Home Security

[Snowy79]

Following on from posts I've been seeing about how high a wall to build, using barbed wire, broken glass etc to keep the vermin out here's my take on it. Obviously neighbourhoods will make a difference.

After leaving the forces I trained as a locksmith and alarm engineer come security expert. If there was one thing I learned was thieves don't like to be watched when they are carrying out crimes. The average thief can get over most large walls etc in a matter of seconds. They've then got all day to go about their business, even longer once they've murdered those inside.

I'm more of a fan of a decent strong fence that you can look through, it'll also do away from the self induced prisoner effect. I'd then spend the money saved on the wall for home security. You can get retractable shutters in various colours which will withstand a wrecking ball and can be installed behind windows or doors. Some look very attractive. They've also got the added bonus of coming in handy when the typhoon season hits.

Here's a link to a UK company so as not to be accused of advertising over here. Click on the video about making the most of your entertainment area to get an idea. I'd certainly feel a lot safer sleeping behind these at night and add to it a loud perimeter alarm, cctv etc  then you're as safe as you're going to be. https://www.trellidor.com/en-ph/products/trellidor-rollerstyle-shutter-doors

[OnMyWay]

I had something similar to those at my apartment in Germany and I loved them.  They were powered but did not have remotes or any bells and whistles.

They sell some powered shutters at Home Depot in Pamapanga but I never looked at them closely.  A lot of people have them in Florida now, due to the hurricanes.

[Dave Hounddriver]

16 minutes ago, Snowy79 said:

I'd certainly feel a lot safer sleeping behind these at night and add to it a loud perimeter alarm, cctv etc  then you're as safe as you're going to be.

As a security expert you may appreciate that many filipino thieves have figured out the easiest way to get into a normal house is to pry up a bit of the metal roof and come through the ceiling.   Carrying a big bolo knife certainly helps with that and its amazing but most filipinos don't look up so they can carry out a theft under the noses of the neighbors and above the range of many cameras..

There's an added tip in that.  Most home break-ins are done by underage kids under the supervision of an adult.  its because nothing happens to them if they get caught.  They are minors so they get sent home to mama and papa with a stern lecture.  But as i said, most filipinos don't look up so if you have valuables to hide, put them on top of the closet and chances are they won't be seen or stolen.  Just leave the least valuable stuff at eye level because thieves don't like to leave empty handed.

 

[Snowy79]

I'm working on the principle that a well laid out perimeter alarm will alert you long before anyone has gotten close enough to scale the outside of the house and pry open the roof. The first line of defence will be flood lights going on and the cameras kicking in. If this doesn't deter then as soon as they break the perimiter beam or set of vibration detectors (vipers) the alarm goes off. I'll then watch them and decide where I want to pour my boiling water with sugar or when to release my dog or partner. 

As a side note my house will have a flat concrete slab for a roof as it's in an area that's prone to typhoons. The garden will have some nice bushes with thorns and I won't be leaving anything shiny in sight during the day. A common burglary in the UK is when the washing was getting hung out to dry the burglar would go in through an open door. I warned my ex wife off about always locking doors when inside the house and she told me I was paranoid until it happened to her. 

[AlwaysRt]

49 minutes ago, Snowy79 said:

You can get retractable shutters in various colours which will withstand a wrecking ball and can be installed behind windows or doors. Some look very attractive. They've also got the added bonus of coming in handy when the typhoon season hits.

How do they work when you want to leave the windows open at night to let the breeze through instead of 24/7 aircon?

[Dave Hounddriver]

44 minutes ago, Snowy79 said:

As a side note my house will have a flat concrete slab for a roof

I've lived in houses with those, but not any that did not leak   Still I get the point that they are more secure from roof access.  Most of the lots here are so small that you can jump from roof to roof like the chimney sweeps in Mary Poppins

[Snowy79]

27 minutes ago, AlwaysRt said:

How do they work when you want to leave the windows open at night to let the breeze through instead of 24/7 aircon?

Have a look at the website. Some of the shutters resemble the old accordion style. You pull them across and lock them.

[Snowy79]

 

[AlwaysRt]

Just now, Snowy79 said:

Have a look at the website. Some of the shutters resemble the old accordion style. You pull them across and lock them.

Got ya, more like a retractable iron gate. Shutters, especially storm shutters I think of these.

 

[Snowy79]

Yes they do clear guard also which is like a stainless steel mesh. From a few feet away it looks like you've got tinted windows but it's basically a stainless steel mosquito net. They'll hold back a burglar long enough to warn you off so you have a welcoming present handy. I used to fit a viper to them which is a vibration detector. If anyone tries to force them it sets the alarm off. You can even link it to a non toxic smoke bomb. It's basically a smoke bomb that will completely blanket a room for a good 15 minutes but once it clears there's no residue or damage. No thief is going to enter the room when that goes off.