Enough, The way I see YOUR question is; 1 how to react with your bedroom down stairs and to protect the access point to the kids upstairs, which, if I understand correctly, is closer to the front door than your bedroom door is. I'm sorry to say physics still apply. Unless you can have "Scottie beam you up stairs", you will loose that race. So like others suggested, you have to provide obstruction to slow that egress of the bad guys. Being that your house is already constructed, and I'm sure your wife doesn't want it to "look ugly", your options are limited, at least IMO. 1st what kind of area do you live in? Is it in a city? If so what size? My point is, are you in a area where this type of criminal activity is frequent? Now before everyone goes spastic, Yes everyone should prepare for such eventually. But the crime rate does effect the urgency and the depth of your work. Most door frames are 1/2 inch pine backed to a 2x4. Most hinges and lock plates only have 1/2 screws holding them into the frame. First thing I would do is change 2 of every 3 hinge screws with 2 to 2 1/2 inch screws. If you don't already have them, get the metal reinforcement cups for your dead bolt to lock into. Mount this with the same 2+" screws. Now this won't stop them from getting in, but they will have to really work for it, thus buying you time, and only costing about $30.00 bucks and your wife will never know it's there. DO THE SAME FOR EVERY ENTRY DOOR IN THE HOUSE. Another delaying tactic could be some sort of ornamental gate at either the top of bottom of the stairs. This isn't a security item just something to buy you some more time. I strongly agree with the suggestion to install some sort of emergency egress from each upstairs bedroom, and the kids HAVE to be trained to use them! I can also see reinforcing the closets and the bed room doors as a safe room, but only if they are big enough. Remember all of this is just delaying them long enough to allow you to respond. You made a comment about your wife wanting to run to the kids. Typical momma bear syndrome. Now think about this. Odds are that any home invasion will have multiple attackers. Have you thought about getting her her own gun and training, to act as your back up? Just something to think about. I'm not a fan of motion activated lights. 90% of the time them coming on goes unnoticed by the occupants. You could do like my ex-father in law, and put put a buzzer in one of the light sockets. But after a year they became use to hearing it, and the only people to notice were the PO'ed neighbor who had to hear it every time the dog ran past. You might look into a motion detected video system with portable monitor. The video works all the time, but sounds an alarm on the monitor when it detects motion. Again all this is to give you advanced warning to speed up you response time. It won't make you house invulnerable. But it will slow them down.
I have the same set up. Kids upstairs, with the stairway closer to the front door than our bedroom door. Our house is 113 years old and would burn down in minutes. I have fire drills. The kids will be on x-box or watching tv, and I'll just walk up and say "Guess what guys? Fire drill." Day or night (darkness, not 3 am), cold out or hot, we all hit the window ladder or the TV ant tower and climb down. I also agree on getting the Mrs. a weapon. Start with a DA revolver, no safeties or slides to operate, just point and pull trigger. Start with a .22lr, maybe a .38. "momma bear syndrome" kickes in, she'll shoot... My wife wanted a gun of her own, yet she doesn't want to have to go practice alot. She don't get anything better than her .38 snubbie 'till she decides to learn more. (I'm hoping that will be soon, but so far NOT.) If and when you do arm the Mrs, make sure your codes are well practiced so she don't shoot you coming back from just having cleared the house.
I have an 88 pond long legged Blue who was raised here where things are quiet and neighbors are few. As we have bear, deer, rabbits, squirrels, raccoons, and feral cats; she stays alert. LOL If you cannot have a dog; then invest in electronics. Inside your home or at the bunker; lol the name of the game to set up the approach. For example putting a 7 watt nightlight so it silhouettes anyone entering your room.
When our outside dog barks "differently" we go into "check" mode. Gun goes into hand, lights go on outside, and a safe position is taken to cover the doors. Have met more than one friend at the door with gun in hand--not threateningly but to my side. They understand and greet me at their home the same way---at night. If someone is offended by my actions then they do not have to come back. The families safety comes first. We have retreat rooms with firearms in them(well every room) and a hidden excape route. Hope we never need any of it but better to be prepared than a sheeple lying dead with 911 dialed on their phone.
Mikey, Everyone is entitled to their opinions, HOWEVER to question another Mans, choices when you are Probie on a New forum, is just Bad Taste. Especially, when you haven't established your own credentials, for WHY your Opinions should matter to the others, who have been around, dang near since Moses..... ..... YMMV.....
And the other card you regularly get And the other card you regularly get is from your reformed friend's plastic surgeon! : O
Thanks for the continued feedback gang, I appreciate it. I'm going to throw a potpourri of resonses out. I've been looking into the window film for all sorts of applications. By the looks of things, it has the potential to add a solid minute of delay to entry. The long screws are sitting next to the drill/driver for this weekend's project. I already have the bolt cups installed on exterior doors. And, I'm still looking at solid steel reinforcements to major weaknesses. I'm going to spend a little time reviewing the comms options. Thanks! Mikey, I'll be ignoring you ... My wife and I have been talking about firearms a little more lately. I nearly bought her a moss500 last weekend to set up as her own weapon. She was not very pleased to hear that. I think she is slipping towards the side of fear again and I don't understand why. She can't give me a reason that I can understand. I'm not sure where to go with it. I'll look at the websites from Grandpa again and see how I might be able to incorporate it. Honestly, I'm thinking it needs to come from someone other than me. I'll talk to her grandpa this weekend and see if he might be able to help. Come to think of it, perhaps getting grandpa to get grandma to plant the seed might be the best approach! I agree that my kids need to be able to navigate the ladders themselves, but that honestly scares the crap out of me. A three story fall is what might face on of them in a time of stress, and the others aren't strong enough to properly hang the ladders, let alone navigate them all by themselves. I think we are going to have to take baby steps ... Thanks again all. God Bless.
