Just Moved to Arlington? A 7-Point Door-Security Checklist for Your New Home (2026)

A practical move-in security checklist for new Arlington homeowners and renters: rekey or replace, deadbolt grade, strike-plate reinforcement, smart-lock options, sliding-door and garage-entry vulnerabilities, and what to handle in week one versus later.

Quick answer

When you move into an Arlington home, work through seven door-security steps in order. In week one: rekey or replace every exterior lock so old keys stop working, verify each deadbolt is ANSI/BHMA Grade 1 or 2, and reinforce strike plates with three-inch screws — most forced entries defeat the frame, not the lock. After that: consider a smart lock for keyless control, secure sliding patio doors, lock down the garage entry (the most-overlooked door), and set a re-check reminder. The first three are the urgent ones; the rest can follow on your own timeline.

Why move-in security is different

A new home is the one moment you genuinely do not know who has a key. On a resale, prior owners, real-estate agents, cleaners, contractors, dog-walkers, and a lockbox all had access during the sale. The U.S. Census Bureau puts Arlington at roughly 175,000 housing units with owner-occupancy near 56%, which means a large share of moves here are into resale homes with exactly this unknown key history.

That uncertainty is why move-in security starts with keys, not gadgets. The FBI Crime Data Explorer continues to record burglary as one of the most common property crimes nationally, and a meaningful share of residential burglaries involve forcible entry. Bureau of Justice Statistics victimization data tells the same story. The takeaway is practical: control who has a working key first, then harden the physical door so force is harder.

The seven steps below are ordered by urgency. The first three belong to week one. The rest are real improvements you can schedule over the following weeks without leaving yourself exposed in the meantime.

Week one: the three urgent steps

These three close the gaps that exist the day you get the keys. Do them before you have settled in.

1. Rekey or replace every exterior lock

This is the single highest-value move-in step and it is inexpensive. Rekeying re-pins each cylinder to a new key so every key from the home's past stops working, and key-alike sets them all to one key. If the existing hardware is sound, rekey; if a lock is worn, damaged, or below the grade you want, replace it. Either way, every door that opens to the outside — front, back, side, and the garage service door — should be on a key only you hold by the end of week one.

2. Verify deadbolt grade (ANSI/BHMA Grade 1 or 2)

Not all deadbolts are equal. The Builders Hardware Manufacturers Association grades residential deadbolts under ANSI/BHMA A156.36 as Grade 1, 2, or 3, where Grade 1 withstands the most force and strikes in standardized testing. Builders frequently install the cheapest acceptable hardware, so a resale home may have Grade 3 knob-and-deadbolt sets on doors that deserve better. Check your main entry and any door hidden from the street first, and upgrade those to Grade 1 or at least Grade 2.

3. Reinforce strike plates with three-inch screws

This is the cheapest high-impact upgrade in home security, and almost everyone skips it. Most forced entries defeat the door frame, not the lock — the short three-quarter-inch screws that ship with many strike plates only bite into the thin door jamb, which splits under a kick. Replacing them with three-inch screws that reach the wall stud, ideally with a box strike or reinforcement plate, dramatically increases how much force the door survives. Bureau of Justice Statistics data on forcible entry is exactly why this matters more than another lock.

Steps four through seven: on your timeline

With keys controlled and the door frame hardened, the remaining steps are upgrades you can schedule without urgency.

4. Consider a smart lock

A smart lock adds keyless entry, per-person codes you can revoke, and a log of who came and went — useful for a cleaner, a dog-walker, or a guest. If you want one app across Apple, Google, or Alexa, choose a Matter-capable lock, since Matter from the Connectivity Standards Alliance is the cross-platform standard. A smart lock is still a deadbolt first, so keep the Grade 1 or 2 physical standard in mind when choosing one.

5. Secure sliding patio doors

Sliding glass doors are a common weak point. The factory latch is often flimsy, and a door can sometimes be lifted out of its track. Add a secondary bar or a track lock, and adjust the rollers so the panel cannot be lifted. For Arlington homes backing onto greenbelts or alleys, this is a door an intruder can work on unseen, so it deserves real attention.

6. Lock down the garage entry

The service door from the garage into the house is the most-overlooked door in most homes — usually the builder's cheapest lock, hidden from the street, and left exposed whenever the big garage door is open. Rekey it with the rest and put a genuine Grade 1 deadbolt on it. Also confirm the overhead garage door opener is not on a default code and that the emergency release cannot be fished from outside.

7. Set a re-check reminder

Security drifts. Codes get shared, spare keys get handed out, batteries die. Set a reminder to re-check access a few months in: which smart-lock codes are still active, who still has a physical key, and whether any hardware needs service. The Associated Locksmiths of America frames periodic access review as basic home-security hygiene — the same logic as changing a password.

A practical week-one example

Consider a typical resale purchase near the Parks Mall area in 76015: a four-door home (front, back, side, and garage entry) bought from owners who had lived there nine years. The unknowns are the same as any resale — every key cut over nine years is unaccounted for, and the lockbox was on the door for weeks during the sale.

A sensible week-one plan: rekey all four exterior cylinders to one new key, replace the builder-grade garage-entry deadbolt with a Grade 1, and reinforce the front and side strike plates with three-inch screws into the studs. That is a single mobile visit, modest cost, and it closes the unknown-key risk and the easiest forced-entry paths in one trip. The smart lock, the patio-door bar, and the re-check reminder then follow over the next few weeks with no exposure in the gap.

The point is sequencing. You do not need to do everything the first weekend — you need to do the right three things first, in the right order, and let the rest follow.

“The number one thing new homeowners skip is the garage service door — the one from the garage into the house. It is usually the builder's cheapest lock, it is hidden from the street, and people leave the big garage door open while they unload. Rekey it, put a real Grade 1 deadbolt on it, and you have closed the easiest way into most Arlington homes.”
— Licensed mobile locksmith, 12 years residential service, Arlington and surrounding cities (anonymized)

Sourced stats

The FBI Crime Data Explorer records burglary as one of the most common property crimes nationally, and a large share of residential burglaries involve forcible entry. — Federal Bureau of Investigation — Uniform Crime Reporting (2023)
Bureau of Justice Statistics victimization data shows household burglary remains a meaningful risk, with forcible entry a significant share of incidents — the case for reinforcing the door frame, not just the lock. — U.S. Bureau of Justice Statistics (2023)
ANSI/BHMA A156.36 grades residential deadbolts Grade 1, 2, and 3; Grade 1 withstands the most strikes and force in standardized testing. — Builders Hardware Manufacturers Association (2024)
Arlington has roughly 175,000 housing units with owner-occupancy near 56%, so a large share of moves here involve resale homes whose key history is unknown to the new occupant. — U.S. Census Bureau (2024)

Related services

Rekey Locks Deadbolt Installation Smart Lock Installation

Frequently asked questions

What should I do for security right after moving into an Arlington home?

In week one, do three things in order: rekey or replace every exterior lock so old keys stop working, verify each deadbolt is ANSI/BHMA Grade 1 or 2, and reinforce strike plates with three-inch screws into the stud. Those close the unknown-key risk and the most common forced-entry path. Smart locks, patio-door security, and the garage entry can follow afterward.

Do I really need to rekey if the house came with keys?

Yes. The keys you received are not the only keys that exist. On a resale, prior owners, agents, cleaners, contractors, and the lockbox all had access. Rekeying every exterior cylinder to one new key is the low-cost way to take exclusive control on day one.

What deadbolt grade should a home have?

Aim for ANSI/BHMA Grade 1 on main and hidden entries, Grade 2 at minimum elsewhere. The BHMA grades deadbolts under A156.36, with Grade 1 withstanding the most force in standardized testing. Builders often install the cheapest acceptable hardware, so a resale home may need an upgrade on its most exposed doors.

Why do strike plate screws matter so much?

Because most forced entries defeat the frame, not the lock. The short screws that ship with many strike plates bite only into the thin jamb, which splits under a kick. Three-inch screws reaching the wall stud, ideally with a reinforcement plate, dramatically increase the force the door survives — it is the cheapest high-impact security upgrade.

Which door do new homeowners most often forget?

The garage service door — the one from the garage into the house. It is usually the builder's cheapest lock, hidden from the street, and exposed whenever the overhead door is open. Rekey it with the others and put a Grade 1 deadbolt on it.