A journey towards better home security

Posted by: Phaedrus

A journey towards better home security - 06/15/12 08:00 AM

Part 1.

Lately the topic of home security has been weighing heavily on my mind. Here's the story: About a month ago a coworker of mine was the victim of a home invasion. He was awakened around 3 or 4 a.m. to a commotion in the living room. Initially he thought it was his roommate coming in, but when he went to check up on him he was attacked by five guys. They've kicked in his door and were ransacking his apartment. He ended up getting beat up pretty good, but very fortunately he wasn't seriously injured.

Now, he's a younger kid that runs with a shady crowd, but it really got me thinking. To many people I talk to home security is a gun. While I'm into firearms I think that's a misplaced priority. How many people have a $1,000 gun tricked out with lights and lasers yet stick with a $20 Kwik-Set lock? I keep a gun near my bed, but I want the situation to ended with the bad guy outside my front door, not dead on the floor of my bedroom!

I realized that my knowledge of security was pretty basic; have a deadbolt, don't have your name on your mailbox, etc. So I decided to do a bit of reading, then conduct a survey of my house. What I found frankly shocked me. Basically I live in a tent! That is to say, it would be just as easy to keep someone out of my tent as my house.

First off, my front door has glass sidelights- not ideal. But as I looked at them with an eye towards covering them on the inside with plexiglass I noticed that the wall they screw into is very flimsy. Worse yet my front door is an interior door (!), secured to a single 2 x 4 frame (!!)! Absolutely mind boggling.

I wish that was the worst of it. The front entry used to be porch but apparently was walled in...or I should say "windowed in". The whole thing is windows. What used to be the front door is also an interior door! And to the left of it are three single paned windows large enough to easily step through.

Going around to the side door in the alley didn't make me feel any better. There's a single dead bolt on another interior door being used as an exterior door (!), and like the front door that deadbolt is a single cylinder 3" from a window! What were they smoking when they built the place? And what was I smoking when I moved in?

I got another shock when I peeled the trim off the inside of the door frame to plan how to reinforce it. It's difficult to describe what I laughingly call the "King stud"/door junction- the door jamb is a one-by mounted to plaster! Yes, PLASTER!

Needless to say, but this point I needed a drink! The further I look the scarier my house is. But at least now I know, and knowing will help me fix it. My mom & brother are both former professional carpenters (and I'm pretty handy having worked with them PT as a kid). I'm formulating a plan to get this house up to 21st Century standards.

It seems previously my security plan was "be extremely lucky." While that's worked up until now it's time to get better.
Posted by: Phaedrus

Re: A journey towards better home security - 06/15/12 08:31 AM

Part 2:

Okay, I have a basic plan formulated. Please feel free to chime in with comments or suggestions.

Initially I'm going to sort of ignore that outside front door; to be done correctly I'll have to remove it along with the sidelights, then install proper king studs and a new door. This is something I will do, but it will cost to much and take longer than I can devote to it to start there. I will make my stand at what I call the "airlock door". I'll get rid of that door and replace it with a proper solid core exterior door, mounted on three new hinges. Oh, did I forget to mention all the doors are mounted on 2 hinges each, and each hinge is missing at least one screw each? Yowzas!

At this point I plan to install jamb armor, and extended and hardened strike plate, armor for the hinges and a wrap-around door reinforcer. At this point I'll finally be ready to look at locks. That's another area where I was woefully ill-informed. Let me share a few things I've learned in a months worth of research. Perhaps this is common knowledge to you folks; if not it might keep your house from being penetrated. First off, while your door is anchored into one of the strongest structural components of your house, the door frame (generally a king stud with either 2 or three two-by-fours or two-by-sixes) the strike plate that contains your deadbolt is mounted to a door jamb with 1" screws. The jamb itself is pretty flimsy- one good kick will generally rip the bolt free of it. You should have a larger strike plate anchored with at least 3.5" screws that can go thru the jamb and deep into the stud frame. The large strike plate can spread the shock of an impact evenly, dissipating the energy into the whole door frame, absorbing the blow.

Once you've kept the jamb from ripping out, the door itself will probably fail around the lock. A door 1.75" thick with a hole drilled for the lock set will have very little material left to either side. To strengthen it you must add a wrap-around door reinforcer. If you're able it's also a good idea to armour the door hinges as well. If you've done all this you should have a pretty sturdy door. Then you can look at locks.

If you haven't followed the news or internet, you may not realize just how vulnerable your average lock is. The $40 lock you trust your security to is fatally flawed in many ways. It can be defeated by a number of attacks. The primary ones I'll discuss here are bumping and physical attack. Bumping involved inserting a key that will not unlock your door but will physically fit in it. The key is then smacked (bumped). On nearly all common locks, if done by a practiced had the lock will open. If you're not planning to sleep tonite anyways, go to youtube and search "lock bumping." Not pretty.

As I said, nearly all locks under $75 can be bumped. And to be perfectly honest, even a $140 Medeco M3, the type used in the White House among other places, is not completely invulnerable to being bumped. The great simplified answer is that Security Rated, Class 1 locks will resist the amateur bump attacks you'll likely face. These locks have "firewalls" of sorts that (theoretically) compartmentalize & isolate the parts of the lock from each other. In broad terms, locks that are nearly bump proof include said Medeco M3, the Schlage Primus/Everest, the Evva 3KS, etc. These locks will cost around $150 at the end. But while that sucks, how much did that slick Kimber .45 cost? Or your 65" LCD TV? What's your life worth?

If the bad guy can't simply bump your lock and walk in he may physically attack the lock. This can be done in many ways. Cheap deadbolts can simply be hammered off with a couple of blows. If it survives that it might be drilled. Years ago this wasn't a very common attack, but now everyone owns a cordless drill. Security tests have shown that nearly all consumer locks under $50 can be drilled out & defeated in under 2 minutes. What will survive that? Tests have shown the Medeco M3, the Evva & the Primus to resist drill attacks. The lock can be destroyed in this manner but it won't open. The Schlage is also extremely robust vs physical attack.

My eventual plan is to use 2 deadbolts on each the front and back doors. One will be a Schlage B660P (already ordered) coupled with a high security locks. Maybe the Medeco, maybe the Primus. Maybe I won't come right out and say which! The idea is 2 different locks means two different keys, and two different bump keys. High security locks have rather exotically shaped keys, and key control means you can't stroll into the hardware shop and get a blank. Two beadbolts means twice the holding power and 1/2 as likely to be defeated. Maybe not worth the effort. Naturally I'll have a reinforced strike plate for each lock.

In the next post I'll discuss my plans for the three vulnerable windows that flank that airlock door. And in a later post I'll lay out my plans for tackling that problematic alley/back door.
Posted by: LesSnyder

Re: A journey towards better home security - 06/15/12 12:46 PM

Phaedrus... good luck with your endeavor... after watching the movie "No Country for Old Men", I'd wondered what it would take to shear a brass cylinder out of a lock...

I went with exterior steel doors, and longer screws to the striker plate and good dead bolts, but not a high end lockset... unfortunately my house is an old frame structure , and though off the ground on 2' pilings it has a couple of 7' jalousie windows that would be easily defeated

the front, and rear entrances are accessed by easy open screen doors, but I installed a wireless "chime" with the speaker in the bedroom that sounds when they are opened...that and a couple of motion sensor lights...

I don't have a large perception of threat,... I'm just a kindly old retired school teacher, and no "ostentatious display of wealth"... my nightstand pistol is a lowly G23 with night sights
Posted by: Dagny

Re: A journey towards better home security - 06/15/12 01:23 PM

Seeking to improve its image with women, about twenty years ago the National Rifle Association began a program called "Refuse to be a Victim." It has nothing to do with guns and everything to do with non-weapon aspects of enhancing security in all aspects of life. I went to one of the early sessions. A few years later, some of the personal security strategies that had become habits saved me from harm when I was attacked while walking home from work.

Highly recommend you see if a RTBAV program is available near you. Your local police department may also have some resources that could be helpful, such as a home security audit.

http://www.nrahq.org/rtbav/

Home Security
Personal Security
Automobile Security
Workplace Security
Technological Security

P.S. the comprehensive home security strategies include topics such as landscaping, making your home look occupied when you're absent and making it look like you have a BIG dog - even if you do not (big water bowl, "Love my Rottweiler" doormat, Bewared of Dog sign, etc.).

Posted by: LCranston

Re: A journey towards better home security - 06/15/12 02:08 PM

Even if you are in the White House, the purpose of security can not be "keep them out forever"

Unless you are deliberately pissing off mafia thugs or gangs, or are planning for zombies, the goal is to
1) make your house a bad target
1st, set it up so anyone coming can be seen- no obscured windows (Bushes that cover entire windows let them work in private
2nd Make it LIGHT- thieves do not want to work on your locks under a spotlight
3rd. Where possible, make it painful. SHORT, Thorny bushes are not fun

These make you house a bad target- thieves don't want to get caught. If your house looks harder than your neighbors, they will move on.

2) Reinforce- this is what you are doing.
Coatings on Windows that make them bend and bow but not shatter (more kid safe too)
better bolts
better screws
Better doors
Better doors on your BEDROOM, with a real LOCK.
Good alternate exits.

These give you TIME- and Options
Time to call the police
Time to run away/hide/fight.

3)Network. Know your neighbors, have them know you. Real neighbors keep each other safe- They call the police for you. They catch your dog.

4) slightly off topic, but equally important- know your laws. Shooting someone breaking in in TX is totally different than in NE. One gets you a medal, one gets you arrested. This can even differ from city to city, and county to county.
I know where I am, if someone breaks in; if I go confront them and someone gets hurt, I can get charged. All snarky "I'll just plant a knife on them" aside- no thank you- You try to take that TV before the cops come.
Now if they come upstairs towards my kids, I can claim imminent danger, and all bets are off.

Last point- Make sure your security is subordinate to your safety. I saw one guy securing windows with NAILS- um, dude- you have a wife and two girls that use a can of hairspray a WEEK. Whats more likely- a robbery, or a FIRE?
Posted by: Bingley

Re: A journey towards better home security - 06/15/12 02:13 PM

The home defensive system has to have layers, right? You are working on the doors and windows, and soon you'll have that taken care of. At some point you might want to consider an alarm system, either something that is networked to a security company, or a self-contained system that screams its head off when tripped. Lighting the crucial entry areas might help.

You can go pretty far in home security. Let me tell you about a house. It's got four layers of locks: (1) a solid, mechanically operated metal door, reinforced by numerous bolts and locks (I think around ten of them); (2) another door right behind it with two serious locks; (3) a lighter wooden door with a lock; (4) and a solid, thick wooden door to the inner sanctum. There is a lighting and alarm system, too. There is only one ground-accessible window, and it's got thick metal grills on it. The walls are thick bricks. There is a lot of lighting day and night. Two people check all the locks every night. Sounds pretty good, hunh?

The house still got penetrated. In the middle of the night, some burglars quietly broke through all these defenses and took only the most valuable items. (They might have somehow surveilled the house for a while before the burglary.) They did not wake anyone or harm anyone. They were skilled and equipped, not like the five guys who beat your friend -- those sound like amateurs. Naturally, they made off with quite a profit.

So consider what sort of people you want to keep out, and plan accordingly. Most US houses aren't so well-designed against burglars. I mean, they aren't fortresses like the house I describe above! But even that can be penetrated.
Posted by: ILBob

Re: A journey towards better home security - 06/15/12 02:39 PM

sounds like an inside job, or at least someone with some inside information.

Originally Posted By: Bingley
The home defensive system has to have layers, right? You are working on the doors and windows, and soon you'll have that taken care of. At some point you might want to consider an alarm system, either something that is networked to a security company, or a self-contained system that screams its head off when tripped. Lighting the crucial entry areas might help.

You can go pretty far in home security. Let me tell you about a house. It's got four layers of locks: (1) a solid, mechanically operated metal door, reinforced by numerous bolts and locks (I think around ten of them); (2) another door right behind it with two serious locks; (3) a lighter wooden door with a lock; (4) and a solid, thick wooden door to the inner sanctum. There is a lighting and alarm system, too. There is only one ground-accessible window, and it's got thick metal grills on it. The walls are thick bricks. There is a lot of lighting day and night. Two people check all the locks every night. Sounds pretty good, hunh?

The house still got penetrated. In the middle of the night, some burglars quietly broke through all these defenses and took only the most valuable items. (They might have somehow surveilled the house for a while before the burglary.) They did not wake anyone or harm anyone. They were skilled and equipped, not like the five guys who beat your friend -- those sound like amateurs. Naturally, they made off with quite a profit.

So consider what sort of people you want to keep out, and plan accordingly. Most US houses aren't so well-designed against burglars. I mean, they aren't fortresses like the house I describe above! But even that can be penetrated.
Posted by: RNewcomb

Re: A journey towards better home security - 06/15/12 03:03 PM

I've lived in the same house for 35 years, and it's never been broken into. However, our garage has been hit a total of 3 times during that time.

On the Garage, all three entry points have been the door. It's a steel door, but only a quickset lock. I never really had anything extremely valuable in the garage, and didn't advertise what I did have in there. After a rash of home break in's earlier this year, I decided it was time to strenghen the defenses a little.

My house is actually very secure. All the Windows are up fairly high, and the both doors (front and back) have heavy dute storm doors (that lock) with Steel inside doors that are dead bolted. The Door Jams are very solid.

The basement windows all have aluminum storm screens that are both screwed and sealed with caulking. If they removed these, they would be faced with double layered plexiglas windows.

The basement is sealed off from the rest of the house by an solid wood interier door that also had a dead-bolt on it. Once they are inside the house, however, this door is just a mechanism to slow down the intruder.. and hopefully give me time to get out the front door.

I have installed infrared alarms in the garage now that signal an alarm when there's any movement in the garage, and reinforced the door jam with a hardened steel bar (about four foot long) that goes down the interier jam that is lag screwed in every four inches. This door is abolutely "pop" proof. It would be easier for them to go through a wall that to get this door open when the dead bolt is on.

Finally, I always keep in mind the first rule of all thievery. At it's core, it's all about desire. You steel what you desire, and you can't desire what you don't know about.

I don't have a lot of house guests. I don't throw house parties. I am very selective about what friends I allow my son to bring into my house. I know who they are, where they live and I get a feel for their families. I make it very clear to my son that he does not talk about his "toys", and more importantly, mine. This may come across slightly creepish, but it also serves the purpse of knowing who my kids are hanging out with. Any dilligent parent should do the same.

So in short, don't advertise. Don't make it easy, and layer your defense. You can't stop them, but you sure can slow them down.

And if all else fails.. if they are that determined, you have to decide if taking someones life is REALLY worth your "stuff". I hope I never have to make that choice.
Posted by: ireckon

Re: A journey towards better home security - 06/15/12 03:56 PM

If your house is like a tent, then yeah focusing on a firearm is probably a misplacement of priorities. For a person whose house is like a house, then a firearm and training can provide a valuable layer of security. As we talk about layers, I think about what is my last layer of security. I'm at a point in my life where I feel like it's irresponsible for me NOT to have a firearm in my last layer of security, but that's me. What is in your last layer of security?

Originally Posted By: Bingley
The house still got penetrated. In the middle of the night, some burglars quietly broke through all these defenses and took only the most valuable items. (They might have somehow surveilled the house for a while before the burglary.) They did not wake anyone or harm anyone. They were skilled and equipped, not like the five guys who beat your friend -- those sound like amateurs. Naturally, they made off with quite a profit.

So consider what sort of people you want to keep out, and plan accordingly. Most US houses aren't so well-designed against burglars. I mean, they aren't fortresses like the house I describe above! But even that can be penetrated.


Interesting, I think that burglar would have a problem with setting off my 9-pound poodle mutt. From a deep sleep, she can detect if a stranger has the audacity to stand on her front porch. Many people enjoy the comforts that a big dog brings them, but I wouldn't trade my little mutt for any dog. She is perhaps the most valuable part of my layered security, and is the best watch dog I've ever had. I'm the guard dog. smile
Posted by: ireckon

Re: A journey towards better home security - 06/15/12 04:34 PM

It's important to think about what things in your house are most valuable and what things are least valuable. Here is the approximate order of value for me:

1. My daughter
2. My girlfriend
3. Me
4. Pictures
5. Other data on my computer system
6. Sentimental items, like stuff my mom or dad gave me
7. Vital records
8. Stuff that can be replaced with money

With that list in mind, I construct my layers of security accordingly. The pictures and data require enhanced protection not yet discussed in this thread. My pics and other data are mostly stored on computer systems, which would be a target in a burglary. So, I have several layers of backup, including encrypted files and external backup over the Internet.

Regarding the stuff that can be replaced with money, I have to be honest and say I'm not obsessed with protecting those items. Yeah, it would be a bummer having those things stolen, but they can be replaced with a little effort, and I would look at the replacement process as an opportunity to upgrade or reduce clutter.
Posted by: Arney

Re: A journey towards better home security - 06/15/12 05:29 PM

Originally Posted By: RNewcomb
However, our garage has been hit a total of 3 times during that time....It's a steel door, but only a quickset lock.

Did they break in or was there no signs of forced entry? I wonder if they "bumped" the door lock to the exterior door to your garage? If you check out any of these videos online about "lock bumping," it looks trivial to do with inexpensive locksets. You can't even really call it "picking" the lock. I'm not sure what level you have to upgrade to to avoid it. Probably anything considered "commercial grade" should suffice. You don't need Medeco or locks with special keys to defeat lock bumping, from what I've read. Another alternative to the lock bumping is to add a dead bolt that only locks from the inside.

I saw a technique on TV not long ago that was so easy and I was surprised I had never heard of it before. If you have a garage door opener with one of those dangling cords for an emergency release, it's easy to use a coat hanger pushed through the top edge of the garage door to hook the cord and pull it, releasing the door and giving theives access to your garage. From the outside, a door stopper wedged into the top edge of the closed door opens a gap to push the coat hanger through.

Remember, it IS a safety feature, so if you have children or pets that could possibly get trapped under the door if the sensor malfunctions, you should think hard about this, but the counter measure the TV show presented is to use a zip tie to lock the release lever in place. An alternative might be to re-position the cord in such a way that you can't snag it--or maybe removing the little knob on the end of the cord so it can't be snagged with a hook. You could also conceivably mount a shield along the top edge of the door to prevent anything from being pushed through the door crack without interfering with the door operation.
Posted by: ducktapeguy

Re: A journey towards better home security - 06/16/12 12:04 AM

There are two types of break-ins, one is targeted, and one is random. A random type is easier to deal with, all you have to do is make your house less attractive than your neighbors. If you're being targeted for a burglary, then you need to consider who and why they're targeting you, because you really can't stop someone who's determined to break in. In the end, if you live in a normal house, there is only so much you can do to prevent someone from breaking in. Houses just weren't designed to be that resistant. It's be easier to buy a large safe that is designed to keep things secure, as an added bonus you could use it to protect against fire which is probably a bigger risk than burglary.

RE: Locks. I wouldn't be overly concerned about the specific type of lock. Even though almost all locks have a weakness, it's usually not the weakest link in home security. As you mentioned, the door, the jamb, the windows, even the walls are usually compromised before the actual lock itself. While "lock bumping" has been sensationalized in the media, the process has been around as long as we've had locks, but I have not heard of one confirmed case of that being the cause of a break-in (it does leave evidence to someone who knows what to look for). It's actually not as easy as it sounds, and you still need equipment. In the case of the Medeco M3, even though there's video proof of it being bumped, not many people have access to the equipment needed to make the bump keys, and of those probably only a handful that could do it consistently. I wouldn't worry too much about theoretical weaknesses, but focus on real life security flaws.

Usually a thief will kick in the door, or come in through a window, but rarely will they have the skill, time, or desire to try a covert entry. I'm not implying that a cheap lock is as good as a high security one, just that you might be paying a lot more for very little added security, and in some cases, less security. For example, there are a lot of new anti-bump/pick proof locks on the market rated Class 1, that are physically weaker than the older, cheaper versions they replaced. Again, in a theoretical sense they are more secure, but in the real world they can be opened even faster and easier than some of the Class 2.

Using 2 deadbolts is a good start, but if you're worried about forceful entry while you're at home, a better idea is to use a single sided deadbolt in addition to a normal deadbolt. There is no keyhole on the outside, so what isn't there can't be compromised. Another thing you can do if it's feasible is have your door swing outward, instead of inward. This is how my rear entrance is set-up. It's much more difficult to kick in an outward swinging door, plus the actual strength of the lock doesn't come into play as much, because all the force is spread on the jamb, not concentrated on the deadbolt.

Posted by: Arney

Re: A journey towards better home security - 06/16/12 01:03 AM

Originally Posted By: ducktapeguy
Another thing you can do if it's feasible is have your door swing outward, instead of inward.

I've long wondered how different cultures determine which way a door should swing open. In Japan, the front door to your house or apartment is typically steel and opens outward, if it isn't a flimsy, sliding door. I imagine it's the same in other countries, too.
Posted by: GarlyDog

Re: A journey towards better home security - 06/16/12 01:06 AM

I recall reading about a rash of burglaries in a nearby town that made me think about the security of a standard wood-framed homes in general. The burglars were literally cutting new doors with a cordless reciprocating saw in a conveniently obscured side of the homes. All the crimes happened during the day.

An interesting stat that went along with the story is more than 70% of break-ins happen during day time hours, most often between 7AM - 10AM.

Posted by: ducktapeguy

Re: A journey towards better home security - 06/16/12 01:10 AM

I don't know about other countries, but most commercial building will have outward swinging doors because of building and fire code. An inward swinging door can trap people inside if there's a panic. Personally, I prefer all exterior doors should be outward swinging to maximize space, the security aspect is a bonus.
Posted by: Eugene

Re: A journey towards better home security - 06/16/12 01:36 AM

There were breakins in our old neighborhood a few years ago. Had nothing to do with easy/hard targets or perceived wealth or poorness, they would just go down the street one house after another during the day when people are at work.
I bought a new steel door for the front and took the older steel door from the front and used it to replace the wooden door in the back. Made sure there were 2 2x4's on each side screwed together with real framing screws every 6" top to bottom. Steel reinforcing L brackets at the ends bolting to the header and footer. Then I mounted the new door frame and took the striker off and drilled with a hole saw behind it and drove a steel pipe though. Opened the drywall and took that all the way into the next stud. This way the deadbolt went into a pipe rather than just a strike plate, then a good strike plate with large construction screws.
Posted by: Bingley

Re: A journey towards better home security - 06/16/12 05:00 AM

Originally Posted By: ILBob
sounds like an inside job, or at least someone with some inside information.

Without going into the details of the case, I'd say that is unlikely. Moreover, the burglars were apprehended a few weeks later with some of the loot. Too bad they didn't put their skills to something more productive.

Originally Posted By: ireckon
Regarding the stuff that can be replaced with money, I have to be honest and say I'm not obsessed with protecting those items.

Insurance! We should have insurance to supplement home security. That's how you can replace the stuff.

While your little dog may be the best alarm system in the world and you may be the guard dog from hell, that only takes care of opportunistic robbers or robber who rely on violence to get in and subdue the residents (i.e., the most feared home invasion scenario). What about robbers who are a bit smarter? Robbers who wait until you're gone before going in? Robbers who prepare ahead of time?

Originally Posted By: ducktapeguy
It's be easier to buy a large safe that is designed to keep things secure, as an added bonus you could use it to protect against fire which is probably a bigger risk than burglary.

What sort of safe is good enough? I looked into gun safes a while ago. And it appears that anything less than a few thousand dollars (10 or 12 ga steel) can be broken into by a fire axe. You need something in the order of 7 ga steel, weighing a ton, and costing thousands of dollars. Now this is when you start watching Youtube videos on techniques for breaking safes. Then you start feeling queasy, because it seems that with enough time and equipment, all safes can be compromised. So that suggests some sort of alarm system that can alert the authorities. This way you take time away from the robbers. Maybe they won't have enough time to crack your safe.

As you guys can tell, I'm not an expert in home security. I have just lived in areas that required a bit more precaution against burglars. But I'm hoping my half-informed contribution will draw the more knowledgeable people to participate.
Posted by: Phaedrus

Re: A journey towards better home security - 06/16/12 08:06 AM

That's the rub- how much is enough? When designing buildings to withstand natural catastrophes, you always consider how strong the earthquake could be, how high the flooding. More protection gets expensive, and resources are finite. Too much and you waste your limited resources, too little and you risk devastation. And of course you can't possibly protect against every threat. I'd love to have a fortress that would offer total protection but that structure doesn't exist. I have to ask what it will cost to defend against likely attacks. It's probably not within my budget to install doors that can withstand a fire axe, and in any event the walls would have to be similarly reinforced.

At the level I can afford I want to keep out the honest people, and the lazy. As I can afford it I'll try to keep nudging the bar up one notch at a time.
Posted by: chaosmagnet

Re: A journey towards better home security - 06/16/12 03:49 PM

I would say that insurance would be among my top priorities, as would a good alarm system.

My house has too many accessible windows for me to spend a lot of effort trying to harden it. I can't afford to put security film on them so I rely on being a little tougher to break into than my neighbors (outside lighting, keeping doors locked, higher quality locks) and alerting (dog, alarm, neighbors).
Posted by: JBMat

Re: A journey towards better home security - 06/16/12 05:21 PM

You can't keep a determined burglar out. Think car jack, sideways, in a door frame. They're in.

You can make it tougher to get in. Have an alarm system and use the darn thing.

I find the best method is - neighbors. Encourage them to call if anything looks wrong. Emphasize you will do the same. Is that car not "right" - call the cops. People wandering the neighborhood - call the cops.
Posted by: haertig

Re: A journey towards better home security - 06/16/12 07:35 PM

As for burglars, theft is the least of my worries. I have insurance.

You really can't "harden" your home to any significant degree. You can make it "better", but you'll never even get up to "good" without spending a ton of money. Bars on all your windows. All steel doors in reenforced frames. Remove skylights. Replace any siding with brick or rock - solid - all the way around. Etc. In other words, turn your house into somewhere you probably wouldn't want to live in the first place.

If someone is intent on a "home invasion", as was the topic of the first post in this thread, you better be ready to detect and repel that.

Reenforce your home to a reasonable degree. Not expecting to "harden" it, but to make it more time consuming to get in. Even slowing someone down for a few seconds will help. Get large dogs as a warning device. Put in an alarm system (if you can afford it). The alarm system would be to alert YOU, not necessarily the authorities. By the time the authorities respond to your alarm, the invasion is probably over and you are already dead.

The only things I care about in an attack on my home are the safety of my family. So if someone breaks in using force, they can expect to be met with overwhelming counter-force. I want my family to survive the encounter. We heavily stack the deck in our favor. If you find yourself in a "fair fight" when someone breaks into your home, your tactics stink.

You will never "keep them all out" if they want to get in. So your plan should be early alert, and tactics (including weapons) that will allow you to survive.

Burglaries when we're not at home? Insurance is the answer for that. Home invasion? $500 door locks will not save you from that. The best you can hope for is a few extra seconds for you to rally your defense. Spend your money with the understanding that you are buying yourself a few extra seconds to respond yourself, not hardening your home to any significant degree.
Posted by: Eugene

Re: A journey towards better home security - 06/16/12 11:39 PM

Originally Posted By: JBMat
You can't keep a determined burglar out. Think car jack, sideways, in a door frame. They're in.

You can make it tougher to get in. Have an alarm system and use the darn thing.

I find the best method is - neighbors. Encourage them to call if anything looks wrong. Emphasize you will do the same. Is that car not "right" - call the cops. People wandering the neighborhood - call the cops.


Depends on your AO. before I moved out of the city limits the police didn't respond to alarms and there were cars that were not right and people wondering the neighborhood all the time.
Posted by: Bingley

Re: A journey towards better home security - 06/17/12 05:48 PM

To add to to haertig's post, one size does not fit all. If you look at urban areas, solid Medeco locks, and even multiple locks are common. If you look at a small Midwestern town, the doors can easily be kicked down, and some people don't even lock their doors. Why is that? Those expensive locks actually serve a purpose. You can strengthen the residence against opportunistic and low-skill burglars/robbers, and in urban areas there are a lot of those "plying their trade." No, these defenses won't work against determined thieves with enough time, but there are a lot of thieves in urban areas who aren't as determined or prepared.

Insurance itself isn't quite enough for opportunistic thieves. Your premium is going to shoot up if you get robbed three times a month because you don't have a good lock on your door. (Some of you are perhaps imagining big bad guys with guns. How about a small fast 12-year-old who sneaks into your house, grabs the closest electronics, and runs like hell? I've seen this sort of stuff happen to people who relocated to the city from a more rural area. They didn't get what they were in for.)

But armed home invasion is a completely different ball game. Yeah, I'd agree that you'd better be ready to repel the invasion.

I tell the story about the well-fortified house (see earlier in the thread) to people who think having some weapons in the house is good enough. There are skilled burglars who can get through serious defenses and steal your stuff without waking you, without using weapons. By the way, some people do live in fortresses, and these can be decent, comfortable, and even luxurious places to live in. But you pay a price for security, especially if you like a lot of natural lighting, windows with a nice view, fresh air, and not having to stick with a security routine every night. But it's really not a big deal if you're used to it.

Should you invest in locks for the door, iron bars for the window, and bricks in place of sidings? Should you get a watch dog? That depends on where you live and the threats you face. I think we need some good ideas about doing risk assessment and figuring out how much to invest in security.

Right now my only guideline is to make my place less attractive than my neighbors, in the hope that the bad guys will be encouraged to move on to the next target.
Posted by: Arney

Re: A journey towards better home security - 06/17/12 07:41 PM

Originally Posted By: ducktapeguy
Personally, I prefer all exterior doors should be outward swinging to maximize space, the security aspect is a bonus.

Actually, the space issue is certainly one reason why the Japanese typically either have a sliding or outward swinging entrance door. Things can get pretty cramped there.

And I was just thinking that typhoons are probably another reason. Aren't outward facing exterior doors a feature in some homes in hurricane country? Izzy, help me on this one!
Posted by: ireckon

Re: A journey towards better home security - 06/17/12 09:45 PM

Outward swinging doors seems like a good idea for hurricane territory. Regarding burglars with tools, what prevents a burglar from rigging the door to their truck and driving forward? Yeah, the door may be hard to bash in, but it's also easier to pull.

Anyway, as others have stated above, in my home and probably every home of a regular person, the front door is not the weak link and never will be. So, this discussion about the front door is mainly for interesting conversation.
Posted by: Phaedrus

Re: A journey towards better home security - 06/18/12 05:18 AM

Originally Posted By: ireckon

Anyway, as others have stated above, in my home and probably every home of a regular person, the front door is not the weak link and never will be. So, this discussion about the front door is mainly for interesting conversation.


That may be true, but it seems to the most common point of entry. Depending on the source you cite it seems that in around 70% of break-ins and home invasions the perp comes thru the front or rear door. One or two good kicks will generally dislodge the strike plate on most homes (ie two x 1" screws basically not really going thru the jamb). It makes sense that thieves would use the door not only because it's usually easy to breach but also because if you have to break a window you'll make noise, leave visible damage and risk cutting yourself up climbing thru it.

To update: Yesterday I beefed up that problematic back/side door. I installed an 8" strike plate with 6 x 4" deck screws sunk right into the king studs. Then I placed a 28" heavy steel strap tie where the door trim should go. This ties the frame/jamb area together and anchors the plate to the studs so the bolt would have to go thru that & the strike plate. Not perfect yet (can there be perfect?) but at least 10X stronger than it was a week ago.
Posted by: bigreddog

Re: A journey towards better home security - 06/18/12 10:13 AM

One thought is about structure once the outer perimeter is breached. Decent locks and a dog mean I am confident no one gets in quietly. But I won't bar my windows so smashing your way in is always possible.

Second phase involves barricading the stairs (furniture handy to do that, calling the authorities from upstairs (always a cellphone on the bedside) and keeping the family secure. No desire to go mano a mano with intruders - loot downstairs if you will - try to mount the stairs and get close to the family and I will stop you in your tracks.

There is a way out of the upstairs window in case of fire - and there is no reason for anybody to believe we have valuables in the house (through the cunning strategy of being too poor to have any valuables!)

A good plan is always the core to success.
Posted by: Phaedrus

Re: A journey towards better home security - 06/18/12 10:58 AM

Originally Posted By: bigreddog


There is a way out of the upstairs window in case of fire - and there is no reason for anybody to believe we have valuables in the house (through the cunning strategy of being too poor to have any valuables!)



Hahaha! Being poor is my defense, too! grin
Posted by: ducktapeguy

Re: A journey towards better home security - 06/18/12 05:50 PM

Originally Posted By: Bingley


What sort of safe is good enough? I looked into gun safes a while ago. And it appears that anything less than a few thousand dollars (10 or 12 ga steel) can be broken into by a fire axe. You need something in the order of 7 ga steel, weighing a ton, and costing thousands of dollars. Now this is when you start watching Youtube videos on techniques for breaking safes. Then you start feeling queasy, because it seems that with enough time and equipment, all safes can be compromised. So that suggests some sort of alarm system that can alert the authorities. This way you take time away from the robbers. Maybe they won't have enough time to crack your safe.


Gun safes aren't really that safe, as you've seen. Real (as in UL rated) safes start out at about 1/2" thick or more. But a properly installed gun safe will still provide better protection than spending the few thousand trying to reinforce the exterior of a house. The key point is that it has to be bolted down, a safe that isn't attached can pried open much easier than one that is bolted down, or just carried away. There was a recent burglary in the news a few months ago where the homeowners claimed their safe was stolen with $10 million in cash and jewels, the theives just carried the small safe out the door. It is surprisingly easy for a normal sized person to move a 500+lb safe, even easier if you're not worried about damaging anything. 2 people who knew what they were doing could probably handle 1000+ easily without special equipment.

Originally Posted By: ireckon
Outward swinging doors seems like a good idea for hurricane territory. Regarding burglars with tools, what prevents a burglar from rigging the door to their truck and driving forward? Yeah, the door may be hard to bash in, but it's also easier to pull


If a theif could rig something strong enough to withstand the pull, nothing will stop them from doing that. It won't matter which way your door swings, even if it's bolted on all 4 sides, you're screwed. No matter how strong you reinforce the door or jamb, the entire frame and surrounding studs are still only held into the top and bottom plates by at most few nails and screws.

Originally Posted By: Arney

And I was just thinking that typhoons are probably another reason. Aren't outward facing exterior doors a feature in some homes in hurricane country? Izzy, help me on this one!


I thought most tornado (and I assumed maybe hurricane) shelters have inward swinging doors to prevent the occupants from getting trapped by falling debris? I don't know anything about this. Many people think the hinges might be the weak point, but it's not easy to remove a locked door from the hinge side, and there are special security screws to prevent this.

Originally Posted By: Phaedrus

To update: Yesterday I beefed up that problematic back/side door. I installed an 8" strike plate with 6 x 4" deck screws sunk right into the king studs.


I'm sure that 6 x 4" screws are plenty strong, but sometimes deck screws are more brittle and will snap rather than bend like a normal wood screw or even a nail.
Posted by: Arney

Re: A journey towards better home security - 06/18/12 06:21 PM

Originally Posted By: ducktapeguy
I thought most tornado (and I assumed maybe hurricane) shelters have inward swinging doors to prevent the occupants from getting trapped by falling debris?

You may be correct about a dedicated shelter, but for the ordinary front/exterior doors, I believe I have seen outward opening doors on homes in Florida and IIRC the reason given was for hurricanes.

In terms of hurricanes, I have heard that one of the primary weak points is the garage because most garage doors are not that sturdy. Once that door fails in hurricane force winds and there is an opening, it's much easier for the wind to start tearing apart the garage from the inside. I assume the same danger would apply to a home, so an outward opening door would normally be more resistant to that scenario than an inward opening door that might only have one point of contact (just that little latch on many doors) keeping it closed against strong winds from the outside. Obviously, windows are also a weak point, but that's why they get boarded up.
Posted by: TeacherRO

Re: A journey towards better home security - 06/19/12 04:48 PM

Thanks for the reminder - Home review in progress. (Check you smoke detectors and fire extinguishers while you are at it.)
Posted by: celler

Re: A journey towards better home security - 06/19/12 11:26 PM

Kind of interesting to see no one mention a rather obvious and more common security measure -- cameras. They are not as expensive as they used to be and if you have some networking savvy, you already have most of the equipment in your home (computer and wireless router). I can't tell you the number of times I have seen scofflaws ready to scale my fence take one look at the big Axis PTZ on the side of the house and change their minds. Remember the guy that repelled the home invaders in Phoenix a couple of years ago? He saw them coming via a camera pointing at his driveway.

Another measure that has really been incredibly effective are outdoor motion detectors. Dakota Alert makes some nice ones that can be hidden by a fake bird house. They are wireless and activate an audio tone in a receiver inside the house when someone breaks the perimeter. Different tones can be programmed to identify the location of the motion detector that is activated. These things give you an opportunity to react before the house is breached.

In short, hardening the castle is great, but I'd rather catch them before the cross the moat.
Posted by: Phaedrus

Re: A journey towards better home security - 06/20/12 05:50 AM

I just just checked the detectors and purchased a few new fire extinguishers. I had that same thought- why spend cash on security then have my house burn down for want of a $20 tool!

Cameras are probably going to happen for me down the road. I thought it prudent to beef up the physical infrastructure a bit first. They are cheaper than they once were. Something I can network and monitor from my PC would be ideal.
Posted by: Bingley

Re: A journey towards better home security - 06/20/12 06:36 AM

For deterrence, you can get fake cameras. I've seen them at Home Depot. Not sure how well they work to fool burglars. I mean, if I were a burglar, I'd try to familiarize myself with all the countermeasures home owners might use against me. But then again, maybe that's why I'm not a burglar.
Posted by: ireckon

Re: A journey towards better home security - 06/20/12 08:31 AM

I had a neighbor with fake cameras, corner house. Coming home from the gym in broad daylight, he walked in on two burglars. He tried to take them down. I'm not sure what he was thinking. I guess he was feeling confident from his workout. He got beat up pretty badly. He was lucky that was it. Anyway, the cameras didn't deter those burglars.
Posted by: Phaedrus

Re: A journey towards better home security - 06/20/12 09:38 AM

Wow! I guess that either 1) they didn't even see them, 2) knew they were fake or 3) simply didn't care. At least if the cameras were real & recording there'd be a record of the encounter. If nothing else that would help for insurance and aid in ID'ing the perps for the police.

I imagine you'd want to network the cameras and have storage offsite. Otherwise the bad guys could probably just steal the hard drives for the cameras!
Posted by: celler

Re: A journey towards better home security - 06/20/12 12:56 PM

Originally Posted By: Phaedrus
<snip>I imagine you'd want to network the cameras and have storage offsite. Otherwise the bad guys could probably just steal the hard drives for the cameras!


Off-site storage is a little tricky and is very bandwidth intensive, but little NAS hard drives are getting cheaper all the time and are pretty easy to hide or store in a hardened container.

Its all about time. If an alarm is wailing, dogs are barking, and curious neighbors are nosing around, the perp is not going to be spending time looking for a hidden NAS.
Posted by: nursemike

Re: A journey towards better home security - 06/20/12 02:15 PM

I like to walk about among the beautiful things that adorn the world; but private wealth I should decline, or any sort of personal possessions, because they would take away my liberty.
George Santayana


IMHO:Anything and everything that I have can be taken away from me at any moment. That is the baseline assumption of all psk and edc discussions: what is the minimum tool set that is necessary for survival and portable. Each possession that I add after that becomes a burden, requiring upkeep, repair, and protection. Every defensive barrier can be improved, but every barrier can be breached.

What is left? Love, my brothers and sisters, in the form of community. Knowledge, in the skills to make what you need. And hope, a belief that through love and knowledge, community and skills, that which has been taken can be replaced.

And insurance. I suggest comprehensive homeowners and a solid disability package: sure saved my sorry butt. YMMV.
Posted by: Eugene

Re: A journey towards better home security - 06/20/12 08:11 PM

I've read that you put a fake camera in a spot that well hidden but hidden a little to not make it an obvious decoy then have a well hidden camera elsewhere that catches the people trying to steal or tamper with the fake camera.
Posted by: Bingley

Re: A journey towards better home security - 06/21/12 01:49 AM

Look, plenty of crimes have been caught on tape by the surveillance camera, so I don't think even real cameras will necessarily stop a robber. To get anywhere, it seems like we need some sort of statistical study that can never be done. We need to survey criminals and find out how they respond to each form of deterrence. Without that, we are just left with anecdotal evidence. My neighbor was robbed in spite of fake cameras. My neigh has fake cameras, and he's never been robbed. My neighbor decided to confront the two men robbing his house, and he was badly beaten up. This guy I know confronted the two men invading his house, and beat the crap out of them. (This is a true story -- the criminals followed his wife home and broke in in the middle of the night.)

Are we making home security decisions based on fear and fearful or impractical thinking? Or are we using evidence and fact? So much of this seems to depend on what we know/expect from the "opposing team," the robbers/burglars.

I like what Nurse Mike has to say.
Posted by: nursemike

Re: A journey towards better home security - 06/21/12 02:13 PM

Criminals are a varied lot. Some do a logical cost-benefit analysis before acting, some don't. Some are so whacked out that they will leave your wallet, but eat your face. Crime deterrence by stand-your-ground legislation does not seem to be dramatic, if it exists at all. If the increased probability of an armed victim fails to discourage crime, it doesn't seem likely that talismans like door locks or video cams will do so. Compared to most of the world, we live in a fabulously safe country with excellent access to cheap, pure water. Nevertheless, we invest heavily in security systems and bottled water.
If we took the money we spent on ADT, Smith & Wesson, and Evian, and spent it on _______ (insert your least favorite liberal social justice program), we could do more good and less harm. Or maybe not, cause the social justice programs have not eliminated crime, either. Beats the heck out of me. YMMV.
Posted by: GarlyDog

Re: A journey towards better home security - 06/21/12 03:57 PM

I have two dozen IP cameras around our compound. Three months after I installed the system I saved myself over $5,000 dollars after one incident.

On weekends, we train dogs at our property. People come from all over the area to train with us. I don't know everyone who trains with us that well, although everyone fills out a waiver with contact information. On one occasion, one of our guests did a significant amount of property damage while backing up with their truck, damaging a gate and controller. I found the damage after everyone had left for the day. Of course nobody fessed up. I pulled up the camera footage for the day and found the 'friend' who did the damage. I told him that he is either going to call his insurance company, or I would call the police. The situation worked out well. I got a check from his insurance company and had the damage repaired. Without the camera system, I would have been SOL.


FWIW here are a few things that I have learned as I set up my own systems:

Avoid wireless systems. They are unreliable over the long haul, even for short distances.

Put multiple cameras on 'hot spots' using different angles.

Always have a camera that can take a good face shot in addition to cameras positioned for 'overview' images.

If you rely on motion sensor to trigger recording, error on the side of higher sensitivity. Hard drive space is cheap.

Test your system. Verify that it is recording as needed.

Review footage from an entire 24 hour period. Make sure cameras aren't facing directly into the sun at dusk/dawn.

A great piece of software to tie feeds from multiple IP vendor's cameras together is http://blueirissoftware.com/8.html. It's inexpensive and awesome, IMO. No affiliation, just satisfied customer.

Posted by: celler

Re: A journey towards better home security - 06/22/12 02:31 PM

+1 on everything Gary said. Additionally, pay careful attention to the camera's low light capabilities. Even the low lux cameras do not do well in total darkness without some type of IR illumination. Additional IR illuminators and/or standard lighting may be necessary to get acceptable images.
Posted by: Phaedrus

Re: A journey towards better home security - 06/26/12 12:28 PM

Lots of great ideas here! Thanks to everyone for the suggestions.
Posted by: spuds

Re: A journey towards better home security - 06/26/12 03:27 PM

OK,my biggest threat are the druggy types looking for a quick haul of easily sold items.

1-A fence.That'll slow em down

2- A dog

3- Another dog

OK,guess they will just head on down the road,an easy fast target isnt my place,many far easier.

As for the armed gang invasion,good luck.

I prep for the most likely,not the esoteric,I have no illusions Im Rambo when a gang with auto weapons wants in and storms the place at 3am.Ive played the Marine games,you are not stopping them in suburbia.

That said,never been burgled or attacked as long as Ive had big dogs.I was a burglary victim early on when there WASNT a dog defense.

I learned,first and foremost is DOGS in my book.
Posted by: Pete

Re: A journey towards better home security - 07/02/12 12:34 AM

1. I agree that the general idea of "making your home unattractive" goes a long way towards a solution. Most criminals seem to be pretty lazy - and don't feel like carrying heavy gear over high fences :-)

2. One suggestion - just improvise a loud alarm system that is triggered by a handhald (radio) button. If you think you've got intruders - hit the alarm. If the alarm is battery powered then it still functions even if they have cut the power to the house. Look at it from their point of view - would you really stick around once a loud arlam went off? It would be a big risk, because for all you know the police may already be responding. Chances are that they will bail out quickly. And if they don't - you can move to a well-prepared standoff location and defend yourself from there. It's better for you to choose your "fortress", rather then trying to take them down on the fly.

Pete2
Posted by: GarlyDog

Re: A journey towards better home security - 07/02/12 01:05 AM

Pete's post reminded me of an old thread on here somewhere about keeping your car key fob handy as a panic alarm. Always thought that was a good idea...
Posted by: Phaedrus

Re: A journey towards better home security - 07/02/12 05:42 AM

Good suggestions! I have a couple days off around the 4th, so I plan on doing a bit more security work then.
Posted by: hikermor

Re: A journey towards better home security - 07/02/12 12:04 PM

+1 on dogs. Plus they are great hiking companions and if they have thick coats, they come in handy when you are out of dinner napkins....
Posted by: Phaedrus

Re: A journey towards better home security - 07/03/12 04:59 AM

I don't really have a schedule compatible with owning a dog- the poor pooch would get pretty neurotic waiting for me to come home! Otherwise I'd love to have a Yorkie & a Westie.
Posted by: nursemike

Re: A journey towards better home security - 07/03/12 12:31 PM

Originally Posted By: Phaedrus
I don't really have a schedule compatible with owning a dog- the poor pooch would get pretty neurotic waiting for me to come home! Otherwise I'd love to have a Yorkie & a Westie.


Consider a robodog
Posted by: Phaedrus

Re: A journey towards better home security - 07/03/12 12:43 PM

Nice! I'll get a pair of Robo-Westies once I win the Powerball! grin

They don't look as cuddly as the real thing, though...
Posted by: nursemike

Re: A journey towards better home security - 07/03/12 07:08 PM

I would go with the robo golden retriever: those westies are pretty feisty, and you might wind up with a frankenterrier.
Posted by: spuds

Re: A journey towards better home security - 07/05/12 12:39 AM

Dogs can keep you from freezing to death too.

The loud,battery powered alarm,great thinking,I LIKE it!
Posted by: MartinFocazio

Re: A journey towards better home security - 07/17/12 01:33 AM

If someone wants to target you, specifically, they will. The "random" home invasion is nearly mythical in its rarity. Home invasions happen, I'm not denying it. But there's 300 million people in the USA and that means a 1 in a million event will happen almost every day to someone. But look at the stories behind the majority of home invasions: Drug money, drug money and drug money, buyers robbing their dealers etc...

Anyway..

I learned so many ways to "gain entry" to locked homes of all kinds when I was a firefighter - a halligan tool and 10 seconds is about all you need to quickly defeat the vast majority of doors & windows if you don't care about making a mess.

The thing my home needs the most protection from is when I'm NOT home...opportunistic theft is a problem sometimes...
Posted by: Phaedrus

Re: A journey towards better home security - 07/17/12 05:02 AM

This is just anecdotal evidence, but I've also heard of firefighters have extreme difficulty defeating barred windows, etc. in attempting to perform rescues. Speaking as the son of a contractor I know there's a wide range of construction techniques. Some doors can be pulled out of the frame quite easily while others are very robust.
Posted by: MDinana

Re: A journey towards better home security - 07/17/12 09:40 AM

Originally Posted By: Phaedrus
This is just anecdotal evidence, but I've also heard of firefighters have extreme difficulty defeating barred windows, etc. in attempting to perform rescues. Speaking as the son of a contractor I know there's a wide range of construction techniques. Some doors can be pulled out of the frame quite easily while others are very robust.


And when all else fails, go through the drywall. Kind of like that scene in "Swat" where the pull the entire wall out with a tow truck.
Posted by: Phaedrus

Re: A journey towards better home security - 07/17/12 11:41 AM

Hehehe...not all homes rely on drywall... grin
Posted by: Mark_F

Re: A journey towards better home security - 07/17/12 01:37 PM

Originally Posted By: Phaedrus
This is just anecdotal evidence, but I've also heard of firefighters have extreme difficulty defeating barred windows, etc. in attempting to perform rescues. Speaking as the son of a contractor I know there's a wide range of construction techniques. Some doors can be pulled out of the frame quite easily while others are very robust.


Isn't another problem with barred windows is it makes it harder for the people in the home to escape from a fire? Or do barred windows generally come with some type of emergency release for just such an occasion?
Posted by: jzmtl

Re: A journey towards better home security - 07/17/12 08:21 PM

My parents' house has bars on basement windows and they can be opened from inside with a key.
Posted by: TeacherRO

Re: A journey towards better home security - 07/31/12 02:33 PM

A simple light timer (or two).