New Home Awareness

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giese

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I travel often for work. We recently moved. My wife had good awareness in the old house ( the night time sounds expected, neighborhood action etc.) We have been at the new place a year or so and she still has not adapted to the new conditions to a point she feels confident in her awareness. This results in her not being able to get good rest at nights and having challenges as a mom the next day both due to lack of rest magnified by dad being out of town. My travel plans are ramping up for the year.

What strategies do you have that I could use to increase her confidence in security? Main concerns are large sliding glass door off of deck in backyard (we have a very sensitive, large influence range bright motion light right by the door). Also 2 egress style windows in the basement which would allow a predator to work on access with little detection though the light should detect them on the way to the windows.

I seek not just suggestions on these specific issues listed but other general ideas. I list this topic separate due the “new home” twist, I have done many searches on this fine message board of info and have some suggestions already.

Current situations… We do have dead bolts on all doors, some double keyed, we have a dog that while not vicious is aware and gives warning. Pea gravel/shrubs around accessible windows. Sliding glass door is wedged as well as normal lock. Neighborhood is quite and trustworthy no thru traffic, some adjacent neighbors are quality folks, the type that call you up when the dome light has been left on in your car to warn you so the battery does not go dead. Those guys are priceless, we should bake them more pies! I give them a heads up when I am out of town. All the kids are at the same side of house as main bedroom, just down short hall, I can hear them breath if I listen close enough.

Are alarm systems reliable? I am not sure of my budget for this but I will do what is necessary.

FYI: Given the proper warning I have no doubt my mamma bear can defend the cubs with sufficient tenacity! I do need to get her better tools for the job, our current arms list includes items a bit oversized for her though she can operate them sufficiently to get the job done.
 
I'd consider a couple of things, none of which are likely to break the bank. You seem to have identified the most vulnerable points of entry: the patio door and the basement windows. I'd consider a burglar-resistant film on those potential points of access and a better lock on the patio door (you can buy locking bars that secure the sliding door at its mid-point). The basement egress windows are a potential problem. I have one such window in my house and I purchased and had installed a plexiglass window well cover. It can be removed from the inside by removing a couple of pins, but it's hard to get past from the outside. If your egress windows are sliders, you can probably figure out a way to drill through the frames and insert a pin that would make it impossible to slide them without breaking the glass.

Also, if you don't want to go for a full-blown alarm system, it's possible to buy alarms for doors and windows at most hardware stores that only cost a few dollars ($5-$10). While they're kind of low-tech, they at least serve the purpose of sounding an alarm if someone manages to open the door or window.

I think you could enhance your home's security and ease your wife's concerns for a couple hundred dollars.
 
If you can afford it, you might consider replacing the glass in the basement windows with glass blocks, the kind that are mortared in like cement blocks. Check your building codes first, though.
 
Are there bedrooms in the basement that require the egress windows to be functional at the present time ? If not, maybe some type of heavy duty screening on the outside well /

Motion activated lighting in the right places at the home exterior is your friend, so long as critters don't turn them on resulting in excessive "false alarms" freaking everybody out for no real reason.

Make sure the lockup proceedure is routine, especially the blocking of the pation doors, as patio door locks are notoriously weak, and be careful when using double keyed deadbolts to keep a key closeby in case of a need to exit in a hurry.

Regarding alarms, you can either subscribe to something installed by one of the monitoring services, or you can buy and install one from places like X-10 that will turn on lights, operate loud alarms and call up to 4 phone numbers when activated. The website for X-10 is a nightmare to navigate and their whole approach seems kinda sleazy but their stuff works just fine and is not expensive. They also have cameras that can be connected to a PC or DVR. I'm sure there are other suppliers of stuff like X-10 that might be more professional in their approach.

Ask your wife exactly what is causing her to lose sleep and deal with those issues first.

Congrats on meeting the neighbors, as that is one of the best ways to evualuate how secure the neighborhood is and what the capabilities might be of those that can come to her aid when you are out of town.

What I am saying in a round about way is figure out how to make your home and neighborhood unfriendly to anybody intending to do harm, hopefully in a very visually obvious fashion.

One last suggestion is talking with the local law enforcers regarding an official neighborhood watch .

Good luck.
 
Thanks for the suggestions. Very practical and budget friendly. I have seen info on the window film on this website before but my searches are not bearing fruit... any keyword suggestions or brand names? The posts gave install and brand suggestions I think.

Thanks
 
Unfamiliar night sounds keeping her awake huh? Get familiar with 'em. Get a baby sitter, a couple of good movies that both of you would like, and have a late night watching movies and getting familiar with your house at night. Maybe spending some quality time with you late at night will help her feel more at home and comfortable when the sun goes down.
You did ask for general ideas.
 
We have been at the new place a year or so and she still has not adapted to the new conditions to a point she feels confident in her awareness. This results in her not being able to get good rest at nights and having challenges as a mom the next day both due to lack of rest magnified by dad being out of town. My travel plans are ramping up for the year.
Click to expand...

She's been there a year and still not comfortable with sounds at night? I think there are some issues that you two need to work out, and they may not have anything to do with security. My initial guess (total speculation) is that she doesn't want you to go out of town anymore, for reasons that have nothing to do with security. Maybe I'm wrong, but it might be time to find another job that doesn't require travel. JMHO, and don't take it the wrong way (I'm not trying to be a jerk).
 
At times, alarm companies in our area will have a special where they'll install a basic alarm system in your home for free, if you sign a contract for monitoring. IMO there's little else that will give one the sense of security that a monitored system provides. Here, we're talking $12 -20 a month.
 
I think it just take some folks longer to get used to the setting, I am all for her being alert. There is a lot to process in a new place, fridge kicking on, fridge going to defrost cycle, was that the sump pump or the garage door? neighborhood kid is harmless but his car stereo has that low hooptey thump and he needs to put some sort of damper on the license plate it rattles at low dB but I know it is him that way, wind blown twigs rubbing on the gutter, is one of our kids up wandering? that doesnt happen often is it really a kid? wind on the shed outside, sound of nat gas through the meter outside, winter settling creaks, creak in the living room floor, was that the 40 lb dog or a 220 lb perp making the creak? at least we know right where that location is at what ever it is is is 15 ft from bed room and moving slow, did I here the jiggle of the dog collar??? I dont blame her one bit, I can go through that whole list and more in one night. She had few issues at the old place because we lived there over 7 years.

Fremmer you are not a jerk, I value my work and so does she, but sacrifices are made to lead the lifestyle we do (stay at home mom is valued in our book too). To be honest the day she is excited/happy about me leaving is the day I will probaly find another job!

Thanks

I will keep my eye out for a cheap alarm install and some of the other suggestions above.
 
We've moved several times and I travel a lot. A good alarm system with an extra keypad in the master has helped. Good luck.
 
You know, if you can manage the extra expense, I'd get a couple more dogs. I've got four in my house, and nothing: squirrels, deer, other dogs, people, or cars gets within 100 feet of my house without at least one of them sounding the alarm. And once one of them starts, the others are at the windows, adding to the ruckus.

Now, these are not Dobermans, or Rottweilers, but from outside the house, it sounds VERY intimidating. Much more than any BG is going to want to deal with. Criminals want quiet and victims that they can control or overpower. Several loud animals render your home "not worth the trouble".
 
I would talk to your wife some more about what is worrying her. A year does seem like enough time for most people, and maybe you should be sure it is not her sensitivity that has changed. I know the more time we spend as parents, the more risk averse we can become. More apt to worry about things like home security.

It could be you need to harden the home more than you are used to, to account for a fundamental change in how risk averse she is now.

Good advice has been given, but in the end, your budget might have to be cranked up a bit to get the peace of mind your wife needs, feeling she and the kids are safe when you are gone.

Steve
 
I would suggest you get a GERMAN SHEPHERD DOG.
Not the kind that joe the breeder with the American kennel club has. The specialized breeder who knows what a GSD is and what they used to be.
They prime out after 3 or 4 years or so and will serve you handsomely.
Teach that dog to "check the house" when there is a bump in the night. That means the dog can either be trained to go outside and verify all entrances and windows by nose and or head to each door from the inside on command.
Have the dog go before you. Just the fact of having one or two of these around is better than the home security sign posted at the front corner or entrance of the house.
The reason why I shy away from AKC is because the natural aggression is leaving and or has left the breed.
A good dog beats the heck out of any home security system anyday and for the price of dogfood you can't beat it.
 
U.S.SFC_RET said:
I would suggest you get a GERMAN SHEPHERD DOG.
Not the kind that joe the breeder with the American kennel club has. The specialized breeder who knows what a GSD is and what they used to be.
They prime out after 3 or 4 years or so and will serve you handsomely.
Teach that dog to "check the house" when there is a bump in the night. That means the dog can either be trained to go outside and verify all entrances and windows by nose and or head to each door from the inside on command.
Have the dog go before you. Just the fact of having one or two of these around is better than the home security sign posted at the front corner or entrance of the house.
The reason why I shy away from AKC is because the natural aggression is leaving and or has left the breed.
A good dog beats the heck out of any home security system anyday and for the price of dogfood you can't beat it.
Click to expand...
US SFC Ret: I completely agree!! Even a yappie Yorkie is an excellent "alarm"...those little dogs will bark at anything!!!...and there ain't an ankle safe anywhere, when they are being protective!!
 
You need an alarm system. A real one. Not some X-10 stuff. Either buy it online (recommend: DSC Power 832) and do a DIY install or have a real alarm company come in and install it.

Get a REAL keypad with an LCD screen in the bedroom and one by the front door. Arm it as much as possible when home. When it's not armed, at least have the panel configured to chime when an exterior zone is opened. You'll be able to look at the keypad and read what's going on...

For example "FRONT DOOR OPEN" or "LIVING ROOM MOTION".

Regarding the sounds of branches rubbing againt the gutters: Trim your trees! You should not have any branches near or above your house.... it's an invitation for bad things (termites, racoons, etc) to get in/on your home. It'll also lessen the number of leaves on your roof, which can grow mold due to moisture and stain the shingles (tannins).
 
All good suggestions above.

Consider iron security door for the slider. They make double ones, but they're pricey. You are right to think about the egress windows. They need to be hardened.

Get the security system installed if possible.

Take the wife to the range and find a weapon she can handle well. Designate one of the bedrooms as a safe room and harden the door (solid door & frame; deadbolt from the inside). Keep the wife's weapon in the saferoom in a quick-open safe.
 
Your cheapest choice might be just watchdog training for a child protective major size dog (German Sheperd, Lab, Golden Retriever) who sleeps by wife's bed. A dog's hearing is a hundred or so time's as accute as our's. Once your Wife learns to trust dog's instinct she will not wake by fridge or normal house sounds because Fido won't alert to them, but if someone even comes close to house he'll either alert or issue forth with a barrage of barking as trained. They don't have to be visous to sound visous.
Our Chocolate Lab barks even if it's my Daughter at door (35 yrs old ) but protects grandkids or us from any threat no matter who or what.
Your Wife and you need to set down and work out stratagies for any emergency, discuse why the fear and which protective measure would assure Her the most comfort. Try to sell that in this economy a new job is not an option. Pull out the protection tool box and look at each available tool for effectiveness, cost and comfort.
You do know that depression is a major cause of panic disorder and sleep deprivition don't you? The Doctor might should be your first option.
 
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