The situation
Picture a family in a Scarborough townhouse complex who come home to find pry marks on their side door. The door held, but the frame around the strike is cracked and the knob lock now turns loosely. Police have been called and have taken a report.
First steps
The family photographs the damage before anything is touched, for the insurer. They call us that evening. The dispatcher asks whether the door currently closes and locks at all, and whether any keys are missing. It closes, but they do not trust it overnight.
On site
The technician confirms that the townhouse corporation allows owners to repair their own door hardware. The cracked jamb is reinforced with a heavy strike plate and long screws into the stud, and a frame reinforcement plate is added. The damaged knob lock is replaced, and a deadbolt is added, because the side door previously relied on a knob lock alone. Both are keyed to the family's existing house key so they do not need a new key ring.
Preventing a repeat
Burglars often return to properties where entry nearly succeeded. The technician suggests checking the patio door's anti-lift protection and adding exterior lighting at the side entrance. The invoice describes every item, ready for the insurance claim.
If this is you
See our break-in repair and door reinforcement pages, the Scarborough page, or call (416) 240-0593 any time.