# Window security?



## mp5girl (Oct 24, 2012)

Hi folks. I'm still pretty new to this forum and have been prepping for about a year in a very loose fashion. I recently purchased a new home in cow country and wondered what you pros might recommend as far as securing windows to slow break in? Kind of a vague question. I know. But any advice would help!


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## Trip286 (Oct 18, 2012)

Many modern windows are pretty hard to break into. I know, because I ended up just having to kick my own door in when I locked myself out a few weeks ago. It was pretty easy to repair the door frame.

And keep in mind, anything you do to make it harder to get in, can make it harder to get OUT.

Also, having been robbed right afterwards, I discovered that home invaders generally don't care if they just throw a brick through your window and crawl in. They aren't there to preserve your property.

That said, bars work pretty good. But if you're in cow country, what is the likelihood of your home getting broken into?

If I were out in the country, I would buy bars, but I would store them until/unless it becomes evident I may need them (such as watching society collapse), before installing them.

YMMV, but I've found that locks and security mostly just keep the honest people honest.


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## jsriley5 (Sep 22, 2012)

ornamentals with thorns planted beneath windows is also a good idea stops peeping toms and may avert a would be theif but really if a theif makes it to your end of the world and you are not home you probably aren't going to stop them. The very best detterent is a large furry mammal with an impressive smile and a deep voice. Then again I know folks who swear by pet turkeys, geese, and have personally encountered very territorial roosters. Billy goats too have been used as home protection. A combination of those could be good protection and a source of food as well. Pea hens are supposed to be good for keeping ticks down and are said to be excelent alarms for anytime someone or somthing is prowling around but keep in mind fowl will only really be effective in daylight in my experience. To actually secure those windows when you are gone Shutters that actually work (ie not ornamental) are the way to go. Make em like the ones portrayed on the Movie the Outlaw Jose wales and they would be somewhat useful after SHTF to. make em with a back skin of steal wear plate and you have a decent' armored shutter that will be hard to get past and will offer reasonalbe ballistic protection. Cheaper if you can do your own metal work or have a freind that can. If you are anywhere near me I"d be happy to advise and maybe do a bit of the welding for you but you will need heavy lifters and a welder machine and I barely move myself around. (mid MO) OH and before you ask no I haven't done it before but have plans to do it when I get to build or finally get to where I"m gonna settle. I do have a clue but it is still theory.


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## Trip286 (Oct 18, 2012)

Thorny bushes... I actually found my robber's keys in my Bush. And no, that's not a dirty joke...


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## Sentry18 (Aug 5, 2012)

This is what I use. I also drilled some holes, installed a metal channel liner and then inserted detent pins that block the windows from moving up. If I need to get out all I have to do is pull the pin.

http://solutions.3m.com/wps/portal/...cts/Residential/Safety-Security_Window_Films/


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## jsriley5 (Sep 22, 2012)

Sentry what kind of cost per widow did the 3m stuff run you and did you use the attachment adhesive as well or just film the windows? which film?


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## mp5girl (Oct 24, 2012)

These are great suggestions! Thank you! I kept thinking some sort of bar or shutter system but had those exact concerns of escaping although we have three doors/exists on the first floor. We're in cow country but on a busy road and not too far from the interstate. So I'm thinking when all hell breaks loose... I have no other BOL so I'd want to secure my building as much as possible when signs show reason for concern. We just bought this place to get out of our suburbia mad house environment that we're in now. 

Do those hurricane films really work?


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## mp5girl (Oct 24, 2012)

And animals and thorns! Duh! Why didn't that cross my mind? Thank you!


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## lotsoflead (Jul 25, 2010)

as someone said barbberry bushes out 3ft in all dirrections from the window, then when the collapse really comes, have a piece of 3/4 plywood cut to cover the bottom half on the windows on the first floor, sort of a shutter but on the inside.


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## Sentry18 (Aug 5, 2012)

> Sentry what kind of cost per widow did the 3m stuff run you and did you use the attachment adhesive as well or just film the windows? which film?


We used a combination of the 3M Ultra Safety & Security 28 ply window film and a less expensive alternative (sold by the installer). The 3M security film was right around $125 per standard window plus installation and is rated to something like 450 ft lbs of energy. The other film (can't remember the brand) was 8 mil thick and was rated to 275 ft lbs at a cost of $60 per window. Our house is designed to have only 8 accessible ground level windows so that kept costs down. IIRC it was right around $4,500 to do the entire house but we got a discount for "telling all our friends and neighbors about the wonders of 3M Ultra" and it did reduce our homeowners insurance rates. We were also able to get some of that back when we filed Federal taxes as it also has "insulating properties". All I know is it is clear as glass only. We have birds slam into it all the time and it has never cracked. One of my kids threw a wild pitch into one of the cheaper filmed windows once and it bounced right off.


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## jsriley5 (Sep 22, 2012)

yes as for escape concerns any shutters would be made to latch on the inside of course so if you need out you flip the latches and fling them open to exit not to mention on any normal day when I was home most if not all the shutters would be open. I"d only have them closed when I was away or TSHTF. Thanks for the info Sentry was gonna look into the windows already set up with that stuff if we build, but if we buy instead I will be looking to do that retrofit.


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## LincTex (Apr 1, 2011)

jsriley5 said:


> The very best deterrent is a large furry mammal with an impressive smile and a deep voice.


Donkeys are incredible nightwatchmen. Guinea hens for daytime alarms, and donkeys to kick butt at night


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## Rainy13 (Aug 5, 2011)

I have lots of glassware and things in my windows... No not the best solution, but hoping that my Shepard would hear the glass break, then alert me and scare the person that is trying to get in... at least she bites..
Enjoy your new place and do the best you can.


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## BillM (Dec 29, 2010)

You sound like you are looking for security shutters.

They are available at most home improvment stores.


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## gabbyj310 (Oct 22, 2012)

In Florida I have several LARGE bouganvilla(sp)planted under my windows and they climb if you use a trellis.Take my word for it they HURT just trying to clean them up at times.In Ky I have a very large rose bush planted next to my one bedroom window,so not only do I get the joy of some awesome flowers but it's big enough to make anyone think more than twice to even get close to that window.Once I get moved to my permanat BOL(KY) I will have to take stronger measures as I'm away from home for work up to 4 months at a time.I also use "dow sticks" in my glass sliding doors.
Guess I will have to invest in a real security system once I get all my "Stuff"moved in.It way out in the country but bad people have a way of knowing when someone isn't home for a length of time.Once I retire my pets will help out a lot!


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## Fn/Form (Nov 6, 2008)

Sentry18 said:


> We used a combination of the 3M Ultra Safety & Security 28 ply window film and a less expensive alternative (sold by the installer)...


The 3M window film is awesome stuff. It comes in clear, tinted and even reflective privacy film. Like Sentry18 said, it has an energy benefit as well. I haven't seen a DIY kit, tho. Only local installers. But it does come with guarantees.

CPTED stands for Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design--the bushes, animals and other things the people have been mentioning. Some research should turn up more home-based remedies. There are myriad "renter" devices to help you be aware. Everything from battery-powered window alarms to door bars.

Joel Skousen and Joe Nobody have some good basic references on home security/prep.


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## techrun (Nov 7, 2012)

I got some old hotwire fence from my dad's farm. I haven't exactly figured out the logistics of the matter. However, that will play a part. 

I will essentially seal off most of my house and have only 1-2 access points. The rest of the window will boarded up with plywood, and reinforced with several 2x6's running horizontal accross the back of the plywood. 

Then I'll stack unused furniture and whatever else I can find up against the window. My goal is to make it too much trouble and they'll move on to the next house. 

This is a little much, but I have a system where jaded glass and barbed wire will fall from roof on top of them. Not sure the effect will cause anymore than few cuts. But it might make them think what's next. 


But too be honest, I don't have it all figured out.


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## mp5girl (Oct 24, 2012)

I like where you're going there. What about using a strong garden fencing material and screwing that up either inside or our or both. Won't protect the glass but would keep folks out and still maintain visibility until you decide otherwise. Think that might work?


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## LincTex (Apr 1, 2011)

techrun said:


> I got some old hotwire fence from my dad's farm. I haven't exactly figured out the logistics of the matter. However, that will play a part.


Electric fence chargers put out a nice electric "snap" once every 1-2 seconds, and it's enough to wake you up and that's about it. The bad thing is, one small piece of wire (coat hanger, etc) is all it takes to 100% disable it. Having said that, any long metal pole or rod that can touch the wire and the ground at the same time will also disable it.


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## techrun (Nov 7, 2012)

LincTex said:


> Electric fence chargers put out a nice electric "snap" once every 1-2 seconds, and it's enough to wake you up and that's about it. The bad thing is, one small piece of wire (coat hanger, etc) is all it takes to 100% disable it. Having said that, any long metal pole or rod that can touch the wire and the ground at the same time will also disable it.


Come on now, being from Texas you know how to 'juice up' a fence to where it will more than wake you up.

But, yeah, it there are multiple persons, after the first one gets zapped they'll be able to easily avoid it.

However, my strategy to make it as hard as possible and take as much time as possible to breach my house.

I will have more than one deterant for each possible entry point.


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## LincTex (Apr 1, 2011)

techrun said:


> Come on now, being from Texas you know how to 'juice up' a fence to where it will more than wake you up.


Sure do. Today's fence chargers are cheap plastic crap. 
If it were me, I would use an older (40's-70's) neon sign transformer.


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## jsriley5 (Sep 22, 2012)

Hmmmm how long would a large deep cycle battery power that thing 12 or 14 hours?? Seems like from what lil I recall about em they might be likely to make a feller lose control of bodily functions and perhaps stop a few of the important ones. Not sure what the amperage was but the voltage was way the heck up there, course the amps is what gits ya.

Like to have whatever it was they had at the prison I worked at, Seen a couple rabbits that got into it. Looked like they were hit at very close range with a 12 ga shotgun. That charge blowed chunks off em. And if they got hung up it'd keep hittin em till it burned em off. Seen a bird get hit one time it was a puff of feathers and one galf ball sized feathery lump form a full growed grackle


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## pawpaw (Dec 21, 2011)

I've got to say it! Dollar Tree sells these cheesy little alarms which you stick on your window. Yeah, I know- i'ts a buck, but they're annoying as hell & could be worth their weight in a post shtf situation.
I have them on my tool boxes on my truck, & have been alerted more than once to my son 'borrowing' something because "I didn't think you'd mind."
He's quit doing it because they'll really P** you off.


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## techrun (Nov 7, 2012)

LincTex said:


> Sure do. Today's fence chargers are cheap plastic crap.
> If it were me, I would use an older (40's-70's) neon sign transformer.


:2thumb: Now that is how you do it!!!!!!!!!


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## jsriley5 (Sep 22, 2012)

sounds like just what I was a thinking about the other day. For the non custody folks at the prison they issue what they call a screamer pull the lanyard off and it makes an awful racket. Was thinking several of those on trip wires might make a decent alorm for the LP/OP to listen for at night and day.


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## Drumrunner (Sep 25, 2009)

this may be useful also


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## LincTex (Apr 1, 2011)

jsriley5 said:


> Hmmmm how long would a large deep cycle battery power that thing 12 or 14 hours??


You would either have to run it off of an inverter or build an oscillation circuit for it. Honestly, if it is just being "charged" with no real electron flow between you "hot wire" and the ground rod, i don't think it would use much juice at all.



jsriley5 said:


> That charge blowed chunks off em. And if they got hung up it'd keep hittin em till it burned em off. Seen a bird get hit one time it was a puff of feathers


Sounds like very large capacitors charging and discharging, just like any other "fence charger" but much, much larger.


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## cas4green (Nov 16, 2012)

Hey Techrun, sounds as if you are mainly preparing for zombies!

As with an actual "hot" wire I had to use straight 110v, plugged in to the wall, when I had hogs. What I had fenced in was about a 3/4 acre area and used a 10mile elec fence box, which was not strong enough for the 400lb hogs. With the 110v it would stop them and killed a few 100lb ones, but it never tripped the breaker as they were there between the dirt and the bottom wire....cooking!


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## doubleTHICK (Jun 19, 2012)

I have been pondering this a while too, what do I do with my windows? Being still new on the forum I am not sure if the show is taboo or not, Doomsday Preppers. 

But on the show 2 weeks ago one of the families had a pretty good idea for his windows. A 3/4" piece of plywood cut to size, on the inside was a 2x4 spanning the window with a big carriage bolt securing the two. I liked this idea because it seemed; quick to deploy, less parts making it cheaper and easier to store, NO drilling required on your home, and simple but very effective.
If you do not watch the show it is worth going back to and looking at how he put it together.


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## jsriley5 (Sep 22, 2012)

yeah look around we discuss the show pretty regularly. Opinions vary and having it from a member that was on there that there is a lot of creative cutting done to make them look nuttier than they are. Think most watch it to glean the nuggets and discard the gravel. I have learned a thing or two or at least got some food for thought. Another guy on one of them used a big sheet of polycarbonate to cover a large sliding glass door too. they put the whammy on it and it looked really good at least as far as smash and grabb entry and I have no doubt it would stop a limited number of pistol rounds too. And it really isn't all that expensive to get and is pretty easy to work with just remember slow and steady when cutting it and always make sure the peice you are cutting of is suported so it doesn't sagg away or try to drop off. 

I did like the plan over all of the guy with the plywood who figured to seal up the lower and defend from the high ground of his upper floor. Was a sound idea in what I felt was a bad location.


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## LincTex (Apr 1, 2011)

jsriley5 said:


> a big sheet of polycarbonate .... isn't all that expensive to get and is pretty easy to work with.


yes, easy to work with... but inexpensive? 
A .250" thick sheet of Lexan, 4x8 foot is over $300!

You would need at least .250" to slow down small arms ammo. 
.375" thickness Lexan is better if you have the $$$$$
You could use it to make "sight holes".... that way you don't need to spend the money to cover the whole area, just one small area to see through.


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## doubleTHICK (Jun 19, 2012)

jsriley5 said:


> Was a sound idea in what I felt was a bad location.


Thought the same thing. Sooooo glad I moved away from that situation. I may not have cable or phone service but I'm okay with that.


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## mp5girl (Oct 24, 2012)

I know plywood is the go-to but every time I think of plywood as a barricade, I just don't get the feeling of reliability. If the object is to keep people out... Do you guys think that a heavy wire cattle fence panel cut to size would do the job? Something like this: http://www.tractorsupply.com/utility-panel-5-ft-x-16-ft--3610480


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## LincTex (Apr 1, 2011)

mp5girl said:


> Do you guys think that a heavy wire cattle fence panel cut to size would do the job? Something like this: http://www.tractorsupply.com/utility-panel-5-ft-x-16-ft--3610480


Funny that it says "available in Texas only".

I used something similar to build my chicken coop... I think mine is 6x6 squares, not 4x4.

It would work great if it is fastened securely enough, and no one owns any bolt cutters.

A pickup and a chain/cable with a hook would take it off quickly. You need to be able to direct a muzzle to that area if needed to prevent that happening.


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## techrun (Nov 7, 2012)

cas4green said:


> Hey Techrun, sounds as if you are mainly preparing for zombies!
> 
> As with an actual "hot" wire I had to use straight 110v, plugged in to the wall, when I had hogs. What I had fenced in was about a 3/4 acre area and used a 10mile elec fence box, which was not strong enough for the 400lb hogs. With the 110v it would stop them and killed a few 100lb ones, but it never tripped the breaker as they were there between the dirt and the bottom wire....cooking!


:beercheer: Did you dress those hogs and throw them on the smoker?


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## techrun (Nov 7, 2012)

mp5girl said:


> I know plywood is the go-to but every time I think of plywood as a barricade, I just don't get the feeling of reliability. If the object is to keep people out... Do you guys think that a heavy wire cattle fence panel cut to size would do the job? Something like this: http://www.tractorsupply.com/utility-panel-5-ft-x-16-ft--3610480


No, that stuff isn't very strong actually. Get some thick rebar, weld it onto a flat platform about 2 inch apart. Then bolt that whole platform into the window seal.

Get some barbed wire to intertwine the rebar. It will be a strong deterent!!!

Also, my dad who did two tours in Vietnam suggested pogo sticks underneath each window. Covered of course. One step and they have a something sharp sticking through their foot. Even work, if they miss a foot, then they usuall get stuck in the upper calf muscel.

Either way, they'll be more worried about stopping the bleeding and getting medical help than getting to your food.


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## techrun (Nov 7, 2012)

By the way, somedays I post with a rational mind and somedays I don't. You decided which is which...:scratch


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## LincTex (Apr 1, 2011)

techrun said:


> Also, my dad who did two tours in Vietnam suggested pogo sticks underneath each window.


?

LOL!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Punji_stick


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## techrun (Nov 7, 2012)

LincTex said:


> ?
> 
> LOL!
> 
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Punji_stick


:brickwall: LOL,, um, yeah, um that is what I meant....


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## techrun (Nov 7, 2012)

I could make a weapon out of this ya know..


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## Caribou (Aug 18, 2012)

The window film Sentry suggested is a great idea. Also mentioned was a polycarbonate named Lexan that would make a great storm window. I tested another 1/4" polycarbonate named Tuffak and found that it bounced .38's and many .357's. I would rather have the polycarbonate than plywood due to its strength and visibility benefits. I was watching a video of one of the riots by the "Occupy" idiots. This fool was beating on a polycarbonate store window with a baseball bat. He gave up after several tries and walked off dejectedly, I laughed my ass off. I plan to have both the window film and the polycarbonate storm windows on my next home. I figure that if someone works hard enough to get through the storm window and finds the film under it he'll give up or be too tired to haul much away.


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