Hardening the home

[Tin Gizel]

Going back to the 'dog' thing and 'it takes a theif'

He never seems to be phased if there's a dog in the house, he always just locks it in a room or leaves it outside. I guess it has a lot to do with your dogs temperment. I highly doubt anyone would be scared of my golden retriever. Unless they fear being licked to death.

However, I once had a Harley Dealer refuse to pick up my motorcycle when they screwed it up because of Lucy - my buddies German Shephard who was restrained by an 'invisible' fence.

I guess in the end it goes back to the whole 'make it easier for him to break into someone else's house' I mean if they want in, nothing will stop them. But if two houses appear equal and you have a dog, i'd assume the burgalar would go to the house without a dog.

 

[DawgFvr]

rbernie: Thank you for that bit of information! I always thought my garage door was fairly well built...now I know. I bet that 99% of all doors on the inside of the garage going into the house are hollow wood. Hmm, now I am thinking about getting a steel door that goes from my kitchen out to the garage.

 

[never_retreat]

I wish I had a picture. I was at house one time and in the window next to the door was a sign. WARNING protected by rabid pit bull with aids. Cute I guess.
I'm still in favor of,
Warning trespassers will be shot survivors will be shot again

 

[XDKingslayer]

My home security is almost complete. Nothing special or expensive or out of the ordinary either. Our house is an older Florida home with the crank style windows, aside from breaking them, they are very secure. Getting to them will be a task due to thick strong hedges.

My biggest weak points are my doors. My front door also has that plastic stained glass crap and the back door is a sliding glass door.

I can't seem to find a good comprimise for the front door. One's with security glass are expensive and the other security doors, well look like crap. I don't want my house to look like a fortress, I want it aesthetically pleasing as well as secure and don't want to dump a ton of money into it in the process.

 

[Elmer Fudd]

When I decided to do something about my front door I realized that putting in a more solid unit that would resist more than a couple kicks would cost a lot of money and be a lot of hassle. It's not just the door, it would need a whole new frame/jamb made out of metal firmly bolted into the house frame structure. I mean, let's face it, we could probably kick in 95% of the front doors out there with one kick.

My goal was to limit observation into the house, so we replaced the glass with plywood. Even buying a replacement solid door would have been a problem - a lot more money for a decent door, and it would have meant buying a wood door so it could be trimmed, as door sizes differ a little bit from standard, or at least mine did. I thought adding the locking storm door was more important, as it added a noisy (if broken) layer to the system.

A determined person will break in eventually. My goal is to make it more uncertain, difficult, and noisy, hopefully raising the bar enough to make them look elsewhere for easier prey (sorry, neighbors). If not, then that's what the firearms we own are for. A key part of hardening I did not mention is making sure they are worn or quickly available, yet secure from young hands.

 

[pete f]

Neighbor is a cop who said he never had to tied up a dog at a burglary.

make the house uninviting from the outside, perimeter lights, motion detectors, etc, its very east to get a doorbell type chime wired in to a light circuit so as to alert you in the house when a motion detector gets tripped.

If you have big picture windows, or windows that are concealed from neighbors line of site, plant rose bushes, cactus, or other thorny plants to make it less than pleasant to break in.

And understand that if i want to get it, I can get into any house in america in 30 seconds or less, It wont be quiet but I will be in.







































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[phm14]

I've got one of these...2 would be better http://www.katybar.com/

 

[george29]

The "Attack" Cat's name is George, all 4 paws with 7 fingers, that's 28 nails and when he is holding on with his mouth, that's 29 points of attack. Hence George29.

View attachment 298643

 

[Piedmont Plinker]

Go to a shelter, adopt a dog...save a dog's life.
A dog makes a great alarm system, and can be deadly if properly trained and the right type.

 

[Scanr]

About 3 years ago, the airport did a noise abaitment program, my house just hit the cut off, so mine was included. The airport paid to install new sound reducing windows, a double pane window with a storm window also, two seperate windows to open. New doors solid metal front door and a double slider back door, again two doors to open. The energy saving was wonderfull. All this has made this house much harder to try to break into my house and the best part it was all free. Sure someone could break a window, but in my neigborhood people don't break in here, nobody has anything worth stealing.