Sound Sleeper

[beeenbag]

When laying in bed, awake, I feel very comfortable in my ability to handle any type of threat that could come about. The living room stays lit up, bedroom dark, pistol by my bed fully loaded, (two of them truthfully) but my wife and I have developed a habit of sleeping with a fan running and cannot go to sleep without it. My problem is, even without the fan, once I go to sleep I could sleep through a jet crashing in the back yard. I was wondering if there was any advice on making my home a little less stealthy for an intruder? I have hasp style locks on the inside of the doors to make it where they would have to be kicked to get open from the outside but still worry that it might not wake me from my coma. I could be beating a dead horse here but just curious if you all had any tips... thanks guys.

 

[SleazyRider]

An age-old solution: a dog.

A more modern solution: an electronic baby monitor by your bedside, volume turned up, with the monitor installed in your most vulnerable location.

 

[beeenbag]

well I have a dog... a dog that will bite, but because he bites he can't be loose in the yard at night, he is during the day but he has a shock collar and the stubborn dog underground fence, and I have a new baby on the way so he stays in a pin outside at night time.... probably 40 yards from the back of the house so his barks aren't real loud from inside.

 

[Fred Fuller]

Have you considered installing an alarm system? Even a DIY type like the X-10 system could help roust you out if anyone broke in.

lpl

 

[U-235]

I second SleazyRider:

An age-old solution: a dog.

How about getting a little dog for inside? We have an 8 lb poodle that is the most effective alarm system ever. It's not very manly but it's effective.

 

[W.E.G.]

Motion sensor.

 

[Agostini]

One of those little annoying always barking dogs.

 

[Doggy Daddy]

+1 on the x-10.

There are a few creative mods you can make on them too. For instance, Home Depot sells a doorbell extender. It's a sound sensitive box that mounts next to your doorbell chime. When the chime rings, it sends a wireless signal to other chimes mounted throughout the house. One of my x-10 squawkers is mounted by the doorbell extender. When the system is set off, you get the mix of several x-10 squawkers, plus the remote doorbells. It's... disorienting, to say the least.

DD

 

[beeenbag]

im looking at the x 10 and really like it I think im gonna try to persuit this route. I definetly dont want any inside dogs but thanks for your input. thanks guys.

 

[Jframe.38]

I second the Alarm comment. That actually is the meaning of the word alarm - a call to arms.

 

[Dionysusigma]

My solutionwas admittedly low-tech, but it worked:

First apartment I ever had on my own had a stout front door, but two feet away was a window. I put a piece of sheet steel, suspended by bricks (to avoid dampening from the carpet, and help amplify noise) under the window, and put a row of billiard balls along the sill. The blinds were always down. If someone broke the window, reached inside and un-did the "lock", the weight at the bottom of the blinds would push the balls onto the sheet, making one hell of a racket.

I once left the windows open one time, blinds still closed, while a front was coming in. Wind blew the blinds just enough to set it all in motion. The "system" worked perfectly, and scared the ever-loving bejesus out of me.

The main issue I see, though, is what to have when you aren't there. Two things rule the roost for this: 1) alarm system, 2) nosy neighbors.

 

[beeenbag]

creative...very creative, but I just don't think the wife would like that type of interior design lol

 

[WardenWolf]

Get an alarm system. Modern systems frequently have the components tied together wirelessly, so there's no more running wires all through the house and attic. It only takes once to do it right.

 

[thorazine]

Those with the X10.

I see this unit is wireless -- this runs off of batteries?

If so what is the battery life like?

 

[rainbowbob]

That actually is the meaning of the word alarm - a call to arms.

"All-arm"...I never thought of that.

 

[Fred Fuller]

If so what is the battery life like?

I treat ours like a smoke alarm, and replace batteries every year.

lpl

 

[Tilos]

Recent Home Alarm thread

I posted an alarm design to make a lot of noise INSIDE the home, and then asked for real, 1st hand, experiences of alarms detering or catching BGs.
In the responses, the only deterent that worked was the NOISE...not the monitoring company or their calls!!

Even in the TV adds that hawk the monitoring companies, the NOISE deters the BG.

I don't see the need for monitoring for the common crash and grab type of entries when the noise alone turns them away.

Wireless is the best idea yet.

 

[uspJ]

First apartment I ever had on my own had a stout front door, but two feet away was a window. I put a piece of sheet steel, suspended by bricks (to avoid dampening from the carpet, and help amplify noise) under the window, and put a row of billiard balls along the sill. The blinds were always down. If someone broke the window, reached inside and un-did the "lock", the weight at the bottom of the blinds would push the balls onto the sheet, making one hell of a racket.

i heard of something similar to that using a plastic cup filled with marbles set on top of the doorknob with a cookie sheet underneath.

i think that the most important thing for an alarm to do when your home is to startle you awake. i know some very heavy sleepers and they will sleep through alarm clocks, phones ringing and just about everything else but if you say the words "staff on deck." (he's a correctional officer and that was the phrase inmates had to announce anytime a superior entered the dorm.) he was on his feet looking around.

personally i'm a pretty sound sleeper myself but if i hear any kind of smoke alarm, car alarm, or loud sound out of the ordinary i'm up looking for the source. i will also get up and check anytime my dog barks, he only barks when someone or something is around the house, alot of times i feel to tired to get up and check but do anyway. my dogs senses and insticts are far better than mine.