Home Security On my mind again

[MossRoad]

Here's a little gizmo I installed in my staircase going to my upstairs in my house many years ago. It's just a regular exterior motion detector with 1 flood light bulb. The kicker is the little noise box mounted under it that is wired to the light. It's a Edwards Adapta Horn out of a industrial plant. This thing could wake the dead up from 1/4 mile away it makes so much noise. I have it wired to a light switch in my bedroom and when I'm ready to knock off for the night I flip the switch and turn it on. If my outside motion detector lights don't scare them off, the normal house burglar alarm fails, I have this little baby hooked up to a backup power source and is the last resort warning device. You can buy the Edwards Adapta Horns from most any industrial supply store. Click the thumbnail pic for a larger picture.

Hahahahaha!!! Tht is too cool! Only problem is I tend to sleep walk!

 

[pennwalk]

Thanks a lot guys great posts. Here is where I am so far Yesterday I worked on the basics. I made sure all the doors were locked and deadbolted and that all the windows were locked and pinned. We have a rancher with 16 double hung windows. somebody told me that the standard window lock is childs play to open and suggested drilling holes in the corner of the window where they overlap. 16 penny nails in the holes make it a little harder to open the window from the outside.

On the light thing, I wish we lived in a world where we could just turn the lights off and go to bed. I guess not. We have a post light at the front of the driveway and lights along the sidewalk to the front door. There are cans over the doors with floods. There are cans in the front and back overhang with floods There are duel aimable floods on the back corners of the house on a duel sensor (motion and infrared) motion detector. the motion detector is OK but the rotadendron leaves will set it off if it is windy and wet. I guess I will leave the floods in the overhang on for a while and see if we can sleep. I noticed on newer houses they have lights in the overhand with 2 brightnesses. They use a move subdued light for overnight security.

For the future I want something that will allow us to open the windows at night and not have people crawling in. I love the summer night air.

I'm thinking about security cameras. Costco has a 8 infrared camera setup that looks interesting.

I'd like to have some dogs but my girls have a cat that isn't entirely dog friendly..Darned cat .

On the gun thing I was thinking... I have never owned a hand gun so I would definitely need some training. Shotguns sound interesting. It sounds like the trick with guns at night is making sure I could get it quickly but that an intruder couldn't get it at all.

I'm thinking that I will put in some more motion detecting floodlights.

Chris

 

[pennwalk]

About our neighbors case it is pretty unclear what the story is but I think that is because the Police don't want to reveal any more than they have to. The story is coming out bit by bit and I am not getting any happier. Doer still at large. They said they brought the FBI in on it this afternoon. I'm for getting all the help they need. I'm not trying to be smart but it changes your outlook when it is people you know.

Chris

 

[the_sandman_454]

You want lights at points of entry, something that will alert you, either an alarm triggered by the motion sensing lights, or triggered by other things. A dog wouldn't be a bad idea either. Anything that'll wake you up at the first sign something isn't like it should be.

Might not be a bad idea to put locks on the bedroom door, and/or maybe secure it so it'll take someone a moment to get in.

My "bedside" gun is an AR15 carbine style. Of course this could change if neighbors or other people in the house are a consideration.

 

[RoyJackson]

"Shotguns sound interesting."

A shotgun might be the better way to go. A 12 gauge Mossberg 500 Pump Gun should go for about $300.
Use something like reduced recoil 00 buckshot (not to bad for recoil).

Anyway, try one of your local gun shops (I'm in York County and buy at Freedom Armory in Glen Rock. They have great service and an indoor range. Freedom Armory is just east of Exit 2 I-83). I'd auggest taking your wife with you too.

It turns out these three folks were stabbed to death. This is going to get interesting, I think.

 

[riptides]

Think zones or perimeter "defence" in depth. Lights, video, dogs (notice more than one), locks, a safe zone, and an escape route.

Dogs placed around the property at night work well. And I prefer shotguns. No sense fumbling around at that point. Whatever is in front of me, hears it load, and I don't have to worry about my accuracy issues.

Start with the locks, a good dog or two, and some lights.

Good luck.
-Mike Z.

 

[jfh28]

As others have mentioned, a mutil-level approach is best.

We have a remote driveway alarm that sounds at 200 yards out. This starts the dogs barking. At 50 feet or so the motion sensor lights turn on illuminating the barking, growling 140 lb pyrenees launching himself against the sliding glass door trying to get to the intruder. But he is not the one that catches their attention...it's the 160lb wolfhound standing next to him.

We figure that this takes care of 98% of our security issues. For the remaining 2% we do need a gun, and that is being debated in our household.

Jack

 

[jfh28]

It is more important that the dog be cat friendly than the other way around. We have had a mixed house thru many different cats and dogs. Even the meanest cat we had eventually came to accept the dogs. It just takes time....but the cat will accept the dogs and learn to play and sleep on them. If it is an indoor cat I would recommend declawing the front paws....will save on vet bills during the accepting phase

Jack

 

[pennwalk]

In case anyone wonders what I'm talking about the local TV channels web page is www.wgal.com and the newspapers web site is LancasterOnline.com: Your Lancaster County News Source.

Chris

 

[pennwalk]

It is more important that the dog be cat friendly than the other way around. We have had a mixed house thru many different cats and dogs. Even the meanest cat we had eventually came to accept the dogs. It just takes time....but the cat will accept the dogs and learn to play and sleep on them. If it is an indoor cat I would recommend declawing the front paws....will save on vet bills during the accepting phase

Jack,
He is declawed. His problem and I'm sure we can all relate to this, is the need to pee on creatures he doesn't like. darned cat.

Chris