With the start of the world and political unrest domestically, more and more women are choosing to protect themselves. Learn, train and survive.
Your Guide to DIY Home Security Systems
A DIY home security system is one that you have control over and that you install yourself compared to a standard system that is professionally installed. This type of system allows you to make adjustments any time that you see a need for further protection of your home and family. You can also use this kind of system to protect and monitor the supplies that you have in the home if you’re a prepper. The DIY system is one that is a better option for a survivalist because there isn’t as much interference from an outside company as there is with a standard system.
There are a few basic features that you should look for in a DIY home security system. One of the things that you should look for is Z-wave support. This type of system is one that is compatible with numerous sources and often has a range of about 100 feet. There is usually a bit more in the way of flexibility with this kind of device, allowing you to keep it anywhere in the home.
Even though you’re using the system yourself, you might need assistance at some point in the future. Find a system that has the option of 24/7 monitoring in the event of any emergencies that might arise. This feature is one that is ideal in the event that you leave your phone on silent or if there is a loss of power and your system needs to be restarted. It’s also beneficial if you leave your mobile device in the car or in another location and don’t have immediate access. You might not need to update the system or use the professional assistance offered, but the option is always a benefit.
Once you have a few contenders for your DIY system, you need to install them in the home to see which ones offer the best service and which ones are the easiest to use. Position the systems in various areas of the home to see where the best connection is located and to determine where you’re going to get the most protection. After everything is set up, you need to try to break into your home. This will give you an idea as to what you’ll hear if someone tries to get inside as well as the response time for emergency help. Examine all of the hardware with the system that you install to ensure that it’s working properly. You also need to trip as many sensors around the home as you can, such as those that are on the windows and those that are on all of the doors. Look at how fast you receive a notification from each system about the sensors being tripped. When you have one or two systems that you enjoy using, narrow your final selection down to one that you can afford and that is the easiest for your family to use.
An advantage of a DIY home security system is that it’s less expensive than one that is installed by a professional company. You’re not going to have to pay someone to come to the home to do something that you can figure out, and you won’t have to rearrange your schedule to wait for someone to come to the home just to connect a system. All of the instructions are available, for easy installation, and you can find information online about how to install systems if you are unsure about how the instructions read.
A DIY system is often harder for someone to get through who is trying to get inside the home. Each component of the system is independently operated, and there aren’t a lot of wires that the intruder can cut to try to disarm the system. The sensors with the DIY system are usually operated by a battery, which means that your home and supplies are still protected even if there is a power outage. Most batteries will last for about three years before you need to replace them. However, you might need to charge them when they get weak. There are various sensors that you can add to the system depending on the kind of protection that you want for your home and family.
Tactics to Fortify Your Family Fortress
Do you stay home all day? If you’re like many people you don’t. Eventually the inevitable cabin fever sets in and you feel the need to leave your cocoon. Even with all the smart home amenities that encourage people to stay home these days, eventually you exit the comforts of your residence and leave the closed walls behind. You set forth from your front door to experience fresh air, run errands, visit your favorite shooting range, or take a hike. All of these adventures require time—time in which no one is watching your home.
The most important investment you will ever own gets left behind. It is left desolate and unwatched. All your food stores, emergency prep, and family air looms are alone. It’s left unprotected by a few sheets of glass, a steel lock, and a garage and/or back door; all of which create entry points for unwelcomed guests. Even the newest most “technologically engineered” homes often fail to have protection that is much better than the cabin built 100 years ago (unless you have a security installed). This leaves your valuables readily available, either for robbery or fire- especially if you don’t have a dog. It also makes your home less secure from strangers if a global disaster strikes or an epidemic comes to our country. It is important to protect your family and home and tactically fortify your fortress. You never know who might be watching your home.
- Strategic Family Plan
Tactically speaking, it is crucial to have a family plan. A family plan gets all family members on the same page about home security. Let’s face it- a good crowbar, screw driver, or rock will get many people into your home; especially the people that were waiting for you to leave. Create a plan that addresses’ the steps each family member should take to protect the home for when you are home and away. This helps decrease the chances your fortress is available for easy attacks. Here are some suggestions and ideas to address in a family plan:
- Have a designated meeting place outside of the home in case of an emergency
- Give the kids the assignment of locking their bedroom windows
- Have family members note suspicious individuals walking around the neighborhood
- Help your kids understand the importance of not opening the door for strangers or giving out personal information on the phone
- If you have a backyard and a fence with a gate, assign someone to lock it
- Make sure everyone knows how to handle an emergency situation (fire, break-in, heart attack, etc. Line out the steps to take and numbers to call
- Most Important! Practice emergency situations and put your strategic family plan to the test. Nothing will prepare you and your family like practicing emergency situations-especially if you have children. From a behavioral perspective, a fake emergency or security breach helps your kids learn how to act. Practicing also makes errors in the plan pretty evident and this can help the plan improve.
Having a plan helps improve home security and the ability to protect your fortress and family. This isn’t to say that many improvements haven’t been made in our homes or society, but it does say that that one factor often gets neglected- the importance of having a strategic family plan.
- Improve Your Fortress Security
Let’s say disaster strikes and the world is struggling to find resources because the government, transportation, electricity, and water are completely shut down. As a prepper and survivalist, you want to protect your investments right? For many preppers, there is a lot of equity in the home. This includes all the food stores, emergency equipment and survival goods. Your home needs to be updated so there are specific security measures in place to protect these goods.
Why should you take measure to protect your home? Think about it, your home is built and then sold to you. Once you own it, you are responsible for your belongings, family and all your prepared goods. Why would the builder of your home care about this? Why would they care about the security of something they don’t own inside your home? In many ways, the builder probably wanted you to pay for the upgrades to appropriately secure your investment. There are a variety of tactics that will help improve your fortress.
- Install a lock on the inside of your garage door and on the door leading into your house from the garage
- Make sure garage door openers are accounted for at all times
- Since many home burglaries occur in midday, consider adding a home security system. Home security systems are often neglected in the construction of homes these days. Think about installing one as they help detect burglary, fire, co2 leaks and can be programmed to call in extra security if you or your home is in peril.
- Add landscape lighting and various exterior lighting to illuminate your home at night. The addition of lights deters most burglars from robbing your home and helps neighbors see any suspicious activities
- Act as if you were going to break into your own home and make adjustments accordingly. Imagine you were the burglar and you wanted to break in. Think about the door you might pick, or the window you might break down. Go to that location and examine the window or door. Fix and improve as needed.
As a survivalist you are left to protect your family and fortress if something goes awry. Protecting your home is critical while you are off on an adventure or in the fields learning new survival techniques. It would be even more important if disaster strikes.
The next time you consider taking the tactical advantage to secure your home, consider some of the above tips. The thousands lost in a robbery or fire can be prevented by following some of these guidelines. It will help protect all the equity in your home-including your family, food store and emergency supplies. Isn’t that worth saving?