Exterior Door Installation Issues - Exterior doors that open to the exterior have a unique installation when compared to exterior doors that open into the house.  Look at the two pix below.  What looks different?

HINT: Think like a crook.  What's the easiest way in, door or window?

From a distance its hard to tell which is the best path to a break in.  But when you get up close, look below at what the crook will see.

ANSWER:  The doors are installed with the swing pin on the outside of the building so the doors open to the outside.  This is normal if you want to have the doors swing outward when opened, but something else has to be present when this type of installation is used.  A security pin must be installed on the inside of the door hinges that operates to prevent the doors from being removed by simply tapping the swing pins out of position.  Without the security pins, the doors can be removed easily by removing the swing pins and simply lifting the doors out of the frame.  Another way to do this is with security hinges.  Security hinges have a built-in security pin that projects across both sides of the hinge when the door is closed.

Thank you,

Richard Acree

Comments in this blog posting are the copyrighted intellectual property of Richard Acree, President, HABITEC Home and Building Inspections, LLC, and contributing members of the Active Rain Real Estate network, and are intended to educate and otherwise assist home owners, sellers and buyers, building owners, sellers and buyers, realtors, real estate investors, property managers, and lenders in the process of owning, buying or selling homes or commercial buildings.  HABITEC is a residential (home) and commercial building inspection company serving Middle Tennessee including Nashville, Brentwood, Franklin, Murfreesboro, Smyrna, Mt. Juliet, Hendersonville, Dickson, Belle Meade, Columbia, Spring Hill and more!  In addition to building inspections HABITEC offers Environmental Services for mold assessments, radon testing and water quality analysis.  Additional information about HABITEC can be found on our website at http://habitecinspections.com, or call 615-376-2753. 

Richard Acree is the author of the HABITEC Home and Building Inspections Blog and founder of the ActiveRain Group Tennessee Home and Building Inspectors.  All are welcome to join and see more blogs like this one.