Home Security On my mind again

[pennwalk]

We are still in shock. Saturday one of our neighbor families was murdered. Mom and Dad and the 16 year old son. Their college age daughter got out. It has the whole neighborhood spooked. The Police said thet the murderers are at large. One thing the police suggested was to leave lights on at night. I have an array of lighting choices. What do you guys use?

Chris

 

[schmism]

what the h3ll! Theres something in that story that is missing

what kind of area are you trying to light?

I hate generic HID "nightlights" as they produce so much light polution, but realisticly that is your best option for large area lighting.

For slightly smaller area i like a 500w halagon,

much better coverage than these

the upshot for the second set is you can mount them on a corner of house and go 2 diffrent directions.

motion detection is good....


but IMHO all the above is a "feel good" measure. While good lighting can be an effective deternat for a burgler not wanting to be seen entering your home, someone set on much more heinous intent isnt going to care weather or not you see them walking up to the front door.

 

[RoyJackson]

We are still in shock. Saturday one of our neighbor families was murdered. Mom and Dad and the 16 year old son. Their college age daughter got out. It has the whole neighborhood spooked. The Police said thet the murderers are at large. One thing the police suggested was to leave lights on at night. I have an array of lighting choices. What do you guys use?

Chris

I use a dog (wakes us up and would dissuade anyone thinking about trying to break in) and keep a revolver and a 12 Gauge Pump close at hand.

I'm not too far from Lancaster and have been following this shocking event. I hope the perps are caught quickly and prosecuted to the fullest extent (death would be good). I'm also very curious how these folks were murdered (cops aren't telling as of this morning) and why...

I think the motion detector lighting is a grea idea too.

 

[MossRoad]

I have some X10 motion sensing lights. The nice thing about these is that if the motion sensor on one of them detects motion, it can send a signal through your house wiring to any other units to turn on. Soooo, if Joe Badguy sneaks into your front yard and triggers the motion senor, the lights on all four sides of your house go on. He has no place to run and hide around your house and will probably seek darkness in someone else's yard. If he sees one light come on, he knows its a motion sensor. If all of them come on on all sides of the house, he's thinking someone has hit the panic button and is more likely to leave. And that's what you want.... scare him away.

Also, get an alarm system AND ARM IT, even when you are home. Ours has gone off once in 22 years and that was because someone broke into the garage on a cold, snowy night. The footprints in the snow indicated they parked down the block and went house to house and vehicle to vehicle until they found our weak overhead fiberglass door. They broke it, lifted the door, the alarm shrieked, and by the length of the stride in the snow, they ran real fast back to their truck and drove away.

 

[Soundguy]

I like the 500w halogens.. but also like a real sensitive security lamp with a couple halogen PAR's in it.

soundguy

 

[texasjohn]

Well, I'd install motion detectors connected to your lighting.... that way there is a surprise element, also, hook to an alarm so you are alerted whevever the lights turn on.

Then, get a 12 gauge shotgun, double oo buck shot, remove the plug so you have more than 3 shells in it, become familar with it. Pump, not automatic...racking a shell into the chamber is a daunting sound. I don't know if your state allows concealed carry or not. However, I expect that you can carry whatever weapon you want to on your own considerable property. Carry your cell phone with you in the house, have 911 on speed dial. Use your arsenal as soon as you are convinced that retreat is not feasible and your life or that of your family is in jeopardy.

Your only true security is YOU.... uniformed respoonders are always going to be too late except to pick up the pieces. There is a point where "turn the other cheek" isn't the answer unless you have pre-decided that you and your family are willing to die or be maimed rather than fully survive any confrontation.

That's my opinion, yours may vary.

 

[shaley]

There is a great alarm system for $229. Easy to install and comes with several wireless door and motion sensors accepts 2 wired zones. I bought 2 of these for elderly relatives that live alone. You can add the emergency medical pendant. Fully monitored for 9.95/mo. or calls your cell. Unit has X-10 output 2 way speaker phone monitoring, chimes, you name it. I'm really impressed.
Safemart.com
Visonic Powermax plus
Visonic PowerMax Plus Home Security and Control System Kit - PowerMaxPlus - POWERMAX-PLUS

 

[texasjohn]

I have an X10 system installed both at my house and that of my parents..91 and 94 years old, including pendant. If they push the pendant, the system will dial as many as 4 phone numbers, in sequence if nobody answers. Ideal since I live 15 miles away ans son is about 4 miles away. BUT, don't be fooled, this is just an alarm system, no actual protection. Humans must be the ones that provide the protection.

Here is the link to the site I used to get the stuff. No monthly monitoring fee. I consider this to not be a true option for me. It would just have somebody call 911. I can do that if need be. With 4 phone numbers being dialed, certainly either I or my son will be able to answer mobile phones and/or house phones 24/7.

 

[DieselPower]

Holy smokes! I can't say I heard about this either on the local news. In all honesty the best people to ask about lighting options are the lighting experts. Find a local industrial electrical supply house and inquire there. They will be able to go over all the options, pros and cons of each one annd price.

As John said, a 12Ga shotgun being racked in the dark is a very daunting sound to a intruder. Personally I have quite a few loaded guns in the bed room. A 12Ga pump with extenssion tube allowing a total of 9 shells, a Ruger P85 9mm, S&W Mdl 26 .357 Mag, Walther PPK .32 and a Sig Sauer P229 .40S&W. As BA from the A-Team would say. "I pitty the fool!"

 

[Toiyabe]

I've always wondered about whether the always-on security lights actually make you more secure. I figure it just saves an intruder from having to use a flashlight which would make them more conspicuous. And in the dark, the person who is familiar with the ground has a big advantage. In my house, I think I'd rather be able to kill all the lights, and then if someone's going to try and find me, they've got to use a flashlight which gives away their position (unless they are really hi-tech).

An audible alarm sounds like a good idea, though.