Survivalist Forum banner
Cancel
Create thread New Forums

Securing your home

Jump to Latest
1 - 20 of 28 Posts
W

wevie

· Registered
Joined
·
388 Posts
Discussion starter · #1 ·
I've always been fearful, but never prepared. I've always planned to prepare, but never followed through. I now feel I shouldn't have waited and I have to start now.

Yesterday, a friend of the family went through a traumatic experience. A fugitive kicked in her back door and held her hostage for several hours with a full tactical police force surrounding her house. Eventually, a breach was made with smoke and tear gas. The victim is physically OK, but the suspect was not apprehended. This occured six blocks from my house.

Today, I don't feel quite so safe and I want... no, I HAVE to take precautions.

One of the first things on my list is to ensure, to the best of my ability, that a stray individual cannot gain easy access to my home. I have four entry points - front/back/side door and cellar door. That isn't counting all the windows.

Frankly, I don't feel a standard lock/deadbolt combination is enough. I'm thinking a steel bar on the inside of each door. I've got to consider what the doors are made of. Are the doors themselves easily breached?

How can I make the windows safer?

I also have to keep in mind that we made need to get OUT in a hurry, also i.e. fire, etc.

Thoughts on how you secure your home or would prefer to secure your home?
 
#3 ·
pieces of 3/4 inch plywood the longer than your windows are wide and roughly 4 feet wide wide long nails driven up through it - place it under the window and camoflage it with either leaves or pine needles (location dependent) and it will stop people from accessing your windows without some pain
 
#4 ·
Deadbolts are a false sense of security in my opinion. A deadbolt just goes a couple inches into a wooden jamb on a typical house door. A couple well placed kicks with a heel can bust the deadbolt right through the wood.

Extra measures should be taken at entry doors. Steel pipe in the king studs with a deeper deadbolt. That way the deadbolt must be kicked through a steel pipe, not only wood. Also, Steel bars would help. I know there was a big article of survivalblog a while back of security architecture.....I'll see if I can find it.
 
Discussion starter · #6 ·
Badger42 said:
plant bushes with thorns under your windows
Click to expand...
Excellent idea. Plus, bringing home a rose bush for the wife each week earns browny points!!

ackbob said:
pieces of 3/4 inch plywood the longer than your windows are wide and roughly 4 feet wide wide long nails driven up through it - place it under the window and camoflage it with either leaves or pine needles (location dependent) and it will stop people from accessing your windows without some pain
Click to expand...
1) This crosses into legal issues.
2) I may not have mentioned I have kids at home, neighborhood kids playing in the yard, etc.
 
Discussion starter · #8 ·
ackbob said:
in a post SHTF scenario you are the law and you are protecting your own life, your family and yoru ability to stay alive
Click to expand...
I fully agree, in a SHTF situation. However, a more immediate concern for myself is legal intruder deterrent for a situation described in the OP. Your methods would be ideal to have stored away to be deployed as needed when S does HTF.
 
#9 ·
Down here, it's common to see houses with wrought iron bars on doors and windows. The bedroom window bars have a tube with a release. This can only be reached into from the inside of the house. This allows you to open a window, reach in and pull the lever to unlatch the bars, and swing them outward to allow a fast escape in a fire. The door bars are essentially a wrought iron storm door that closes over your regular door (which ideally should be solid core or a security door with high security locks).

This is about the best way to resist an intruder, as there's no effective way to force your way in through the bars. Combine them with other options such as thorny bushes under the windows, good lighting, etc., and you're quite secure from intrusions and all but the most determined and experienced burglars.
 
#10 ·
First, when it comes to home security ask yourself, how would I break in? Then envision an onion, not an egg. Layered security is not only the best deterrent, but the best defense against break ins. A good example of layered home defense is using all the ideas you can think of and mentioned in this thread like double-locked/reinforced doors, thorny bushes (rose, holly, or cactus etc) outside the window/ something difficult to climb over, barred and safety coated windows, something difficult to climb over inside the window, and an occupied appearance with alarm signs. The more layers and the more work criminals have to do, the more likely they will pass by your home.

Brace doorframes and put multiple locks on all outside doors. Because of the fallibility of garage door openers, treat garage doors that lead inside your house the same with multiple locks and bracing. There are many ways to brace doorframes try an Internet search for “Door Frame Reinforcement” but preferably go with steel jams. Also, check out the Strikemaster II Pro it is guaranteed to stop door kick-ins & repair broken doorframes. www.asafehome.net/index.html. Here is an interesting article on reinforcement. www.thenationallocksmith.com/public.asp?2

Use security bars or storm shutters for the windows. 3M Safety & Security Window Films can also slow down burglars and are also good for storm damage. Extra window locks/window stops are a good idea on easily accessible window frames. On a budget something as simple as drilling a hole through both frames when the window is closed and placing a nail in the hole will lock the windows in place. While automatic security shutters are my preference in high crime areas, security bars on windows would seem to be the way to go.

Consider making one room in the house a safe room. FEMA 320 Taking Shelter From the Storm: Building a Safe Room For Your Home or Small Business might help give some ideas. www.fema.gov/library/viewRecord.do?id=1536

As part of a layered system, you should also consider a safe for valuables.

For product suppliers you can search this website for everything from armored doors to automatic security shutters. www.miamidade.gov/buildingcode/pc-search_app.asp. It is the link for an extensive database of tough building products that have been approved for use on buildings in high velocity impact zones and definitely worth a look when planning to harden the homestead a little.

Appearances are also important. Your house should appear occupied at all times. Use timers to switch lights and radios on and off when you're not at home. Motion activated lights are also a good idea and so is having your mail picked up when you are out of town. If you do not have anyone available to house sit and pick up your mail, you can have your mail held for you at the post office. You can do this online at https://dunsapp.usps.gov/HoldMail.jsp.

Don’t forget the obvious home security tips like lock doors, windows, and the gates; use your peephole to check your visitors and have a good home defense weapon handy (maybe two).
 
#11 ·
Good post Theyeti. I installed the Strikemaster units myself after the last breakin at my house. They were having a sale 3 for $300. While expensive it beats losing thousands to the punks. I replaced all my doors with steelclad units, and used 3 inch screws on the larger 4 screw hinges. If any of you have a outward opening door on your garages replace them with a inward opening unit as they only have to remove the trim to get to the strikers. The security film is also a good idea, I put it both outside and inside of the windows. No door should have glass windows in them, and I used double keyed deadbolts so that even if they break a nearby window they can't reach in and open the door. As soon as I can afford it I will be installing metal security gates on all entry doors and sliding glass doors.
 
#12 ·
Be very careful not to booby trap your home. You could lose everything in a nasty lawsuit.

This is one of the reasons why I have never been a fan of things like french doors or patio doors. Entrance doors with windows are just as bad; as well as basement windows.

I would probably consider wrought iron window treatments. They come very decorative/ornamental these days. Sad to say, but with things being what they are...it may just be a good alternative.

You can also buy hardware to reinforce your entrance doors. An alarm system and a 12 gauge loaded with glaser ammo and a Rottweiler to finish up nicely.
 
#15 ·
You can make it difficult for someone to break in to your home, but it is just about imposible to totally "secure" your house if someone is really determined to break in. If you make it very difficult the average thug will probaby move on to another house that is more accessable.
 
#18 ·
Poor man's deadbolt

The average doorknob is about three feet off the floor.

You can cut a vee slot in the end of a two-by-four and then cut the 2x4 to length so that it can be jammed under the doorknob.

With the 2x4 jammed in place, a kick from the outside will be redirected up into the header over the door, making it much more difficult to kick the door in.

This will hopefully give you time to set your beer down without spilling it.
Then you make ready your primary home defense before the door is kicked or battered in.

Wheel
 
#19 ·
I think a thief is gonna look for an easy target. Locked windows are not usually gonna be breached when a wrecking bar can pry a door jamb past the deadbolt with almost no noise. An open window is very different of course. Alot of folks dont realize their deadbolts can be carded just like a doorknob because the hole isnt drilled deep enough. Another deadbolt into the floor and /or header will make it to where the door will have to be pryed in different directions at the same time which is nearly impossible. A barking dog is a deterrent to most, and having a car parked in the yard helps as well as leaving a stereo or TV on. Alarm signs and having a few stealth cams and motion lights etc. Being secluded is nice so your not being cased as easy, neighbors who see you come and go like clockwork can easily walk over and help themselves. Lots of people are desperate these days but home invations are extremely rare and theves dont usually to bother with bystander. Homemade louvered shutters are good for sun blockage, privacy and security. Id never booby trap the place for fear of forgeting it myself :eek:
 
#20 ·
I have thought of creating a safe zone from the outside, using 1inch plywood painted with Hurcules Bed Liner, that they advertise you cannot break with a hammer or drill through. paint both sides.

Each sheet is 4x8, so that is four ft of height that a person could duck down under if the bullets start coming through the walls.

If one sheet is not good enough, then create a wall with 2x4 frame, painted inside and out, filled with sand. That ought to do the trick.

One could even create window shields like this.

Hopefuly some day soon, I will be able to test this idea out.

As for the doors and windows, I carry or keep the 40 on or near me 24/7. Other arms are within quick deployment. The locks N such simply give me 2-3 seconds to draw and eliminate.

Recon3
 
1 - 20 of 28 Posts
About this Discussion
27 Replies
22 Participants
Last post:
Hick Industries
Survivalist Forum
posts
12M
members
169K
Since
2007
A forum community dedicated to survivalists and enthusiasts. Come join the discussion about collections, gear, DIY projects, hobbies, reviews, accessories, classifieds, and more!
Full Forum Listing
Explore Our Forums
Off Topic Lounge Disaster Preparedness General Discussion Firearms General Discussion New Member Introductions Financial Forum