A standard deadbolt resists most hand pressure, but the door frame it’s mounted in often fails first under repeated kick force. Here’s what’s actually at risk and what to do.
Most break-and-enter attempts that succeed do so quickly — under 30 seconds in many documented cases. The ones that fail are the ones that meet unexpected resistance. That is the entire logic of fortification: not to make your home invincible, but to make the first minute expensive enough that an intruder moves on.
Security window film holds shattered glass together after impact. An unreinforced pane fails in under 5 seconds. With XPEL Safety & Security film, the glass spider-webs but holds — turning a 3-second entry into 20, 30 seconds or more of repeated strikes. That is when the abandon rate spikes.
Door fortification addresses the other common vector: kick-in. Standard residential strike plates can separate from the frame under repeated kick force. Reinforcement systems like ARX Guard are designed to spread that load across the frame and studs, increasing the time and effort required to force the door — without replacing it.
“Residential break-and-enter offences in Toronto have climbed notably year over year, with forced glass and patio-door entries representing a growing share of home-invasion methods.”
— Toronto Police Service, 2025 annual statistical report
