Browse Forums Safer Living 1 Jun 04, 2007 8:19 am Just thought I'd mention a very simple security 'extra' that I came across by accident. In the last house I lived in we had two long gravel paths up either side of the house. Good for keeping the weeds down....
But the real bonus was the security aspect - no one could walk down either side of our house without a loud 'crunch-crunch-crunch'. This was especially noticeable at night. (Of course this relies on there being no stepping stones) Combine those gravel paths with a sound-activated light and you've got a very good passive security system. Re: Simple security 2Jun 04, 2007 10:13 am What an excellent idea....
We spend thousands of dollars on alarms, insurance, cameras etc and something as simple as this in the "dead" area's of your house might be the best deterrent! Matt Re: Simple security 3Jun 04, 2007 10:29 am Great idea - you'd hear your teenage kids sneaking in past curfew Re: Simple security 4Jun 04, 2007 10:44 am mattwalker What an excellent idea.... We spend thousands of dollars on alarms, insurance, cameras etc and something as simple as this in the "dead" area's of your house might be the best deterrent! Matt I knew an old man who burried light globes down the dead side of his house. If you stood on them, they made a loud popping sound. And out he would come with his shot gun....... Adrian B Re: Simple security 5Jun 04, 2007 10:51 am I am mostly concerned with protecting my home when I am not there. I must admit that I haven't given security too much thought yet.
I guess Step 1 would be choosing your suburb. Step 2, choosing your block where it is least noticable. Step 3 is probably land boundary security deterrent (high wall, gates, hedges etc). Step 4 is probably house external boundary security including, qualty windows and doors, tied down roof, sensor lights, gravel as suggested by Cabinfever, warning signs/flashboxes and screen doors/windows. Step 5 would be house internal boundary security, including open/broken window sensors, pressure mats under windows/doors and roof cavity movement/heat sensors. Step 6 would be internal rooms and doors security such as heat/movement sensors, more pressure mats and internal door open sensors. Devices in steps 5 & 6 would likely be connected to a panel with easy configurability and silent notification to a security company. Most of the security is through prevention and being obscure. Alarms only play a part. nothing wil 100% guarantee protection but if your place looks like it might be too much effort, you should be able to keep most out. insurance is the final fallback. I would be intrested in other ideas and things i have left out, it would be nice to be as secure as possible. 3xb Re: Simple security 6Jun 04, 2007 11:15 am Having lived in several very high-risk areas - and having been burgled maybe six times in three different houses (rentals), there are a few common factors.
IN most cases they came through the door - front or back. The doors were simply kicked in, the lock came off or the bolt just popped out. In one case the lock held very nicely in place and the cheap wooden door was simply shattered. In my next house I will certainly look at getting a VERY solid door in a very solid frame. Lightweight doors secured with a deadlock are completely and utterly useless. Don't let a deadlock make you think it is secure ! In one instance it was entry through the front window. Again this was secured with a standard "small bolt" window lock. Again this proved completely useless. The window frame showed that only a very small amount of force had been needed to displace the lock. And, at the risk of stating the obvious, your external door security is only as good as the weakest door. Plenty of times I've seen houses with solid front doors, average back doors, and a flimsy hollow-core door into the garage which in turn leads into the house. I also lived in a house which had excellent security all-round, even to the extent of bars on the windows, but then had a giant row of flimsy folding wood&glass doors onto the back terrace. Those doors wouldn't even have needed a tool to enter - just a good solid pull. Here's a simple test: Give each of your external doors a really good solid push or three. Don't be gentle ! If you're afraid to do this test because you might damage your door, then your door is not adequate. I might be a bit over the top after years of Sydney CBD living, and certainly in Tasmania it's a very different story - people look at me strangely when I talk about my desired security levels, but that's what a sorry history does to you. To come home to a ransacked home is very, very disturbing experience. Re: Simple security 7Jun 10, 2007 3:20 pm Cabinfever Just thought I'd mention a very simple security 'extra' that I came across by accident. In the last house I lived in we had two long gravel paths up either side of the house. Good for keeping the weeds down.... But the real bonus was the security aspect - no one could walk down either side of our house without a loud 'crunch-crunch-crunch'. This was especially noticeable at night. (Of course this relies on there being no stepping stones) Combine those gravel paths with a sound-activated light and you've got a very good passive security system. FANTASTIC IDEA!! Thanks for sharing it. I have been trying to think of some simple security solutions and this is the best one that anyone has suggested so far. So cheap and so simple. I have only just bought my new house but will be doing a number of things when I get it: 1. Higher fences (to make it harder for someone to sneak into the yard at night). 2. This fantastic gravel idea. 3. Sensor activated security lights at the front and the back of the house. 4. NEW dead locks, and possibly a new back door as it's a little light on. 5. Some bar's on the accessible windows - need to think of a nice way to do this so they aren't ugly, but I have seen it done quite tastefully before. My suburb is probably not the best of suburbs in terms of crime, but that's the price you pay for living close to the city !! Looking forward to getting some of the simpler renovations done anyway. Cheers guys!! Re: Simple security 8Jun 10, 2007 4:12 pm Hello
Here is something else that is 'simiple' and may help. If you have sliding windows without locks, lay some dowell in the track to prevent them from sliding. When you want to open your windows, just remove the dowell. Large sliding windows can give easy access as I found out when I first moved into my home 10 years ago. Locked myself out and heard how easy these windows would 'pop' and then be opened from the outside. I tried this and was being careful not to cause damage - 20 seconds and I was in! The next weekend was spent installing windows locks! It there had been some dowell in the track I may be able to pop the latch but could not have managed to slide them. Not exactly high-tech I know, but I think it would act as a deterrent - just make it that bit harder for someone to break-in. Cheers Tony Re: Simple security 10Mar 24, 2008 7:33 pm uncle_ant Large sliding windows can give easy access as I found out when I first moved into my home 10 years ago. Locked myself out and heard how easy these windows would 'pop' and then be opened from the outside. I tried this and was being careful not to cause damage - 20 seconds and I was in! The next weekend was spent installing windows locks! On my place, my in-laws & my parents, you can lift the sliding windows high enough to remove them from the track, even with dowell in the bottom. To get in was a simple matter of wiggling enough to pop the catch, slide it open 1/2 inch or so, then push it up & the whole panel falls in. I went around the house with a drill & driver, putting a couple of screws inside the top of the frame above each sliding panel, so you can't lift it up when it's in it's closed position. To remove the panel, simply slide it to the fully open spot & you can still lift it out as normal. This works well with the dowell, but is still no match for window locks, which are now on all our windows. Keyed alike (to the deadlocks) window locks are so much more convenient. We have just 1 key that does all the locks, screen doors, windows, patio bolts on sliders etc. The downside is if we lose a key, you have to change all the barrells, but the convenience is worth it. Re: Simple security 11Mar 25, 2008 9:00 pm Quote: Keyed alike (to the deadlocks) window locks are so much more convenient. We have just 1 key that does all the locks, screen doors, windows, patio bolts on sliders etc. The downside is if we lose a key, you have to change all the barrells, but the convenience is worth it. So true CDN. A mate of mine's house in the country has a bowl of keys - lucky dip if the key you pick will open the window for the room your sleeping in Steve It seems very clear to me that your contract states that a security account does NOT need to be established so the answer to the builder is NO. If in doubt find a contract… 1 8511 It's all about wireless, self install now. The cost/benefit of wired setups for the house are no longer what they used to be. Lots of wireless options. Eufy, Arlo and… 2 9797 Hi When it rains in a particular direction water comes through the security door. It hits the main door and the bottom swells and jams. There is already a cover over the… 0 38448 |