Hardening homes and making them more burgular proof?

[SapperLeader]

Ive been trying to find books or internet sites for reinforcing my house. A lot of it seems to be common sense in regards to standard doors and bedrooms. Already put up a better deadbolt, front door is already fairly thick, and will be adding a kickplate and peephole soon. What is baffiling me is our two sliding glass doors. Now this is my moms house who graciously allows me to live at home while I finish up school. SO I didnt choose this house with its frightening weakness. Now both doors already have 2x4s to prevent them from sliding, the standard el cheapo lock built into the door, and a pin which is supposed to keep the doors from being lifted out. THe pin doesn't work, can be pushed out on its own, and haldf the time, even with the door pin in place, I can lift the doors out.

Now my corner of the basement is in front of the ground level door, so when Im home, I feel fairly secure for my mom and sister, with my 40 pound lab terrier who wakes up for all possible threats(even those evil squirrels outside the door.) The one time someone actually tried to break into the shed outside this same door, my dog sounded more like a timberwolf than a lab terrier and between her and I scared off the intruders(eyewitness say that it was hard to distinguish betwen my growling and the dogs .)
But Im not home all the time, and I would prefer some more passive defenses between us and the outside world for times when I am away. When Im home, same applies, and more passive defenses before an intruder is engaged with me, the dog, and my welcome mat(rem 870) the happier id be. Anyone have any suggestions? My family already nixed the thought of sliding security doors. Evidently thier not as paranoid ,I mean cautious as I am .

 

[Balog]

If they won't assent to fixing the problem, I'd recomend razor wire, claymores set on trip behind barrels of foo-gaus Just joking, but I really have no idea how to make big sheets of glass less vulnerable other than replacing them (which they won't do) or barring access (razor wire).

 

[Old Fuff]

Given the circumstances you described I'd suggest you look into putting alarms on those doors and elsewhere. Not a perfect answer, but "an answer."

 

[Ian Sean]

Jeff Foxworthy once compared two house in a skit.

House 1. Nice house, picket fence, flowerbeds, manicured lawn.

House 2. Overgrown lawn, fridge on porch, truck on blocks, chevy 350 engine hanging from a tree.

A robber isn't going to touch house #2, more than likely a GUN lives there!

 

[griz]

Not sure how well I can describe it but here goes. The sliding doors can be lifted out because there is too much clearance in the tracks. You need to make some kind of filler strip to take up the slack. The strips will need to be a little shorter than the width of the individual doors, and installed over where the doors will be when they are in the closed position. This way you install the door where the track is loose, (the open position) and when it's closed the track is tight. The strips can be made out of wood or almost anything that is reasonably solid.

Hope this helps. Keep the dog happy too.

 

[mrming]

ever think of putting a nice, large heavy table infront of it covered in loud, easily toppled useless junk?

Its impractical to harden everything. If it wasn't, many of us would be living in underground compounds with full protection from graboids ala Burt Gummer. Trick will be to make it an unappealing entrance. Heavy furniture pressed up against it, foilage with sharp pointie things on them kept indoors (maybe a nice rose bush) etc.

Sheds tend to be better targets for druggies. Its alot easier to walk into a pawn shop looking wasted at the end of the summer to dispose of your power tools till next building season, than quality jewelry.

It might be worth considering installation of a reasonable height chain-link fence in the rear yard. Yes, its something to lock up at night. But a 5 or 6' fence is tall enough to not be easily jumped, clearly will limit what can be carried off, still offers visibility to your neighbors and even provides a place to let small animals run wild without worry.

 

[Gordon]

Did anybody say --Dawg? That and Old Fuff's alarm(with police response) and no lift slider gizmos would make it pretty hard. Then get a safe for valuables, even a $100 Stack-on anchored to closet floor is better than nothing!

 

[rayra]

how would a spacer above the sliding door do any good? - it would have to be thin enough to allow you to put the door in, and if you can do that, you can take it OUT.
Cheap & EASY way to prevent lifting out the door, is run a couple screws into the upper track from the inside of the house, to prevent the lifting.

Cross-section:

A screw near each end of the moving door. Open the door and look into the upper track for the amount of clearance to figure out where to drill. Takes 5mins.


Motion-sensor lights are cheap, including inserts that fit in your existing fixtures, between socket and bulb.

Don't forget solid-core or steel-clad doors, and long hinge screws

 

[griz]

I guess I didn't explain it well. The fillers would only be in the part of the track that is above the door when it is closed. The part of the track above the door in the open position has no filler. Your idea is a lot quicker though. I like it.

 

[rayra]

ah, I understand now, sorry for the earlier denseness - roll open the door, install the spacer / shim, close the door.

 

[sm]

If these sliding doors are patio type...got a drill?

To prevent lifting out of track I drill a hole at bottom -allow for glass- at about 45* angle. I go deep into track, and use whatever size big old nail is that is about 8" long. I push this nail in all but an inch...something to hold onto to pullout. Didn't really need to but drilled at the top straight through top -again allow for glass- and into track, kinda tricky but can be done and requires a smaller nail. Gives a visual signal this door is not gonna come out of track.
Same trick for windows.

They will have to break these being angled won't come out. I have done quite a few this way.
Mom was concerned about a fireman needing in...reminded her that's why it's called a fire-axe...oh ok yeah...
HTH

 

[citizen]

I JUST finished installing a set of custom French security doors on an doorway (WHEW!), and while at Home Depot (maybe Lowe's?) I noticed a "special" going on for just what you need. It's a screen security door(s) model of which one side swings open; the side in front of your "fixed" patio glass door is also "fixed". May be a simple arrangement, certainly a deterrent. Ran about $350 if you do-it-yourself. Just a thought.

 

[goon]

The ideas that the other guys gave about keeping the doors from opening are good, but they are still made of glass.
IIRC, I saw glass breakage sensors somewhere in the net.
I would probably try to acquire one of those and hook it into an old car horn, then power the thing with a car battery.
Stick the horn somewhere that it is inaccessible but that it could still make a hell of alot of noise.
Would you continue breaking into a house if there was a horn going off and drawing attention to your presence?
I wouldn't.

 

[Wedge]

Someone makes a polymer that you can stick on glass that helps make it shatter-proof. You should also be able to get it tinted so you can gain some energy savings as well. I would look into that and maybe get another dog.

 

[SapperLeader]

Wow, definitly a few great ideas in here. I might have to look into a combination of ideas. Thanks griz and rayra for the suggestions. As I said, family wont let me replace them with real doors, but the screws or shims might work for making the doors a little more secure. I also like the idea of the polymer tint to make shatterproof. Plus, if it has energy savings, my family will be all over it . We are looking into a second dog, and Ive been considering internal house alarms for a while Once again, thanks for all the responses, and Ill keep everyone informed when i decide what Im going to do.

 

[Andrew Rothman]

Good book:

Be Alert, Be Aware, Have a Plan: The Complete Guide to Personal Security
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/1585745774

I'm reading it now.

 

[Bob F.]

Look at the "sunscreen" films for the glass, reflective in daytime-BG can see in, but not at night w/ inside lights on. Most if not all are Mylar, not required on all US Govt Bldg (at least overseas) since the barracks bombing in Ryiad (sp?) where 80% of casualties were from flying glass.

Also, high mounted motion detector lights can be wired paralle with a buzzer so you have an audible alarm when light comes on.

Gonna hafta get the book, looks good.

Just put lexan in some of my door windows! Tough stuff!!

Stay safe!
Bob

 

[Double Naught Spy]

You know, things like hardened doors sound really good, bat as with a chain, your house is only going to be as burglar proof strong as its weakest link. When doors are problematic, burglars just enter through windows.

 

[Bob F.]

I never said I could type!!!

Re: mylar film- should be "BG's can't see in during daylight" and "now required on US Govt bldgs"

Sorry, know the orig didn't make much sense. I'll re-read before I submit!