Jim Watson
Member
Me, too. I am more careful now.
This is why locks and doors are more important than guns
- Thread starter Jeff White
- Start date
- Status
Me, too. I am more careful now.
Good Ol' Boy
Member
We are on a 2ft tall foundation so your average person would need a 6ft ladder to get in through a window. Not to mention all of the tight to the house shrubbery around the house.. There are much easier ways into our house than windows.
What good does a dowel in the track do when you can just kick in or break the glass door?
old lady new shooter
Member
- Joined
- Apr 26, 2015
- Messages
- 30,655
Can you put security doors over the exterior doors?
Also, I said "glass", not "windows". I was specifically thinking of your sliding glass door. The French 9-lites would probably be better with a security door protecting them if it's possible to install one on a manufactured home.
Even using gunshots to start the process, it takes well over a minute to kick in or break the glass door if you have the 3M security film on it. I posted videos in another thread recently, https://www.thehighroad.org/index.p...n-of-hostile-fire.897767/page-3#post-12152916
Between the amount of time needed and the amount of noise created, the average burglar is likely to just leave to find an easier house to break into. If it's a mob, you get time to get to your defensive position, switch on your defensive lighting setup (previously set up and with a remote switch, bright facing them, you behind concealment and not illuminated) and even put on muffs, so you're ready. As you can see on the videos, the way the film works they can't just immediately walk in even if they do manage to break the glass... if the situation appears to warrant shooting and you shoot whatever body part just broke the glass, hopefully they will be inspired to get out of Dodge.
Last edited:
huntsman
Member
Lock, deadbolt, chain and brace on both doors.
windows are 5 and 12’ off ground.
windows are 5 and 12’ off ground.
Seedy Character
Member
- Joined
- Sep 6, 2021
- Messages
- 2,064
"What good does a dowel in the track do when you can just kick in or break the glass door?"
QUIETLY sliding the window or door open vs BREAKING glass, kicking it in.
The dowel rod takes EASY, QUIET entry out of the equation. A line of deterrent.
If you haven't been specifically targeted, they are looking for the fast, easy score.
Any hindrance is a deterrence.
A determined thief WILL get in. A lock is just a nuisance.
QUIETLY sliding the window or door open vs BREAKING glass, kicking it in.
The dowel rod takes EASY, QUIET entry out of the equation. A line of deterrent.
If you haven't been specifically targeted, they are looking for the fast, easy score.
Any hindrance is a deterrence.
A determined thief WILL get in. A lock is just a nuisance.
herrwalther
Member
- Joined
- May 1, 2013
- Messages
- 8,130
Motion activated cameras on the property, another motion sensor near the mailbox at the end of a long driveway. I will know someone is coming a good 2 minutes in advance. And that is if they are driving. Much longer on foot. First thing I do when I move into a new place is I replace the door kickplates with larger ones and 3 inch deck screws drilled deep into the door frame. Donkey kicking might dent the door but it won't open easily unless they bring a battering ram. A firearm in hand is the last line of prep.
Seedy Character
Member
- Joined
- Sep 6, 2021
- Messages
- 2,064
I’m going through this w my kids. Keep having to remind them to lock the doors! Get home from work front door is usually unlocked. But I’m working on it. Thought about contacting a Leo to do a mock home invasion. Just walk in a unlocked door and have a friendly chat w my kids. They might go for it not sure. It’s worth a phone call.
Don’t leave big rocks, brick’s, or anything that can be used to bust a window or sliding glass door. Old boss of mine busted a glass door w a large rock sitting on the back porch. Dude wasn’t in the home.
Hangingrock
Member
We replaced the exterior doors and added exterior lighting. The windows were replaced several years before that. Motion detectors are an asset also.
I have signs posted on all 4 corners informing all of the willingness to shoot, the dogs, and the cameras.
About 200 firearms of choice with about 5000 rounds of various caliber ammo, 2 140 lb great danes, and 16 hd cameras with 2 week recording to hard drive. all videos are backed up to a 40tb server for long term storage. Also have a buzzer warning on motion sensor for 3 areas such as driveway, the garage interior and the rear entry door.
I have every inch of my propert on camera, as well as about 100ft up the rd. i will know when you get here before you do..lol
About 200 firearms of choice with about 5000 rounds of various caliber ammo, 2 140 lb great danes, and 16 hd cameras with 2 week recording to hard drive. all videos are backed up to a 40tb server for long term storage. Also have a buzzer warning on motion sensor for 3 areas such as driveway, the garage interior and the rear entry door.
I have every inch of my propert on camera, as well as about 100ft up the rd. i will know when you get here before you do..lol
old lady new shooter
Member
- Joined
- Apr 26, 2015
- Messages
- 30,655
Last year when I was worried about possible rioting following the election (although given my location that was much less likely than in other places), beforehand I moved my (metal) patio furniture into my padlocked tool shed. Even though I have the security film on all glass, I didn't want potential rioters to have a nice heavy table or chaise lounge to swing at any of it.
This is verry similar to the makeup of automotive windshields. Which I believe all glass should be made like that. Good post!
I never knew there was such a thing as safety film before this thread. I am sold! I have been meaning to add film to the windows on the south east side of my house to cut down on the IR heat infiltration during the hot summer days for years now. This is just the excuse I needed to get off my butt and do it. ...We will see how this lasts while I price out the film.
Edit: Evidentially 3M makes clear security film and Tinted film but no tinted security film unfortunately.
"Combine (security film) with 3M™ Sun Control Films to enjoy enhanced safety, as well as the benefits of a sun control film."
Last edited:
old lady new shooter
Member
- Joined
- Apr 26, 2015
- Messages
- 30,655
Most people don't want tinted.
But I have the security + thermal film (don't remember it being called "sun control") and am very happy with it. It's not tinted. I'm gonna guess maybe they put one layer of each, it doesn't matter, the whole shebang is held in place by the stuff they apply around the edges.
They do a demo of the thermal feature by putting a heat lamp on the other side of a piece of regular glass and you touch the glass and it's hot, then they put it on the other side of a piece of glass that has the thermal film, and it's barely even warm.
old lady new shooter
Member
- Joined
- Apr 26, 2015
- Messages
- 30,655
I cannot tell a lie, Jeff is the person who first told me about the 3M film, years ago, I've been telling everybody about it ever since.
AlexanderA
Member
I have prickly Chinese holly (4-5' high) planted in front of the ground floor windows. It would be rather painful to approach that way.
This assumes that the burglar doesn't want to create a noise by breaking the glass. (But hinged French doors are better than sliding anyway.) If you are worried about someone breaking the glass, attach Plexiglas panels behind the glass, with long screws. At least that won't shatter.
vintovka
Member
- Joined
- Oct 26, 2020
- Messages
- 902
We found one additional benefit to security cameras. Alarms went off unexpectedly at other house. When we played the video back we saw roof shingles everywhere and flying due to 100 MPH+ winds on the coast. Insurance says they will cover whole new roof!!.. Best $79 bucks we ever spent on electronics.
AlexanderA
Member
1. The pesky Homeowners' Association (if you have one) might object to that.
2. The problem with bars over doors and windows (including security doors) is that, just as they make it harder for someone to get in, they also make it harder for you to get out. This could be critical, for instance, in case of a fire.
Good Ol' Boy
Member
I'm familiar with the "security" doors and they don't work with modular homes.
As for the 3m security film over glass I'm not at all sold on that. I'm referencing the "donkey kicks" mentioned earlier in this thread.
Give me my work boots, work pants and a coat and I guarantee you I could get through a full glass door with that stuff on it in short order.
Noise isn't really a concern either way.
We are relying on our pretty reliable dog who sleeps central to the front door, back porch French doors and sliding glass door to the car port. She is our alarm system and I have complete confidence in her. If I didn't I would do something else.
I was just stating that our house is far from impenetrable and there's really not much we can do based on the house we live in, and that there may be more out there like me.
My dog is either going to scare off anyone trying to get in or likely be the first casualty. Either way it gives my wife and I time to arm ourselves for defense.
As I mentioned our main advantage is that we're out in the sticks. Been here 4yrs and wildlife is more of a concern than anything. Had black bears within a mile from the house and already dealt with a bobcat on the back 40.
I agree, the film is more for small to medium objects, you toss a full blown old school solid iron crowbar at it and it will go thru it. No plastic is stopping that. the only reason a windshield works so well is the fact that they are sandwiched between the glass, and heat molded in. This alone make it so strong... which is what is lacking in the aplication of a single thin layer on one sode of the glass.
And you have personal experience breaching a window covered with security film?
Yes and no, Im an 25+ year ASE master auto mechanic, I have been a auto mechanic all my life and have had my fair share of time removing and working around broken windshields.
I have had to remove several cracked windshields with a hammer to get to the outer body/frame to weld/repair it.
So with this expierence and knowing the make-up of these lets me comment with a great deal of acuacy as to the effectiveness of these single ply thin layer add on films. They will work as advertised for say your kids accidental baseball mishap but it will in no way stop a full blown human sized amount of weight.
The thickness of these add-on's just is not enough to withstand this anount of heft at a single brute force motion. This is of course MO.
The actual strength will ultimatly be at the mercy of the quality of the aplication of said film.
I have had to remove several cracked windshields with a hammer to get to the outer body/frame to weld/repair it.
So with this expierence and knowing the make-up of these lets me comment with a great deal of acuacy as to the effectiveness of these single ply thin layer add on films. They will work as advertised for say your kids accidental baseball mishap but it will in no way stop a full blown human sized amount of weight.
The thickness of these add-on's just is not enough to withstand this anount of heft at a single brute force motion. This is of course MO.
The actual strength will ultimatly be at the mercy of the quality of the aplication of said film.
- Status
Similar threads
