In a world where the future is unknown, prepping becomes a necessity. One of the most important things you can do is make sure you are able to defend your home. Home invasion is a real danger during a crisis scenario and you need to be prepared.
Thieves won’t wait for the brown stuff to hit the fan to do an inventory of the things you own. Home invasions are a real concern even during times of tranquility. According to a United States department of justice report, 38% of assaults and 60% of rapes occur during home invasions. It is estimated that one of every five homes will experience a break-in or home invasion. There are various ways to improve home security, and it’s all a matter of budget, time and the effort you put into making your home a safer space.
To avoid being one of the numbers in those statistics here are ten easy ways to defend your home.
Useful tips to defend your home:
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Buy and install a deadbolt lock
There are a lot of well-made deadbolt locks available on the market. This is an effective attack stopper and becomes an ideal tool to defend your home. Install it on a solid door and you have a good combination to keep the uninvited guests from ruining your sleep. I recommend installing a vertical deadbolt because it’s bolted to the inside face of the door, at the top. An intruder will not be able to pry your door open as it can happen with horizontal deadbolts.
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Install motion sensor lights or alarms
These sensors should be placed near windows and doors. The main purpose of motion sensors is to sense an intruder and create an alert. Some motion sensors are connected to a monitoring center and they send signals to your cellphone or to recording devices. To defend your home for possible intruders you should install sensors that are designed to work even when you’re at home (at night). Most people install sensors that work when they are not home, or when they tell the system they are not there.
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Install a camera at the front door
Since this is your main point of access, you should be able to monitor it properly. Besides finding out who’s been stealing your Amazon packages, you can also use it to check what’s happening on your front porch. This can become useful in case of riots or flash mobs and you will have an idea of what you have to deal with. Some preppers have cameras installed all around their home.
Although a better alternative, sometimes the cost to defend your home is also a factor. Go with a wireless camera that can be placed anywhere. Consider the capacity for expansion based on your budget.
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Don’t forget about the sliding doors
Sliding patio doors are the favorite point of entry for home invaders. They can easily be manipulated and you don’t need to use force to open them. You can’t properly defend your home if you don’t secure the weakest points. A security bar can be installed and prevent your door from being forced open. Most often, security bars can also be used to block standard doors. I have a master lock security bar for my patio door and I plan on getting two more for other doors.
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A guard dog (or two) is all you need
Growing up, we had two German shepherds that were worth more than any alarm system. If you think about it, dogs are the most popular forms of home defense. Our ancestors were dependent on their four-legged friends to keep intruders at bay. The best part about a guard dog is that is both an alarm system and a deterrent. However, the trick is to professionally train your dog if you want it to defend your home. A dog needs only one master (not the entire family) and its master needs to invest time in training it.
Related reading: 5 guns every prepper should own
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Use an alarm system
I lived for two years in South America and I can tell you how important an alarm system is. If you plan to invest some money to defend your home, chose one that provides professional monitoring. There are professional companies that provide services to meet any need. It doesn’t matter if you’re at home or on vacation, someone will take care of your home. A professional monitoring system is preferred by most of the women living alone.
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Install or make a safe room
If you’re not able to defend your home using the means you have, a safe room is a must. Usually, a safe room is included during the construction stage of your home. However, there are also aftermarket solutions that are just as good. There are alternatives to include a panic room in most existing structures. If you lack the space and the two alternatives from above are not possible, you still have a fighting chance. If someone gets inside your home, chose a solid room and barricade yourself inside. Call for help as soon as possible.
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Think about getting some kick resistant plates
These type of plates are recommended with each quality lock and deadbolt. The reason is that a door frame can give way if kicked hard enough. Most kick resistant plates are designed to reinforce the frame. They are capable of stopping even the most crazed home invader.
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Trim your plants and shrubs
Most thieves spend quite some time analyzing the perimeter of your home. They do so from the safety and cover offered by the hiding spots you left for them. Keeping bushes and other vegetation trimmed eliminates this possibility. Even more, I recommend planting bushes or plants that have nasty thorns. These are the worthy deterrents for any home intruder.
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Get the appropriate guns for self-defense
No matter your view on gun control and such topics, you can’t defend your home without proper firepower. The bad guys will always have access to guns. It won’t do you any much good throwing plates at an armed intruder. However, if you shot first and ask questions later, you won’t become one of the gruesome statistics of a home invasion. There are many options of guns you can choose from, but I say to stick with the one that you’re used to. The one you can shot well and hit the target without too much effort.
If you want to defend your home from a possible intruder, the tips listed above are a good start. Do a good job to defend your home by using some of, if not all these preps. When society surrenders to the chaos, you should be prepared. Statistically, there are over 8,000 home invasions per day in North America. Think about how much that number will increase during a prolonged regional or national emergency.
Other Useful Resources:
SPEC OPS Shooting (A Green Beret’s guide to combat and shooting and active shooter defense)
Survival MD (Knowledge to survive any medical crisis situation)
Bullet Proof Home (Learn how to Safeguard your Home)
The LOST WAYS (The vital self-sufficiency lessons our great grand-fathers left us)
Blackout USA (Video about EMP survival and preparedness guide)
To really secure sliding patio doors you have to prevent them from being raised up, and just pulled out onto the patio floor. I drilled a hole about the diameter of a 12p nail in each corner. I put a rod/nail, in each hole. That prevents the door being raised up off the track.