Does Aluminum Foil On Your Doorknob Keep You Safer When Home Alone?

Jun 09, 2023

While some online advertisements and articles claim that wrapping your doorknob in aluminum foil will keep you safe while home alone, it is not an effective security measure. The idea behind this hack is that the foil will make a noise if disturbed, alerting you that someone may be at your door. Other theories are that the knob would be more difficult to hold and turn or that the lock would be harder to pick open if the foil was present. In reality, aluminum foil will not do much to prevent someone from breaking into your home.

It may be true that a doorknob is harder to turn when it's covered in foil, but a determined intruder would simply remove the aluminum before trying to enter your home. This will make a sound, but if you are sleeping, you likely won't hear it. Locking your doors and installing cameras or an alarm system are better ways to keep your home secure.

Unless you're a light sleeper and decide to camp out next to the front door, the slight crinkle of foil will probably go unnoticed. While it may seem loud while using it in the kitchen, foil around your doorknob would be less effective than an alarm system or even hanging bells around the knob.

Not only is aluminum foil not a good alarm, but if someone with malicious intent has heard of this hack, wrapping your doorknob in foil could signal that you're alone and attract their attention. This will make your home stand out from the others around you, letting potential burglars know that you're by yourself and afraid. On the other hand, putting up a security camera, even a doorbell camera, is more of a threat to thieves, and your door is more likely to be avoided. While foil is inexpensive, it's not worth wasting it on this fictitious safety hack.

While putting foil around your doorknob won't make being home alone safer, there are some clever household applications for aluminum foil. If you're painting your door, keeping all the paint off the knob can be tricky. Though painter's tape is often used for this job, aluminum foil is a quick, easy, and inexpensive way to ensure the paint doesn't end up on your doorknob. You can leave it there until the paint dries and rip it off once you're finished.

Wrapping your doorknob in foil may also help with static electricity. If you're sick of getting shocked every time you open your door, covering the knob in foil could prevent this. The aluminum foil redirects the static electricity, so you won't feel a shock. Though they do have a few practical uses, doorknobs covered in foil won't stop intruders from breaking into your house when you're alone.