Home Security for Dummies

Deadbolt lock

We're not sure whether it's worse for freelancers to dump out misconceptions and bad facts because they don't understand the topic (and there's a lot of that) or for them to offer up "advice" that's incomplete or plain old wrong. Well, there's advice that's stupid and there's advice that's dangerously stupid – and the latter is perhaps the worst...

A case in point: HubPages.com contributor John Albu, writing on the topic "How to keep your home safe from burglars?"¹ Is it just us, or is that question mark a dead giveaway that the content will be crap? Whatever the case, John's sole advice involved locks. No alarms, dogs, security lights, or any of the other advice you can find at thousands of sites run by law enforcement. No, just locks:

"Contrary to other types of locks, a deadbolt lock can be opened only when you insert a key and open the lock. Although the lack of ability to open the door from the outside without a key might seem like a disadvantage, there is no doubt that a deadbolt lock will provide a higher level of security for your property than the vast majority of other locks would ever be able to."

Ummm, John? No: even you admit further on that a single-cylinder deadbolt doesn't require a key to open from the inside. But that's not why you're our Dumbass of the Day, John. You receive the award mostly for having said, "Although the lack of ability to open the door from the outside without a key might seem like a disadvantage..." but also because you say that combining a deadbolt with a locking doorknob "will protect your home from any 'uninvited guest' out there." Well, no, they won't -- and telling people that all they need to do to be safe is install a deadbolt is lousy advice. Dumbass.

¹ The post has been deleted, but you can still see it using archive.org's Wayback machine. Its URL was   johnalbu.hubpages.com/hub/How-to-keep-your-home-safe-from-burglars

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