How to Install a Peephole
Opening the door immediately after someone knocks or rings the doorbell is something many people are accustomed to doing, without realizing the danger it can bring. If you’re not comfortable to the idea of opening your door to strangers, then you should get a peephole. Here’s how to install this handy door hardware.
What You’ll Need:
Peephole kit
Power drill
Safety goggles
Measuring tape
Pencil
Spade bit
1/8 drill bit
Door
Procedure:
Examine your door, noting its knobs, finish, locks and handles. Your peephole must at least match whatever finish you have. You should also choose whether you want a small peephole or a large one. If you have eye problems, then a larger peephole is better, but if not, you can settle for a small, more obscure type.
peephole
Purchase a peephole kit in a style that suits your door. These are cheap, only costing a few dollars, and have an inner and outer piece. Read the instructions, taking note of the drill bit size and type needed.
Determine how high you’re going to place the peephole. You want to put it at a height that’s accessible to younger family members, but convenient for you. Most people settle for five feet from the ground. If there’s a very distinguished difference between the heights of the people in your home, you can install two peepholes. Use a pencil and make a light mark at the height you want. You should also go outside and make sure the place you chose doesn’t interfere with your door knocker, if you have one.
Find the middle point of the door using a measuring tape and mark it distinctly with a pencil. This is your peephole’s center.
You need your safety goggles for this part. Get the drill and 1/8 drill bit, and make a narrow hole that goes all the way through the door. Make sure you drill as horizontally as possible. This serves as your pilot hole, which you’ll use later for making a bigger hole.
Get the right spade bit in the size that’s indicated in your peephole kit’s instructions, and replace the drill bit with it. Start drilling from the inside the door, centering the spade bit in the pilot hole and keeping the drill level. Continue drilling until you’re halfway through.
Go to the opposite side of the door and repeat the step above. This will prevent splintering when it comes out the other side. Use the pilot hole as your guide for this. When you’re finished, you now have a smooth circular hole all the way through your door.
Insert the two halves of the peephole in the hole, according to the instructions stated. When the two meet in the middle, they can be screwed together.
A peephole assures you that no axe murderer goes through your door without you checking it first. Just follow these steps and keep yourself and your family safe all the time.