Fortifying Your Home

[Spinaltapls1]

I’ve been looking into the idea of fortifying my home for preparation of future events. Any ideas?

 

[IndyGunworks]

I have long thought about ordering a pallet or two of empty sandbags and i will fill them and use them as the need comes.

 

[littletommy]

.250 Lexan cut to fit, and screwed or bolted over all the glass on the exterior of your home. Might not keep people out all together, but will certainly stop objects from being thrown through windows and doors. You can even cut separate panels so you can still operate your windows. concrete blocks will bounce off the stuff, sometimes taking out the thrower.

 

[IndyDave1776]

Assuming that you want your home to remain such that it gives the appearance of a home and not a fortification or a penitentiary, I would recommend using barberry bushed in your landscape. They look normal in one's yard and are, well, not user-friendly in the event of transiting your yard using other than the designated paths. Those wrought-iron fences that look like a row of arrows can be effective yet not look out of place so long at the top is tall enough to be rough on the twigs and berries.

Commercial steel door frames with steel doors can be nice as well and are available looking like normal residential doors. Another thing you may wish to consider is reinforcing selected interior walls as a defense against over-penetration either from intruders or from return fire.

 

[melensdad]

. . . I would recommend using barberry bushed in your landscape. They look normal in one's yard and are, well, not user-friendly in the event of transiting your yard using other than the designated paths. Those wrought-iron fences that look like a row of arrows can be effective yet not look out of place so long at the top is tall enough to be rough on the twigs and berries.

Commercial steel door frames with steel doors can be nice as well and are available looking like normal residential doors. . .

In addition to BARBERRY bushes as foundation plantings and under windows also look at ROSE BUSHES, and HOLLY (green year round).

If you want a tree close to your house look at HAWTHORN trees. Pretty spring flowers too.

As for the doors, make sure you install a reinforced door frame! Its actually easier to break a door frame than a door. There are metal plates you can install on your door frame that dramatically reduce any chance of broken door frame. Link => The REBAR DSD - Door Jamb Frame Reinforcement Plate - Stops Door Kick-in -or- Welcome to Safe Homes International? Home of the Strikemaster II Pro!

.250 Lexan cut to fit, and screwed or bolted over all the glass on the exterior of your home. Might not keep people out all together, but will certainly stop objects from being thrown through windows and doors. You can even cut separate panels so you can still operate your windows. concrete blocks will bounce off the stuff, sometimes taking out the thrower.

I have 3M Security Film on most of my windows.

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6lFCbjV7NgQ[/ame]

 

[ar15_dude]

.250 Lexan cut to fit, and screwed or bolted over all the glass on the exterior of your home. Might not keep people out all together, but will certainly stop objects from being thrown through windows and doors. You can even cut separate panels so you can still operate your windows. concrete blocks will bounce off the stuff, sometimes taking out the thrower.

Although lexan is tough, I've understand that is easily defeated with lighter fluid and a match. Someone should try that and report back.

 

[Dorky_D]

I have thought of the film thing for my patio doors. I have also seen rolls of barbed wire for about $20 at Home Depot. You could probably make some passes below windows, so that it is not super obvious.

 

[Tactical Dave]

Although lexan is tough, I've understand that is easily defeated with lighter fluid and a match. Someone should try that and report back.

Chemicals like straight acetone or MEK will soften it severely... Even the fumes will do it.... At the very least it will craze it so bad that you will not be able to see in out out clearly.

 

[Blackhawk2001]

The biggest threat you will have to consider is fire: how to prevent it; how to escape it if you can't prevent it. If I wanted to break into your house to do you harm and couldn't get in, I'd be inclined to burn it down around your ears, starting with your roofing.

 

[recon19d]

The grandparents summer lake house got broken into one winter through a window, To combat this from happening again I put sharpened nails through boards then buried the board under a few inches of dirt so all that stuck out was 3 inches of nail. I put layers of them around each window, starting at 2 feet out from the window in. Not noticable AT ALL and seriously effective.

 

[littletommy]

Not saying Lexan is the be all end all protective material, but I have access to large pieces of it, free. If nothing else, it would stop some kid from randomly throwing a rock through a window, and I've actually seen a piece of 3/16 lexan that successfully deflected a 2' chunk of concrete parking tie, with nothing more than a few deep scratches.

 

[dudley0]

I have 3M Security Film on most of my windows.

I had considered getting this for my place, but was actually more worried about the vinyl frame that houses the glass. I have installed countless windows over the years and see the vinyl replacement types as very easy to get into.

Having installed the film what do you think about the window frames themselves now?

Just curious is all.

 

[longbow]

Is your neighbors house closer than 50 feet? If yes, that house will produce enough heat to burn your house down if someone sets it on fire.

 

[melensdad]

I had considered getting this for my place, but was actually more worried about the vinyl frame that houses the glass. I have installed countless windows over the years and see the vinyl replacement types as very easy to get into.

Having installed the film what do you think about the window frames themselves now?

Just curious is all.

I'm not worried about the frames. What I am worried about is making my house LESS of a target.

Facts are facts, if someone has ENOUGH TIME and ENOUGH ENERGY they will figure out how to defeat ANY defense you can set up to keep them out. My goals are to make it very unpleasant and very difficult to enter my home. The longer I can delay you the more likely my alarm system will have had time to notify the police and the police will have time to respond. In the case of the one time my home was broken into my neighbors chased down the suspects and held one at gunpoint.

Delay delay delay. The longer they are there the greater their chances of getting caught.

Make your house unattractive enough and they will go to another house.

Unfortunately my house is remote, difficult to see from the road, that makes it a target. So while I have a natural target, I also have several layers of defense.

Window film actually works. Yes, the frame is the weak spot. And given enough time the frame will fail. But this same film, on flimsy window frames, holds up against hurricanes and tornadoes. It keeps out concrete blocks and defends against hammer beatings to the glass. Yes, a chain saw can cut through the window film (and the frame AND THE WALL NEXT TO THE WINDOW). But your goal is to make your home difficult to enter. Window film is a very good way to do that. Nothing is foolproof, anything can be defeated. But from the practical standpoint, window film will very likely STOP entry by most burglars.

 

[timeforchili]

Oh my

 

[Tactical Dave]

Remember what Gen. Patton said about fortifications..

 

[melensdad]

Remember what Gen. Patton said about fortifications..

As stated previously, GIVEN ENOUGH TIME and ENERGY then ANY level of security can be defeated. That said, if burglars have the choice of trying to breach an obviously secured home and one that appears to be an easy target, which will they choose? I suggest that much of the strategy of layering your security is to get the burglars to move to an easier target rather than to test your security.

 

[.45 Dave]

The biggest threat you will have to consider is fire: how to prevent it; how to escape it if you can't prevent it. If I wanted to break into your house to do you harm and couldn't get in, I'd be inclined to burn it down around your ears, starting with your roofing.

So true! That's the problem with trying to fortify a residential house--way too much burnable material. Even a stone house with a metal roof would have vulnerabilities. If nothing else a stolen garbage truck or large vehicle could be used to go through a wall. Better off finding a retreat in the country with several armed people that could be defended in mass.

 

[TraderJack]

Blustering around like that is fine, so you admit you leave your house. While you are gone about doing your job, shopping for groceries, etc then your house must fend for itself. All without any sort of security. I suppose you don't even lock your doors or close your windows?

This thread is not about physical confrontation its about home security.

As I stated earlier, this is not 'bluster'... I'm in the street everyday...
Get with the program or become a victim... your choice.
It's sad that there are still so many that are so timid that they still criticize reality...
Have a nice day...
TJ

 

[Tactical Dave]

Do thy sell windows with the 3M all ready on them? Replacing my windows at some point.