is literally a break in. I regularly replace doors and windows where they used angle grinders or jigsaws. Battery powered tools technology is wonderful progress. Couple of weeks ago a home owner told me if the burglars had given him a call before hand, he would have payed them to avoid the cost of replacing his 250 years old original backdoor. Burglars used a chainsaw.

[@scottsmith4145]

Thats why most all exterior doors in u.s.a. are steel. Chainsaw wont work very good. And almost everyone I know locks deadbolt.

[@rockjockchick]

Omg a chainsaw is a bit excessive!

[@FredFlintstone21]

Chainsaw? Wow! Were the homeowners gone when the bad people came?

[@offgridcabinbelgium]

@@FredFlintstone21 nobody even noticed. Must have been a cordless battery thing.

[@timesthree5757]

Dude some of the easiest houses to break into are in Europe and Russia.

[@beansmalone1305]

Thanks. Good points. Quick tip. Use three inch screws and if your existing screw holes in the wood are too big you can fill them with wooden toothpicks ( push them in and cut them flush) to make the screws fit tight again. This will allow you to reset the strike plate to the new position.

[@troy3456789]

I have been reading the comments from the top. Yours several from the top. It's the best yet that I have seen as far as being actually helpful goes. I know what happens when I attempt to adjust a hole a short distance away: the screw wanders right back into the old hole. I put 4 inch screws in the strike plate and two in each hinge, making sure they go all the way to the stud (pilot hole drilled first, so I don't crack the studs)

[@beansmalone1305]

@@troy3456789 Thank you. Years ago as an electrical apprentice i was always teamed up with the old timers and id pester them with questions on everything. Those guys taught me alot.

[@palfruswyrmrest8321]

... and use a good wood glue. The best solution is to drill out the hole and flute and glue a hardwood dowel rode in place.

[@robertgarrett7007]

@@palfruswyrmrest8321I’ve also used this dowel method. It works great. The toothpick trick sounds to be a bit “half assed”.

[@armadilllo]

can't use a bottle on a dead bolt but burglars around here don't give a crap about doors or locks and won't use the shimming trick, they just break windows to get in.

[@carolesmith9235]

Just be wise and always get a Medeco Pick Proof Bolt. It takes 8 1/2 hours to pick and is worth every dime it costs. No one can get through that bolt and the key is non-duplicable.(except the owner of the bolt). I learned this decades ago from a famous, wealthy, fine-art collector who did not want anyone to steal his art. It certainly worked.

[@watchchimp3102]

One problem I've experienced with this whole scenario is that you are talking about a fairly fine level of adjustment between this working or not working. If you've got a modern house with a metal door and doorframe, it might be fine. But, my current house shifts so much that getting that little latch to work 100% of the time is probably out of the question. Wood door, wood doorframe, whether it's been raining, how hot it is outside. All these factors and more mean I've got to have a fairly high degree of forgiveness in my locking system. Currently, just a deadbolt!

[@Loohan7]

The gap between the door and the frame matters. If it's too wide, the dedlatch will only partly depress, which does not activate its lock.

[@A2Z1Two3]

Yep my 120 year old house moves significantly season to season , doors jam in frames and locks malfunction .

[@Loohan7]

Actually I have some doors where a partly depressed dedlatch WILL do its job, and others that don't.

[@reneemcgee9623]

I live in southeast Texas, and every house around here floats. I moved here from Nashville, Tennessee, and every house we had there was on slate rock. We didn't have problems with unlevel homes. Here in Texas, some days the door locks some days, it doesn't, it just depends on the weather.

[@sophierobinson2738]

Watch the Lock Picking Lawyer. Usually takes him 30 seconds to pick a lock.

[@patrickurquidez4693]

Thank you for this video. My BIL is builder/ independent contractor. He has spent years trying to explain this exact situation to clients, and most still ignore his advice and don't repair the doors. However, I do appreciate what you're doing. Keep up the great work!

[@cr.2402]

Excellent video. I love the "why this works" breakdown & "how to fix it" walk through. I do have a scenario for your consideration (& sorry if you've already hit this & I just haven't seen it yet). I guess you'd call them villas... 6 units side by side. (so 4 units each have 2 shared walls separating the units, & the 2 end units have one shared & one exterior wall). The shared walls are concrete block -10 ft high. Because of cathedral ceiling & 1 upstairs room on the 4 inner units, there's a lot of "shared wall" that's above 10 ft in the attic and 1 upstairs 20 ft wall -steel stud on 24" centers) & this area is not concrete block. Pretty much just drywall I think. Attic access doors in garage and upstairs room. So, if a person with ill intent managed to get into any one of the units or garages... they would then have access to every unit with just a little attic crawling or drywall kicking. It feels very vulnerable to me, am I overthinking it? Ideas for mitigating the issues? Thank you.

[@formicapple2]

Great advice. Both my external doors are always locked by the key and the dead bolts are activated at the same time. Thank you.

[@danielgoodman3578]

I did not know that the extra little pin was meant to be pressed in. I treated it like an extra click--the door is shut all the way if it pops into the strike plate. Well now I know. Glad you mentioned the deadbolt. From what I understand, a given deadbolt should come out of the door at least 1 inch. Without using that and without 3" screws biting into the frame, the burglar might just skip all this and kick your door in.

[@NathanDayspring-re4ok]

I once played cards with an ex burglar that knew martial arts and worked out allot, guy was known for kicking the door and much of the frame in. I assume no one was home because thats one heck of a way to announce oneself otherwise and an easy way to get lead poisoning..

[@mgelliott86]

Thirty seconds with a sawsall and the whole frame can be taken out with the door still locked if they really want in

[@danielgoodman3578]

Possibly. Thanks for the tip. I can think of whether to and how to try to guard against that if I get a house of my own.

[@vande2330]

You should be using longer screws to secure the strike plate. Brute force is easier and faster than a technical entry when someone is trying to break in.

[@dekdawg21]

One of the first things I did when I bought my home, got rid of those short screws and got ones long enough to reach the studs

[@JCWren]

The longer screws won't be very effective on his double door, unless one of the doors also has upper and lower slide locks that go into the floor and top of the frame. For a typical single door, definitely use longer screws.

[@JoeMotionVideos82]

Thank you for posting this. I checked my doors, and thankfully, my doors are set up properly.

[@user-no1cares]

I greatly appreciate that you teach any KZbin criminal that didn’t already know how to break into my home without simply breaking the door glass or a window. I don’t mind filing insurance claims but I hate replacing the glass. Thanks so much.

[@dawnavandernoot2869]

Yes, I thought that very same thing. 😮

[@enricol5974]

Criminals already know how to do it , they don't need KZbin 😊

[@highlandmist]

​@@enricol5974we all gotta start somewhere!

[@ciskofuentes7894]

If someone is a house burglar they already know how to get in your house only squares don't know this stuff.Good info but not something that was super secret people are annoying because if they watch the whole video they will realize a deadbolt will make this method useless.You should be thankful because you were slippin before now it's your fault if you don't secure your home 💯

[@blachlee1962]

@@enricol5974 You aren't taking into account first-time, random criminals.

[@hackjobgarage9289]

I did not know about the "safety pin"! I knew it was there but did not know it's function. Thank you for that tasty tidbit of information man!

[@HowToHomeDIY]

You are very welcome. Really glad you found it interesting. Thanks for the feedback!

[@PortersGarage]

I accidentally locked myself out of my house when going for a family walk about a month ago. I had my wallet so I used a pumpstart card (basically CC with no value) and had my 11 yr old daughter go around the front of the house to see if that door was unlocked, by the time she got back around to the back of the house I had already gotten inside and grabbed my keys. Like I told them I hadn’t done that since I was her age over 20 years ago, I used that as a teaching moment for her and my wife “ALWAYS lock the deadbolt!! I hadn’t done this in over 20 years and got in the house in about 45 seconds, a pro could do it in probably 5-10”.

[@HoocH1130]

A great video with a well done explanation.

[@SVAdAstra]

The problem is: burglars will press hard against the door to readjust the strike plate and then pull out on the door to allow the pin to drop into the hole. I consider locks with sliding bolts to be no better than "privacy" locks on bathrooms. Get a deadbolt installed for security. A tip about deadbolts: when you are home, leave the key in the lock. If an emergency occurs, you don't want to have to search for your key to let yourself out. And if a burglar climbs in a window when you are home and you surprise him, you want to give him an easy way to escape. (I know some people would prefer to apprehend him, but the battle you don't have is as battle you have won. It's not worth it.)

[@JacobLaCour]

Only inexperienced burglars worry about slim jimming a door lock, pretty simple to kick the door right in, unless that door is reinforced.. Thanks for the useful tips and advice still! Definitely made the adjustment with the garage door string video.

[@212caboose]

In this day and age, are there really people that don't have a deadbolt on their exterior doors?!

[@deadmanswife3625]

Some sleep with a 12 gau ge Enter at your own risk

[@flankman9385]

@@deadmanswife3625 killing someone is a giant pain in the ass even if you’re in the right. Deadbolt seems easier.

[@dpawtows]

@@deadmanswife3625 That protects against home invasion. Not really applicable here, as the robber's goal would be to get in while nobody's home.

[@deadmanswife3625]

@@dpawtows yeah we're always home

[@jamesdonovan5165]

Laziness is timeless.

[@MadUncleAndy]

Great vid, and thanks for spreading the word! A few add ons...When adjusting your strike plate you may want to make sure that somebody in the outside can't just pull your door into the weather stripping and release the deadlatch plunger from the strike plate. Further it looked like your door might be vulnerable to somebody shouldering it and miss aligning your strike plate after the fact. Of course there's also the kwikset smart lock which has quite a reputation for being easy to just shear the wafers with a screwdriver. The bits that make it easy for you to rekey yourself make it pretty fragile on the inside. Maybe just pay to get it rekeyed or learn to rekey a conventional pin tumbler... really not that hard.

[@specialkcarellc]

Thank you for this info! I moved into an apartment where the door was rammed previously/ kicked in and the rental company came to replace the lock and strike plate and did an awful job. I used cement bolts to fix the door hinges and replaced the lock and redrilled the area for the lock plate. I even had a friend who was career criminal try to break in and he couldn't. The screws that they provide for lock sets suck.

[@hilton8830]

Thank you for explaining the reason for the small pin bolt on the door knobloch. I never gave it a second though. I'm always looking forward to your next how to home videos.

[@RandomShart]

I don't think I've ever left any house I've lived in without using a key to lock up. I have an unhealthily suspicion of all "automatic" locks 😂 UK insurers normally demand a 5-lever mortice door lock, or a multi point locking mechanism (usually with a euro cylinder) on main entry doors, otherwise they don't pay out (or won't insure you).

[@rodjsy6363]

Come and live in the channel Islands where you don't need to lock your doors!

[@palfruswyrmrest8321]

I wish the USA had such common sense! We probably have laws forbidding common sense.

[@pitbull-ws8ge]

5 lever locks are useless as the euro lock snaps in the middle easily

[@jdmxxx38]

Great video. One viewing and I get all the tech required to improve my exterior locks. Thanks

[@christopherburkett8754]

Dude! We did that with a credit card decades ago! I see the flexibility you have is good, too. R.

[@MizeryScratcher]

3 years ago i bought a ring doorbell along with the battery eliminator chime kit (it powers the bell button via your chimes transformer) when someone gets within 10 feet of the door the chime sounds and i get an alert on my phone as well as video at the door with 2 way audio. i can answer my door from anywhere even miles away and the person doesn't know if i'm home or not! and i have!! i really like it! the best $200 i ever spent! my mom had a small sign over our door that said "go away" lol i might make one lol... you get these features with it whether you choose the monthly recording fee or not!!!

[@greenie95125]

It's called "carding" a door, and has been around for years. We used tis method with a credit card when we were locked out of our dorm room. That was 40 years ago. Most locks now have a security strike to prevent this type of attack. Of course a deadbolt works best

[@dannydaw59]

I've seen that in old movies.

[@railscenes4959]

Greenie watch the entire video. He shows the extra locking pin that will prevent “carding” the latch. As it locks the main pin from retracting.

[@jmurphy6767]

Yes. I’ve used a library card to rescue myself and neighbors who locked themselves out or during a power outage (most rely on garage doors for entry). Real crooks don’t have library cards.

[@ironmartysharpe8293]

Back in 1975 I showed my parents just after we moved in our new home how easy it is for burglars to open a door using a piece of plastic and slide it into the door and pops it open and when they saw it , they about freaked out So I said if you get a deadbolt lock I can install it , So they did pick up a deadbolt lock and I installed it , I also installed a lock with the safety pin as well , So it takes two keys to open the door and my parents felt much better that the door has a deadbolt lock on it , They also had me install a deadbolt lock on the entrance door from the garage , They do have special locks for sliding glass doors because they had me install one there because I also showed them how easy it is to lift the door out of the track , So they picked up a special lock for the sliding glass door and installed it as well Beforehand they used to lay a broom handle in the track to lock the door until I showed them how the door can be opened by lifting it out of the track

[@markoshun]

Most modern sliding doors and windows have preventative blocks that stop you from lifting the door/window up until completely open. So, the 'broom handle' is still a good secondary stop.

[@FirstLastOne]

@@markoshun Yeah, now but not then or anything that was made back then.

[@ironmartysharpe8293]

@@markoshun Back in the day that's how those sliding doors were made but now they're made so you can't open the door by lifting it out off the track and the broom handle in the track is still a good idea

[@markoshun]

@@ironmartysharpe8293 Yup. Isn't that exactly what I said? I just wanted people to know that the bloom handle is still usually a good idea, because that might not be clear from original post.

[@JakeDogg-RIP]

Doors and frames can move depending on the time of year too, so checking during winter and summer is a good idea, u may need to make adjustments for if the frame swells with humidity and other things, did u fit a new weather strip, that could be why ur locks aren’t working correctly also

[@mattallen5803]

😂, if you have a lock like that on your entry door without a deadbolt, then you're asking for it

[@David-cc8xe]

Exactly what i was thinking, why no deadbolts?

[@geoffap0]

Very good advice! We have smart locks that auto-lock after 30 seconds. We have cameras and we have an alarm system. I recently installed additional door locks for use when someone is home. Nothing is perfect. The auto lock after 30 seconds is annoying at times but we got used to it. Just the other night I took my son to the airport came home and my wife who was very tired locked me out! Luckily, one of my daughters heard me beating on the door, and my wife came down and let me in. But I’d rather have that than a bad guy entering the home more easily.

[@edwardmylnychuk5774]

WHERE WERE YOUR KEYS, LOCKING THE HOUSE WHEN THE WIFE IS HOME IS A GOOD IDEA

[@geoffap0]

@@edwardmylnychuk5774 the additional door locks that were installed, cannot be opened except from the inside.

[@edwardmylnychuk5774]

@@geoffap0 LOL, THAT IS GREAT BUT WHAT IF THEY ARE ASLEEP, I HAD THAT HAPPEN ONE TIME WHEN I LEFT THE KEYS AT HOME AND THE DOORS WERE LOCKED AND MY WIFE WAS ASLEEP UPSTAIRS SO I HAD TO BREAK A HOLE IN THE BACK DOOR TO OPEN IT SO I COULD GET IN,

[@geoffap0]

@@edwardmylnychuk5774 that is exactly what happened. She was tired and fell asleep. I got lucky because my daughter woke up and got my wife to go open the door for me. I still prefer having those locks on the doors, even though someone could be locked out.

[@poochiew.9302]

@@geoffap0 Oh that doesn't sound good in the case of a fire or medical emergency.

[@brettnipps7205]

Great video for the many. Having installed 1000's of locks in my life I'm pretty solid about lock-sets whether cylindrical or mortise. I've never seen a plastic bottle used that way.

[@blessedandfree7819]

Great information!!! Thank you!

[@jayprojects9693]

After watching this video I checked my front door, it failed to seat right, and opened right up with cardstock. I just installed a second strikeplate on top of the existing one, and sure enough, it's good to go! Thanks!

[@alwynsmit3546]

This is why I have 2 different locks on my security gate & 2 different locks on my door. This way you need to get past 4 different types of locks & then you'll still need to deal with the alarm.

[@mittfh]

Older homes in the UK will typically have a cylinder lock with useful extra functionality: once closed, if you turn the key another full rotation, it will lock the bolt in place, preventing any shimming, plus a lever on the inside (night latch) to achieve the same functionality. Newer homes will typically have uPVC doors with multi point locking: once the door's closed, lifting the handle will lock the door using several different bolts and hooks, while the key locks the handle. Therefore, the only ways in are to either break through the door itself, attack the lock (but they're increasingly resistant to bumping, drilling etc) or pick the lock (and even with a fairly crappy core, most burglars will seek an easier method of entry then fiddling around with picks and tensioning tools).

[@tomk.2601]

We had the latch with pin installed, and a seperate *always locked deadbolt* (No knob - Key only), and 3 inch screws on lock hardware/ doors sashes. We don't mess with DYIs, so we call on our locksmith. It's costly, but investment in his/her skills is worth it and the assurance. Numerous early AM burglaries in our area ~4 yrs ago. Our doors were damaged by the locks once (we were away) but no entry was gained. Our alarm made a racket (neighbors were cool), and it/we shared some nice, clear pics for the po-po.

[@amandamartin2382]

A ‘softly’ (no idea how else to describe it) laminated card works very well. Put it right in next to the knob, push on the door when you insert it, then pull toward you as you push the card in. Used to lock myself out ALL the time,I also lived a somewhat nefarious lifestyle many moons ago.

[@Dannysoutherner]

My mom taught me how to do this decades ago with a drivers license the way they used to be made. It depends on how tightly a door is built. Of course a deadbolt defeats this idea instantly. In other words set the deadbolt when you leave.

[@misskim2058]

Yes, and add a door wedge with an alarm to any door you’re not using to exit, and they’ll have that extra mechanical security. It jams the door from opening even if they manage to defeat the deadbolt. That has saved me in the past, as has a well-placed 2 x 4 between the back door and the step up to the kitchen. They kicked the door, defeated the deadbolt, but only by a half an inch. I imagine the kickback was unpleasant, they weren’t expecting to hit an immovable force...AND prevented entry.

[@bakwudzgarage]

Also, run longer deck-style screws to mount the striker plate into the doorframe. Doing this will help to prevent the door from being forced open or busting the frame so easily, gaining access.

[@palfruswyrmrest8321]

Yep - that was in the video

[@kjsfl386]

@@palfruswyrmrest8321. 😉

[@kathrynmannyng3885]

Yes. I realized that he was demonstrating on a double door and that was the reason that he didn't use longer screws, so maybe reinforcing the door on the inside with a metal bar that also can be used as a lock into a hole in the floor like a giant carriage bolt, would help prevent the doors from being kicked in. Either way, if the door was kicked in it would be obvious that it was burglary because of the damage. Then the police and insurance companies would have to do something. If there's no damage, it's not a break in.

[@NathanHarrison7]

Awesome. Thank you very much for bringing this to my attention. Appreciate you taking the time, and the matter of fact, no gimmicks, way you presented it. Subscribed.

[@BitSmythe]

Wow, I haven’t seen one of those old latches in years. The safety pin is everywhere!

[@Borzoi86]

Also: Replace those short screws with 2 1/2 inch screws to more-securely attach the strike plate to the door frame. There are larger, more robust strike plates available at your hardware store. Ten minutes of preventive attention here may save your home from a daytime criminal!

[@palfruswyrmrest8321]

Great video. As for the brand of locks, there is an important difference between Kwikset and other brands, such as Schlage, in that Kwikset door handles must be unlocked before opening the door from the inside. The point is that you can open the other brands, such as Schlage, from the inside and close the door behind you with the door locked, potentially locking you out. This is what happens when you see a video of a guy stepping out onto his front porch to pick up the paper and the door closes behind him, locking him out of the house.

[@abmoralesrosado]

I’ve moved around a bit. Before even setting furniture down, I CHANGE the locks. Always had deadbolts installed but like these fine folks have commented, always bolting doors shut at all times is your best method of safety. Don’t forget windows too 😅

[@tacocat1084]

Thanks for showing how to properly install an entry lock. With weather changes or building settling the latch never quite stays in the right place. All i have found entry locks good for is people locking themselves out of the house

[@jormungand72]

use some framing screws on the strike face and hinges so that they are fastened to the frame of the house and not the threshold/trim of the door. And make sure your exterior doors are up to code and made from solid wood or metal. They also shouldnt have windows in them. Lacking in any of these things make it easy for someone who wants to break in, to actually BREAK in. if you really really want to stop a determined thief, also replace the pins in your locks with more pick resistant pins, as kwikset are very easy to pick and just as easy to bump.

[@flywall3216]

Our door only has a deadbolt. The deadbolt is straight with no slope. It is a new door and most of the locksets we looked at were designed that same way.

[@Alan-rt3se]

Our house got broken into about 30 years ago during the day when nobody was home. The burgular simply used a hammer to break out the glass insert, then reached around and opened the door knob. After that, we always used a deadbolt with a key required on both sides. We hang the key on the wall near the door, but too far for anybody to reach it from the outside. That way, if there's a fire, the key is readily available to open the door for evacuation, but it can't be reached by breaking out the glass insert in the door.

[@user-xn4wh5pm4r]

I just watched your vlog which supposedly you uploaded a year ago according to the description in front. I can use the teachings you have in my own house. Am impressed and just subscribed. Will check your future vlogs. Thanks.

[@beverlyhill9947]

THANK YOU, SO VERY MUCH FOR YOUR KIND HEART, IN TAKING THE TIME TO MAKE THIS VIDEOS AND OTHERS. THIS IS PRICELESS INFORMATION. YOU NO DOUBT HAVE SAVED MANY HOMES FROM BEING BROKEN INTO. THIS MAKES A PERSON FEEL LESS AFRAID TO LEAVE THEIR HOUSE, OR TO BE THERE AND STILL HAVE THE DOOR LOCKED! NOW, THAT WOULD BE SCARY! THANKS, AGAIN! WARMLY, BEV~~

[@steveolive9991]

Excellent explanation and visuals. And yes, it only takes a few seconds extra to lock the deadbolt.

[@HowToHomeDIY]

Really glad to hear you liked it. Thanks a lot for the feedback Steve!

[@boardskins]

Thanks! Now I know an easier way to break in to houses!❤

[@HowToHomeDIY]

Cool

[@albaragone2632]

Excellent tip! Thank you. Mrs. Ragone

[@nickbrutanna9973]

Hint: if this works on your door latch, it's so ancient it's surprising it does not have skeleton keys. As you detail, this "trick" is the classic notion of how to use a credit card, etc., to break into a home or hotel room, but has not worked in anything not ancient for about 50+ years. This works because the old latches had a beveled front side which helped the latch to move out of the way at the jamb until it gets into the latch opening in the jamb, at which point springs push it into the opening and engage the latch. The thing is, about FIFTY years ago, exterior door makers added a "bar" to the door latch which mostly, if not completely, stops this. You can tell if this is present by looking at the latch mechanism. If it is a single part, then yes, this trick would work on it. But almost all exterior door latches in the last 50+ years have had two parts, one similar to the one described by me, PLUS another straight, solid bar, typically the size of your pinky fingernail or smaller. This "bar" prevents this trick from working. 1 -- if you don't have this bar, it's time to replace the latch. It's not that difficult or expensive, Just DO IT. Most of the time, just refer to a video on how to replace it and then go out and buy one. Or hire a locksmith, if you feel challenged by basic household tool use (no snark, just acking that some are tool-challenged) 2 -- MUCH better, however, is to put in a BOLT lock. This will require you to actually lock the door from the outside, but it makes it much more difficult to break into a house using anything but brute force. I strongly recommend Kwikset Smartkey locks -- no, not a locksmith, but I know people who "pentest" (penetration test) as a hobby, and they are one of the better locks around, and the nice thing about smartkey is that you can reset the lock to match any key you want to, so it is easy to "single key" your whole house, or to change the keys -- **without needing a locksmith**. Note that adding a bolt lock probably requires more than basic skills, so you might have to hire a locksmith to do that, again, unless you feel yourself to be pretty handy with tools. Look for a video on "bolt lock installation" to see if you think you might be capable of it. Now, another consideration with bolt locks -- does the door in question have **openings**? That is, a dog or cat door, glass parts, anything that is easy to break to get access to the latch mechanism? If so, then you want a "double bolt" and not a "single bolt" mechanism -- this means it has two keys, one each side. The down side to this is you have to be aware that you may need to evacuate the house quickly (suppose there is a fire at night?), and you generally don't want to put the key within easy reach of the door's openings, but you DO want a key nearby in an unobvious place **which you can reach from the floor** (if there is a fire, you want to keep low to the floor to reduce smoke inhalation, so you may want to be on your hands and knees) So if you make a place to put the key out of reach of the door openings, consider emergency access so you can crawl to the door, access the key, and get it open while staying on your hands and knees. This is not too hard, but it is something to consider.

[@palfruswyrmrest8321]

Looks like you didn't watch the video all the way through.

[@MotownGal]

Geez, now I know how the thieves were getting into my house in Florida every time I left for five minutes! I lost a lot of my parent's property that way. That really sucks! But now I know.

[@silentwitness4843]

Hey . That's called surreptitious entry. An odd term, but no casual theif keeps coming back. This sounds a little more involved . Aside from that, have you noticed anything irregular regarding your mail, or electronics? Just curious.

[@BCSTS]

Deadbolts are the most important for exterior doors....but your video is a great idea for unlocking a bathroom door if your child locks himself in & cannot understand how to get it unlocked ! 🤗

[@NotMe-st8qc]

Interior door locks all have a round pin type key to unlock them. Why are you are using exterior locks on your bathroom door?

[@MultiStats]

I appreciate the effort to help and educate--thanks!

[@fiveobob]

Great info. I was hoping you might have added replacing those "short" screws, for ones a little longer. Thanks for posting.

[@fritty9927]

Great advice, but being in that business at a young age locks are only good when your home in order to alert you someone is breaking in. Otherwise we never even mess with locks: takes to long. A swift kick to middle of the door is quick and easy. Door frames just bust right out.

[@palfruswyrmrest8321]

Especially the doors that are framed with windows.

[@HardRockMaster7577]

In buildings, they have doors that have pins that drop into the floor. But those recessed spaces get full of tiny parts of dead leaves and that keeps the pin from going down as it should.

[@jimmyhoffa2458]

What is really interesting to me you are showing burglars how to get into our homes. Some seniors don't have a tablet or means to see anything like your video.

[@HowToHomeDIY]

This has been around for decades nothing new, especially for burglars. This is helping more honest people than it is possible burglars.

[@cjod33]

I'm a carpenter and have been hanging doors and installing locks for over forty years. To this day, i can confidently say that the majority of tradesman who fit locks don't fit them correctly. One of my most common fix that i do is simply adjusting the strike plate.

[@chip9177]

watching you install the strike all I could think is that one solid kick & i would be in.

[@midnightrunner684]

The Doberman Pinschers inside the house then wake up and say " C'mon Man Go you know the thing.." As the chase you back out that door

[@DougASAP]

Thank you! You have convinced my wife and I to move into a tent were we will be safer. 😀

[@HowToHomeDIY]

😂

[@my3dviews]

Does your tent have a deadbolt on it? 🤔

[@globally123]

Good for you helping others to be safe,thanks.

[@biljanabudeska8915]

thank you for letting me know

[@HowToHomeDIY]

You’re very welcome!

[@clarencewiles963]

Thumbs up 👍 thank you for the advice 😊

[@HowToHomeDIY]

You’re welcome. Thanks for the feedback Clarence!

[@ASBO_LUTELY]

I think most PVC doors in the UK lock in 3 different positions when you turn the key, when I've seen police breach these doors and usually the easiest way for them to get in is to cut through a panel and kick it in. Pretty noisy if you're a burglar.

[@MrReasonabubble]

Yep, so long as you pull up the handle to engage the multipoint locking before you turn the key - a surprising number of people don't. The thing to remember about modern uPVC doors is that if you engage the multipoint locking they're pretty secure - but if you don't, they're useless and very easy to spring open with a couple of screwdrivers jammed in above and below the lock.

[@timstipdonk8451]

I’m not sure if this was already brought to your attention, but some lock cylinders have a “re-key” mechanism. This is similar to the extra hole found on your cylinder. If you have such a lock, I would recommend you to switch the cylinder around (assuming spacing is equal) or replace the cylinder altogether..

[@cq7415]

Great tip. Thanks for sharing.

[@briantotten6038]

Thanks for posting this, it worked like a charm. I was able to break into a dozen homes last night alone, when I normally only get into 3.

[@lynnshute9914]

This was an excellent video!! I actually was able to understand all of it! You are a great teacher!!

[@ZlPPENHAFT]

i know this trick since i was 12 and i'm 50 now, an old credit card work way better than plastic bottle. the best way to prevent this is to place screws or nails to block the way. also the more the lock is tight the harder it is to unlock. if you want to be sure to prevent this just dont install this kind of of latch, use a deadbolt latch instead

[@geoffreyward5699]

For anyone wondering if the safety pin is working properly, here’s a tip. With the door open, Get a felt tip pen and put a mark on the safety pin about 3mm or 1/8 inch in from the end. Close the door and then using a torch you should be able to see the mark while the catch will be in the keeper. Once you do this you’ll get the idea about how the safety pin works.

[@Jeph629]

"torch" is the British term for flashlight.

[@sawong8685]

Just start out by saying "Get a Deadbolt"

[@IANJCAMBELcali]

4 inch hinge screws too

[@jdgoesham5381]

Usually you can just line the screw holes with the middle of the inner jam and the pin will hit the plate. It's usually the starting point I try and very rarely have I had to adjust. Though it happens. Old or warped materials can make for weird fixes.

[@JoeSmith-pp6vi]

Thank you. You are awesome

[@HowToHomeDIY]

You are very welcome! Really glad to hear you liked it. Thanks a lot for the feedback!

[@greenman360]

I never knew of this bottle trick, but back when I was a teenager, I "broke into" my neighbors house because they locked themselves out and I figured I could give it a shot. So many things can serve this same purpose, I think I used an old credit card or laminated membership card or something, but I got in super easy. Deadbolts are nice, but remember: locks only keep honest people out. Any skilled picker can get through a deadbolt like it's not even there, and somebody that wants in bad enough can just kick the door in or bust through a window.

[@NathanaCentauri]

Try to use really long screws if you have a single door so that the screws go into the frame of the house and reinforce the door making it harder to simply shoulder or kick in. The tiny screws that many people often use allows a small child to run through a door and breaks the trim or soft wood jam. just a tip from an ex punchout for movins and inspections. Also if you are gonna use that tin can or plastic slim jim, try putting a small u shaped notch in the bottom to slide over the latch easier :-) a tip from an ex other peoples problem solver.

[@user-mj4wt7eb7b]

Excellent gift to women! Thank You.

[@bobbyjones2293]

Not many criminals are doing any of this or what the comments suggest, thanks for giving them a update. Thanks for show jealous ex’s what to do to take stalking to the next level.

[@bobbyjones2293]

For the life of me why show people this, some junkie is begging for change and cutting a bottle for everyone who hasn’t seen this thanks your step by step