Installing a Peephole in a Door

Peepholes might not be the latest technological security gadget on the market, but for just $2 a pop, you can’t go wrong by installing this little security tool.

The best way for a home burglar to know whether or not you are home is by knocking on your door. If someone answers the door, the wannabe thief will make up some reason why he or she is standing outside your home. If no one answers the door, and the house looks and sounds unoccupied, the home burglar might attempt to break into the home and ransack the place.

Never answer your door without first knowing who’s on the other side.

There are lots of shady characters out there that might either want to cause you harm or break into your home. Just because a voice from outside tells you that it’s the electrical company, or the police, doesn’t mean you should trust them and open the door without first seeing and being able to know who’s knocking at your door.

The Peephole Installation Process:

It is very important to see who is standing on the other side of your door before opening and the simplest and most inexpensive way to check whose knocking is by installing a peephole in your door on your own, or by having a professional residential locksmith do it for you. If you are to attempt a peephole installation, you will surely benefit from these three simple steps:

1. Take measurements

It is very important to find the exact spot where you want the peephole to go before you start, because one you’ve drilled a hole in your door, there is no do-over and you don’t want to be left with an off-centered peephole. You will also need to measure the size of the peephole so you can know how big to drill the hole.

2. Drill the hole

When it comes to drilling the hole, it is important to think about the size of the drill bit that you will need. You should also consider what material your door is made of, if it’s made of wood, you should drill extra slowly so that it doesn’t splinter. Doors are thicker than many realize; when drilling through the door, make sure you stand on a stepstool or small latter so that your cut goes straight through the door and does not tilt upwards or downwards.

3. Install the Peephole

Here’s the fun part: Insert the barrel of the peephole (the piece with the threads on the inside) from the outside side of the door, and put in the lens (the part with the threads on the outside) from the inside part of the door. You will want to put some sealer on all the sides of the peephole before tightening it with the tool that is usually provided. The peephole should be secure and shouldn’t have any room to wiggle around.

How Do Peepholes Work?

Normally, when you look through a very small window, you have a very limited view of what’s in front of you.  In that case, how does a peephole allow us to see a full size image of the individual on the other side of the door, and how is it that the person who is standing outside cannot see who’s inside of the house through the other side of the peephole?

The answer is that inside every peephole is a fisheye lens which when viewed from one direction, takes in a very wide field of view while the other side gets a very narrow view. When a peephole is installed correctly, the shape of the fisheye lens gathers light rays together which also helps insure that the individual on the other side of the door is seen clearly at all times.

Make sure your home is protected at all times by calling on our licensed locksmiths to assist you with your home security needs. Call us now!