I have a garden that is very water efficient, so it looks great in the warmer months, but it can become a little overgrown and wild in the colder months. I might not spend as much time out there in winter, but I still like it to look good. I have been working on the garden design to help it look good all year round, and I have found that with the right plant selection and preparation, the garden can look great throughout the year. This blog has tips for other homeowners who are looking to improve the appearance of their garden when the weather gets wet.
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Security doors help keep your home safe from intruders, but they aren't always the sort of thing you'd want on the front of your home. Security screen doors feature a metal mesh that still keeps out unwanted visitors while also letting in light and air. There are many different kinds of security screen doors, and it can be a little daunting trying to find the one that's right for you. Here are a few of the things you need to look out for.
Standard Compliance
The difference between a genuine security screen door and a regular screen door is compliance with Australian Standard 5039-2008. A product without this standard might be nothing more than an ordinary fly screen with a few superficial security features. Your vendor will be able to tell you if the door you're looking at complies. A related standard, Australian Standard 5040, covers installation, so if you're not installing the door yourself, make sure that the installation will be in compliance with this one.
Materials
The frame and mesh of your security screen door can be made from steel or aluminium. Traditional security doors feature a metal grille, but a finer mesh is becoming more common. Aluminium is lighter and typically less expensive, but steel is stronger and harder for an intruder to break into. Some aluminium doors use perforated sheets of structural-grade aluminium, which is more secure than normal aluminium mesh. If you're buying a steel door, be sure to find out what steps the manufacturer has taken to protect it from rust; aluminium is more resistant to corrosion and a rusted security door is more vulnerable.
Frame and infill
The strongest mesh in the world is useless if it's easy for an intruder to detach it from the door frame. In some security doors, the mesh is riveted; in others, it's held in place by clips or even welded directly to the frame. If the screen is riveted or clipped in place, check that the connection points aren't accessible from the outside and that they're spaced close together around the frame.
Hinges
Hinges are another point of vulnerability for security doors, so make sure that the model you're buying has hinge pins that can't be removed. Hinges should be recessed or otherwise protected from jimmying. Some doors have a single long hinge that runs the length of the frame; this serves a similar purpose, giving burglars nowhere to access the hinge.
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