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This is my first house and I didn't notice little things during the viewing etc. At the time more interested in condition of the roof/furnace/foundation.

Anyway get into it and start noticing little things and one of them is this door striker that's shimmed to close the gap to the latch.

The door jamb looks uneven as if it was sanded in the middle or something. Guessing why the shim was added. I mean it works the door latches pretty tightly and I took couple screws out they seem to be 8x3 so they go into the frame. striker

Just looks odd. There's a lock above it with no key I think it's called a guardian per my online research. Due to the gap from the jamb to the door that "guardian" lock doesn't make 100% contact with the door but should still work as intended? lock

I can deal with the cosmetic issue of it for now as long as it's secure. Just looking for opinions. Thanks

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  • How long is the tongue/bolt that feed into that striker? Aug 7, 2016 at 1:24
  • They looked like 8x3 wood screws
    – user58423
    Aug 7, 2016 at 1:31
  • Sorry, wasn't clear: how long is the door latch part that extends from the door and goes into the slot in the striker plate? If it's too short, and doesn't extend past the plate into the body of the frame, then that's too weak. Aug 7, 2016 at 1:33
  • It's a standard door knob latch size. Not sure what that would be? Not a deadbolt
    – user58423
    Aug 7, 2016 at 1:35

1 Answer 1

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The "Guardian" lock should be fine. If you feel daring, give it a good shove from the outside.

For the strike plate, if it's secured with long screws and doesn't wobble, it should also be fine. If you choose to fix it, the approach will depend on how the rest of the door looks. I suggest you post another question that documents the width of all the reveals around the door-jamb gap.

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  • Thanks for your response. The door seems to be hollow with foam inserted. Probably not the strongest doors I imagine. Would the lock still do its job with this type of door if force is applied?
    – user58423
    Aug 7, 2016 at 0:28
  • Chances are, the door lock will do a decent job (within the constraints of knobs, which aren't terribly secure, even when perfectly installed). If you are nervous, get a deadbolt as well as the lock. (If you match brands or replace both at once, you can easily have them keyed alike for convenience.) Aug 7, 2016 at 3:05
  • Are those guardian locks good security locks? Never seen one until this house. Looks like they opted for that over a deadbolt
    – user58423
    Aug 7, 2016 at 3:19
  • I don't have direct experience with the 'guardian' style, but I'd expect that a deadbolt has better attachment into the framing around the door, and that the deadbolt is more visible as a deterrent. Aug 7, 2016 at 3:32
  • Guardian is a builder's-quality brand. Cheap. Perfectly functional, but likely to wear out sooner than a better brand would.
    – keshlam
    Sep 6, 2016 at 3:03

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