Hardening your home against attack

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Schattentarn said:
So then rather than us go on with suggestions, what can you do now?
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Exactly right.
What can I do now? I know how I'd approach it if we lived in the boonies and dont have to deal with the HOA.
I was hoping to find a solution that I overlooked.
It appears there is no one solution in my case other than nail embedded boards just inside the windows or possibly motion detectors around the house that would quietly warn me if someone was in the yard.
The dogs do a pretty good job of it already but if someone is quiet enough the dogs wont be of any help.
 
TexPrep said:
Exactly right.
What can I do now? I know how I'd approach it if we lived in the boonies and dont have to deal with the HOA.
I was hoping to find a solution that I overlooked.
It appears there is no one solution in my case other than nail embedded boards just inside the windows or possibly motion detectors around the house that would quietly warn me if someone was in the yard.
The dogs do a pretty good job of it already but if someone is quiet enough the dogs wont be of any help.
Click to expand...
I have motion detectors around my house , instead of them setting off a Siren ,LED lights come on all around the house ,over here normally a siren is fitted outside the house , which I hate as all that does is annoy the neighbors especially as it is a false alarm most times , inside the house also a few buzzers around start up ,to wake us in the night or warn us during the day , we are connected to an armed response company
 
TexPrep said:
Like getting some Guinea fowl which make great watch dogs they go nuts when someone comes on your property.
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One of the things about having birds, especially out and about….

I noticed that despite having a very heavily wooded area, there is a lack of smaller birds and squirrels on the property. There is however, lots of owls, hawks and crows! Of course, there are also coyotes, fox and weasels. Either the smaller birds have learned to hide and stay quiet or there just aren’t many of them that have not been eaten.
 
mogie 366 said:
I have motion detectors around my house , instead of them setting off a Siren ,LED lights come on all around the house ,over here normally a siren is fitted outside the house , which I hate as all that does is annoy the neighbors especially as it is a false alarm most times , inside the house also a few buzzers around start up ,to wake us in the night or warn us during the day , we are connected to an armed response company
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Thats my thought.
I dont want to scare em off I want to shoot em,not because I'm bloodthirsty or anything but because if I get rid of some of the A-Holes they wont be around to screw me or anyone else down the road.
We do have cameras outside and in the living room from which I can see anyone who makes entry or tries.
But again you cant monitor the cameras 24/7 so you'd definitely need a warning of some kind.
 
rainingcatzanddogs said:
One of the things about having birds, especially out and about….

I noticed that despite having a very heavily wooded area, there is a lack of smaller birds and squirrels on the property. There is however, lots of owls, hawks and crows! Of course, there are also coyotes, fox and weasels. Either the smaller birds have learned to hide and stay quiet or there just aren’t many of them that have not been eaten.
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Guinea Fowl eat bugs just like chickens.
They do a good job of eating ticks as well.
As long as you give them feed and a safe place to roost they'll hang around.
 
TexPrep said:
Guinea Fowl eat bugs just like chickens.
They do a good job of eating ticks as well.
As long as you give them feed and a safe place to roost they'll hang around.
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They'll hang around but, so will the Carion and other predators. My neighbors had a chicken coop for about two years. Gave up because they got tired of cleaning up feathers at least twice a month...having lost three cats and two small dogs out here, just trying to give you a heads up.
 
rainingcatzanddogs said:
They'll hang around but, so will the Carion and other predators. My neighbors had a chicken coop for about two years. Gave up because they got tired of cleaning up feathers at least twice a month...having lost three cats and two small dogs out here, just trying to give you a heads up.
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Ya gotta put em in a coop at night.
When I was living In Junction Tx on the S. Llano river the neighbor down river had chickens and guinea fowl and they never lost a one to predators.
If you know anything about Junction it's in the boonies in the extreme. There were only 6k people in the whole county and close to half of them lived in town.
There's plenty of predators out there for sure. Bobcats,Fox and Coyotes just to name a few.
I'd be more concerned about the two legged kind but thats what you have Guinea fowl for,they'll wake the dead if a predator of the four legged type or the two legged type get on the property.
 
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Schattentarn said:
How about those motion detector lights you see on TV for $29.95? A few of those covering every direction would intimidate individuals or small groups.
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From reports and video's I have read or watched, it appears that the thugs are not concerned with the lights. Now is that fact of fiction, I don't know or care. I will use the lights, even if it just gives me a better lit target. :m4:
 
When someone pulls up my driveway, they get hit with the motion detector on the side of the barn, then from the house, then the barn again, house again, barn again. Total of 6. Lights up like a Christmas tree.
Took some time to get everything set for 2- 3 seconds apart right, left,right, left etc. Gives me time when I see them going off.
If they see my fore-end light, they will be in trouble.
 
Home defense should be layered.

I live off a private road which has cameras on it. Then you hit my driveway, which is gated and locked. I have video cameras at eye level, facing both directions, so I can get video of faces and license plates. I also have a camo game cam, facing each direction, as backup.

Just inside the gate is a motion detector. Once you hit my actual house, there are video cameras covering every side, and motion activated floods, which I can throw a switch to switch between white and ir light.

House is ICF construction, roof is steel. All outside doors are steel, with storm doors over them, and Door Devils installed. Also have Dooricade bars on each outer door. Locks are all Grade 1, deadbolts and knobs.

Windows, like I said above, are all filmed, and have decorative bars over them. Internal doors are all solid core, with reinforced jambs.

Internal camera at the top of the stairs, which covers the stairs and front door. Another one covers the back door.

Pointy/stabby bushes under windows, two big dogs that hate everyone but us, motion detector alarms on all sides/directions, and a home alarm system.

Terrain is one way in (with a vehicle), which is my driveway, and is 200 yds long from my gate to my house. I have 50-75 ft cliffs on three sides, with one foot path up each side. Those are monitored with cameras and motion detectors.

It's as good as I can do from a deterence, and identification standpoint. If someone has committed to getting in your house specifically, they will do so. The key is making your home an unappealing target, and then slowing them down enough to be able to mount some kind of response.

Good security ain't cheap.
 
Schattentarn said:
How about those motion detector lights you see on TV for $29.95? A few of those covering every direction would intimidate individuals or small groups.
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We have those as well.
The biggest problem with these devices is if the power goes out they're worthless.
 
This is why my current home is a problem when it comes to hardening against attack.
The thing has a shitload of windows which in normal times is great.
If things go South it's going to be a sumbitch!!!
This pic just shows a few of the windows on the ground floor.
It's even worse in the back.

F2115008-22FE-4D1F-BA06-1F6049DA85F5.jpeg
 
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TexPrep said:
This is why my current home is a problem when it comes to hardening against attack.
The thing has a shitload of windows which in normal times is great.
If things go South it's going to be a sumbitch!!!
This pic just shows a few of the windows on the ground floor.
It's even worse in the back.

View attachment 15556
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Nice house but not defensible.
 
Here are 11 easy ways to secure your home
  1. Secure the doors.
  2. Lock the windows.
  3. Light up the landscape.
  4. Set up a security system.
  5. Don't forget the garage.
  6. Lock down your Wi-Fi network.
  7. Eliminate hiding places.
  8. Add security cameras.
 
TexPrep said:
This is why my current home is a problem when it comes to hardening against attack.
The thing has a shitload of windows which in normal times is great.
If things go South it's going to be a sumbitch!!!
This pic just shows a few of the windows on the ground floor.
It's even worse in the back.

View attachment 15556
Click to expand...

you most definitely need a window board-up plan in place for a situation like that - heavy-duty hurricane shutter hardware that stays innoculously hidden until needed ...

best thing you can do for that front door area is back up a delivery truck for some blockage ....
 
anglinastone said:
Here are 11 easy ways to secure your home
  1. Secure the doors.
  2. Lock the windows.
  3. Light up the landscape.
  4. Set up a security system.
  5. Don't forget the garage.
  6. Lock down your Wi-Fi network.
  7. Eliminate hiding places.
  8. Add security cameras.
Click to expand...

Doors are glass.
Windows are easily broken.
Got that but if the power is out so are your lights.
Got that but the power issue remains.
Have chains to lock the garage doors.
WIFI is definitely covered.
I do have bushes someone could hide behind.
Have all kinds of cameras but then you're back to the power issues.

I cant wait to move into the boonies where your homes appearance is what you want it to be and not what the HOA stipulates.
It would be nice to have a 50 yard clear space around your whole house and fence it in.
Not that a chain link fence is going to stop someone but it does stop false alarms when a deer wanders into the yard at night and it'll keep the dogs in.
I've been seriously thinking about the trip wire sound alerts. They use a shotgun shell with the lead removed. Of course those are pretty much a no go in the burbs.
Securing a house in the suburbs is damn near impossible,all you can do is try and make harder for home invaders.
 
GeorgiaPeachie said:
It is if you cover those windows. Brick is strong. Get wood now and build inside shutters to be hung in a true grid down/SHTF situation.
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Thats crossed my mind.
Living on the Gulf Coast they'd be good for hurricanes as well.
I'd want to mount them inside rather than outside so they cant get to the fasteners.
That would mean putting screws into the interior walls which of course isnt optimal since it would lead to patching and repainting the walls at a later date.
Of course if the SHTF that would be the least of your worries.
 
Illini Warrior said:
you most definitely need a window board-up plan in place for a situation like that - heavy-duty hurricane shutter hardware that stays innoculously hidden until needed ...

best thing you can do for that front door area is back up a delivery truck for some blockage ....
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Yeah but that leaves the six other doors on the ground floor with glass unprotected so it's really kind of a futile gesture.
We keep all of our food and water preps and other items needed for bugging out near the front door so I can back my truck up to it and toss it all in the back.
Also keep the truck in the garage so it's not an easy target.
 
TexPrep said:
Thats crossed my mind.
Living on the Gulf Coast they'd be good for hurricanes as well.
I'd want to mount them inside rather than outside so they cant get to the fasteners.
That would mean putting screws into the interior walls which of course isnt optimal since it would lead to patching and repainting the walls at a later date.
Of course if the SHTF that would be the least of your worries.
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Just make the shutters in advance. Have all you need for installation when the time comes. You might not have a lot of time to make them when SHTF. Your house is lovely.
 
GeorgiaPeachie said:
Just make the shutters in advance. Have all you need for installation when the time comes. You might not have a lot of time to make them when SHTF. Your house is lovely.
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Thats definitely the way to go about it.
It'll be interesting to see what that would cost.
While lumber prices have gone down recently they're still high compared to what was the norm.
 
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