How often do you "clear" your house?

[Sirshredalot]

Just wondering if people are as "paranoid" as I am...

Seems About every four to six weeks I unholster the pistol or grab the shotty and clear the house or property due to thuds, noises, hunches, etc.

This morning I awoke at 2:30am because the neighbors dog was barking (nothing unusual here), but I just so happened to go downstairs to get a drink of water, peeked out the window and saw someone snooping on my property... red baggy hooded sweatshirt...walking north away from my truck.

Hit the lights, grabbed the gun and flashlight, and by the time I got outside no one was there, but I cleared my house and garage anyway and inspected the vehicles.

This happen to anyone else?...on numerous occassions Ive pulled a gun on my frolicking cats....they were not impressed.

Anyone?

God bless
-Shred

 

[Redskinsfan]

I have not done as you have even once. However, if I saw someone in a red hoody on my property I would be terribly disturbed; I live in the country on many acres and if someone was close enough for me to see them, it is terribly wrong in all probability.

I have never cleared my house, but I don't live in the big city.

Terry

 

[Sirshredalot]

I have not done as you have even once. However, if I saw someone in a red hoody on my property I would be terribly disturbed; I live in the country on many acres and if someone was close enough for me to see them, it is terribly wrong in all probability.

I have never cleared my house, but I don't live in the big city.

Terry

I think you mean the big cesspool...thats what Wes calls it!

Good for you...I hope you never have to....still hoping im not alone here though....maybe my wifes right...maybe I am paranoid.

God bless
-Shred

 

[Double T]

Best to be prepared than surprised.

If you really are worried, hit the lights...call the police and remain inside with weapon ready. I always think it unwise to leave family/loved one's unattended.

 

[Sylvain]

I do it often but only for training.
I clear every room starting from my bedroom, just like if I had to do it after waking up at night, not knowing if someone else was in the house.I do it at night with a flashlight and also practice during the day (still flashlight needed for the basement).
I also practice doing it from the front door into, just like if I came home at night and found the door open.
Which happened to me once.It turned out that I forgot to close the door this time.

I think it's wise to train before you have to do it "for real", this way you already know in which order to check each rooms, how open the doors, if there are any furnitures in the way that needs to be moved, what step is noisy, where are the light switches.
You also know how long it takes to clear the whole house, which can be useful.

 

[Fletch]

There could be people living in the downstairs bedrooms for a month at a time, and I wouldn't know as long as they were quiet about it.

 

[Mr.JAG]

*looks left... looks right* Yea, all clear here.

Doesn't take much effort in a small apartment.

 

[jkfletcher]

I will check certain areas when the dog barks out of character. Otherwise, only when the wife is paranoid about something

 

[bat54r]

I came home from work one day and as I closed the front door I heard one of the bedroom doors close toward the back of the house, kids at school, wife still at work. So instead of doing the smart thing and backing out and calling the police I drew my weapon and cleared the house, luckily it was nothing. I guess one of the bedroom doors was barely open and when I closed the front door the change in pressure in the house must pulled the bedroom door closed . I do practice clearing the house on occasion just in case my family is here if something bad happens, but I've decided from now on if no ones home and I walk into something strange 1.back out 2.keep an eye from distance and 3.call the police.

 

[EdC]

Never cleared my house. However, after reading this, maybe I should think about doing it once a year, like changing the batteries in the smoke detectors:

Caught out: The woman who hid in a homeowner's cupboard for a year | Mail Online

 

[jve153]

ive done so a few times, with snap caps, to see what my angles are etc. when i first moved in, i "walked" the house to see what the lines of sight were, what i could see of the yard from each window, etc. still waiting to sell the old house, so i have kept things in the garage there, noone living in that house, so every time i go over, i get that abandoned house feel, and just so i feel better, i always clear that house when i go over there, just to make sure everything is still intact and there isnt anyone squatting.

 

[SmileDocHill]

I've tried many a time but my family just keeps coming back.

 

[LFD102]

I've tried many a time but my family just keeps coming back.

I have that problem too ^^^^^^^

If the dogs bark at night I look out to see what it is other wise I don't I'll protect the bedrooms call the cops and if the get passed the dogs there fair game if they enter that area other wise they can have what they want its not worth the life of my family or myself for leaving my post. just my

 

[IndianaSigma]

I'm with you on this one. I live in a subdivision in Fort Wayne (until I can afford some land and a house in the country). Not a bad area of town.

Probably once a month or every 2 months, I'll hear a thud or sound that I don't usually hear....sometimes at night...sometimes in the middle of the day. Every time this happens I go from room to room with my .40 and check to be sure no one is lurking. I even check under beds and in closets. Some call it paranoia, but I just like to know that my family is safe. Plus, it's good practice.

Glad I'm not the only one.....

 

[ArcadiaGP]

We just recently moved into a new house. I cleared it probably every night for a week... just because it's so dark inside when I get home :P

Now, maybe once a week. It'll wane soon, I'm sure.

 

[eldirector]

For practice (with no one home but me and the cat), a few times.

For real? Not quite once. Heard banging from our entry in the middle of the night, grabbed the pistol and flashlight, and started down the stairs. Figured out my daughter was awake and kicking the wall when I has half way down the steps.

Not much happening in the old 'hood.

 

[japartridge]

I'd say about once a month for the odd bump in the night... probably about twice a week to track down wayward dogs!

Wife doesn't seem to mind me carrying my gun then, go figure!

 

[TaunTaun]

I've cleared my house and property twice in the last year. We rent a house that borders on a bad area adjacent to some of the seedier outlier areas of Elkhart. We've had prowlers in the past.

 

[jblomenberg16]

Usually about once or twice a month for practice. Scared the crap out of my wife the other night doing so too. I came around the corner at the top of the basement stairs and she was in the hall (I thought she had already gone to bed). Gave me a pretty good idea on how someone will react to an AR pointed at them!!

- 4 rules disclaimer here....finger was off the trigger, gun unloaded, and bolt locked back and no magazine. I did unfortunately point it at something that I didn't want to kill. -


She and I have cleared it a few times together for practice as well. We live in the country, and do have an alarm system. So when the alarm does go off, we have a plan on how to respond, wchih includes getting to our daughter's bed room as quickly and safely as possible.

 

[BowhuntnHoosier]

I try to clear it every couple of weeks. But if I hear an odd bump in the night I clear it then too. My family thinks I'm crazy. I tell them that I refuse to become a statistic of homeowner killed by intruder. I'd rather be one of the nut statistics of clearing occassionally.