Cheap but effective home security?

[Dougmeister]

Anyone have a good approach?

I know that motion-detecting lights are cheap, easy, and somewhat effective.

I want something to monitor doors/windows, etc.

I don't really want to pay a monthly fee to a monitoring company.

We have kids, so it has to be easy to arm/disarm.

I am thinking:

1) infrared sensors in main living areas
2) some sort of b&w video cameras for front and back of house
3) adding more motion detection lights

An added bonus would be able to see in the house when we're away from home. For this, I was thinking just leave the laptop on w/ the webcam, but not sure what software to use on the laptop or on my Windows Mobile phone, etc.

Thoughts? Suggestions on where to buy?

Thanks.

Edit: Some links:

Setup a Home Surveillance System using a Webcam
How To Build A WiFi Home Surveillance System With Your PC
2 Cool Motion Sensor Webcam Tools to Snap Those Intruders
Attikis: A Free Home Alarm Monitoring System
Sensr: Watch Your Home From Anywhere & Get Alerts

 

[Farmer]

How about, a giant broadsword!

 

[Weenoman]

A dog

seriously

 

[SMOGZINN]

Go buy a wireless alarm system and install it yourself. Or find a small company and get it installed on a 12 month contract and monitored for $10 a month. Either way is going to cost you in the $250 range.

 

[esun]

First, buy one of those ADT signs or stickers and put them up.

http://www.squidoo.com/ADT-Lawn-Signs

That's probably the best (in terms of price/performance) option you have.

 

[Matt1970]

First, buy one of those ADT signs or stickers and put them up.

http://www.squidoo.com/ADT-Lawn-Signs

That's probably the best (in terms of price/performance) option you have.

That's what I was going to say.

 

[Modelworks]

Dummy video cameras work well. They are the case only of real video cameras with a single led that flashes once every second powered off a 9v battery, last a year off the battery. Since it looks like the real thing, even has the cable that goes into the mount and into the wall look, there is no way for a criminal to know it isn't real.
Cost about $25.


Search ebay for fake cctv. Lots of them for sale. Some don't look realistic, the better ones cost a bit more.

 

[JimW1949]

I know a guy who used magnetic switches to set up an alarm system on his doors and windows. I am not certain, but I think he bought the magnetic switches at Radio Shack.

The magnetic switches are a two piece switch, one is about 3 or 4 inches long and is just a plastic housing with a magnet inside. The other part is a switch housed in plastic and has a metal strip that opens or closes the switch based on the proximity of the magnet to the switch. If a door or window opens, the magnet moves away from the switch and the switch closes turning on the loud buzzer.

The magnet is mounted to the door or window and the switch is mounted to the door frame or window frame and the wires are run to a control panel which has a loud buzzer and holds the power source as well as switches to turn off the system if need be.

The system was put in when he remodeled his house and the wires are running inside the walls. The whole thing cost him peanuts and he says it works quite well. It is nothing super complicated and I am sure it isn't anywhere near as good as a high tech system would be, but it works and it is cheap.

 

[Modelworks]

I know a guy who used magnetic switches to set up an alarm system on his doors and windows. I am not certain, but I think he bought the magnetic switches at Radio Shack.

One of the most effective alarms is a doormat switched buzzer. All you need is a loud buzzer or siren, tape, aluminum foil , wire , 9volt battery. One sheet of foil forms the ground. Second sheet of foil is cut smaller than the first and is covered in tape for all but slightly near the edges , attach another wire here. Place the second sheet over the first and you now have a switch that is pressure activated. Takes a bit of tweaking to get it right based on the doormat weight. Wired to a buzzer it will buzz whenever someone steps on the mat. . Also good for automatic doorbell

 

[dkozloski]

Stake some geese out around your yard. They make more noise than any watch dog.

 

[sjwaste]

A dog definitely isn't a cheap security system. On a month to month basis, you're better off paying for monitoring if all you want is security. I'd rather have the dog anyway, but I wouldn't get one primarily for security.

I like the doormat buzzer idea. Probably a decent deterrent too, if the perp heard the buzzer go off. Probably even better if you get a shotgun with a nice loud racking noise.

 

[billyb0b]

a nice 12 gauge shotgun (i.e. remington 870) is not only cheap (less than $300), it's also extremely effective:biggrin:

 

[wuliheron]

The vast majority of burglars come right through the front door in broad daylight using something as simple as a crowbar. The rest tend to come through an open window or some other easy way in. Once inside they don't mess around and will turn the whole place over in a few minutes. One really loud alarm they can't easily turn off placed just about anywhere will do the trick.

A friend of mine works in home security and he recommends a shotgun with two triggers. If one shotgun shell won't stop them you've got another ready to use, but one is enough to just about blow a man's leg off. No skill required either, just aim in the general direction and try not to hurt yourself when it kicks. Especially with kids I'd think twice about buying anything small like a pistol.

 

[dmw16]

Personally I like having an alarm system tied to a monitoring service. That way if the alarm is triggered and I don't do anything about it the cops are coming. Given the apathy of a lot of people I wouldn't trust a load siren to prompt my neighbors to call the police.

 

[wuliheron]

Personally I like having an alarm system tied to a monitoring service. That way if the alarm is triggered and I don't do anything about it the cops are coming. Given the apathy of a lot of people I wouldn't trust a load siren to prompt my neighbors to call the police.

You don't have to trust your neighbors, just trust that most thieves will be scared away by the noise. You also don't have to tell the thief in advance that the alarm doesn't alert the police.

 

[BurnItDwn]

Dig a moat and fill it with crocodiles.
Get a dog, they are great for security as well as lots of fun.

 

[Dice144]

I love the shot gun idea but if your not home to use it not gonna help you very much... Plus in NY there have been cases of the thief sueing the owners of the house they got hurt in! (wtf?) So in my case I would do what the Army has taught me (shoot to kill).

If you don't like pets Dog is not an option. Also have cheap renters or home insurance. Mine cost me less then $6 a month and multi policy discount for getting it!

 

[Jskid]

I love the shot gun idea but if your not home to use it not gonna help you very much... Plus in NY there have been cases of the thief sueing the owners of the house they got hurt in! (wtf?) So in my case I would do what the Army has taught me (shoot to kill).

great idea with the shot gun, especially with kids. Hopefully the rober won't shoot you first. wtf owning a shot gun isn't going to prevent a rober from breaking in, even if you do catch him in the act if he or his friend has a gun you (and your family) are at more risk.

Check this out for motion sensitive alarms you can put near the windows
http://www.nextag.com/motion-sensor-alarm/shop-html

 

[Modelworks]

Watched the show, to catch a thief, and they showed a method that works on the majority of homes and lets a thief take just about everything from the home. A thief watches a home for a day or two to get down the routine of when people go to work, then drive up in stolen truck with something like appliances, furniture etc on the side of it. Proceeds to load up the houses possessions and drive off. when people see a delivery truck at a home they think that home is getting something delivered, or the truck is legitimate, not that someone is robbing everything in the home.

They did this with homes in gated communities and it worked 75% of the time.

 

[pandemonium]

A dog

seriously

Heh, I was going to say this until I thought of how much money it actuallys costs to maintain a pet.

Cheapest security systems I can think of:
#9 - Any professional security system

#8 - Motion activated flood lighting at several points

#7 - Bee hive stands all over your yard

#6 - A very loud pitbull

#5 - A very loud pitbull in a pink skirt (Because the skirt makes it all that more effective; especially being pink)

#4 - Grandma with a shotgun (She's gotta live somewhere, right? Better than an old folks home and this way she earns her stay)

#3 - Ridiculous amounts of signs everywhere saying "Keep Out", "Beware of Dog", "Private Property", "Trespassers Will Be Shot on Sight", "Jesus Loves You", "Buddha's Belly is For Rubbing", "Praise Be (Valh)alla", "Likin' Ta' Lykan", "Smilies are for Teh Gheys :biggrin::sneaky::whiste_O:wub:"

#2 - One sign that says "My neighbor -> never locks his doors and buys new stereo equipment every 6 months"

#1 - Live in a cave where only Bigfoot could steal your stuff


In all seriousness, I wouldn't give my grandma a shotgun. Her weapon of choice is a bardiche.

 

[Murloc]

get a sign, lights that turn on with movement so that it's easy to see them doing shit, fake CCTV.
Maybe a real one.

I've always thought that home alarms aren't that useful, and the ones that call the police can be pricey if for some reason you (or your children) don't insert the code swiftly enough.

It depends on the kind of property too.

 

[A5]

Also, no windows in or within arm's reach of your doors. All the security in the world doesn't really matter if they can get in and out within 5 minutes by just breaking a tiny window and unlocking the door.

 

[Sunrise089]

A friend of mine works in home security and he recommends a shotgun with two triggers. If one shotgun shell won't stop them you've got another ready to use, but one is enough to just about blow a man's leg off. No skill required either, just aim in the general direction and try not to hurt yourself when it kicks. Especially with kids I'd think twice about buying anything small like a pistol.

This is just shockingly bad advice. No skill/not aiming with a shotgun equals a miss, particularily inside a home. At 21 feet, a long distance shot inside a house, a shotgun spread pattern is less than six inches in diameter. You absolutely must aim at the target and not in "the general direction" in order to score a hit. Movies and games notwithstanding, the advantages of a shotgun for home defense versus other types of firearms come down to ease of aiming accurately and stopping power (versus a pistol), and reliability, legality, and lower penentration (versus a rifle). And anyone with the attitude of "no skill is required" would be well served by some of the other ideas in this thread (alarms, dog, etc). If you do get a shotgun a double-barrell is a dubious choice - it's extremely simple and reliable, but you have no more than two shots, period. A modern pump shotgun allows a shooter with modest training to deliver 6-9 shots before a double-barrell shooter can deliver 3.

Finally, remember with guns and home defense you're (with proper training) increasing your resistance to robbery or assault in your home. You are not lowering your risk of bulglery at all, so if you're most interested in defending your property things like alarms still have their role.

 

[CDC Mail Guy]

a nice 12 gauge shotgun (i.e. remington 870) is not only cheap (less than $300), it's also extremely effective:biggrin:

i digress

 

[JeffreyLebowski]

I love the shot gun idea but if your not home to use it not gonna help you very much... Plus in NY there have been cases of the thief sueing the owners of the house they got hurt in! (wtf?) So in my case I would do what the Army has taught me (shoot to kill).

great idea with the shot gun, especially with kids. Hopefully the rober won't shoot you first. wtf owning a shot gun isn't going to prevent a rober from breaking in, even if you do catch him in the act if he or his friend has a gun you (and your family) are at more risk.

Check this out for motion sensitive alarms you can put near the windows
http://www.nextag.com/motion-sensor-alarm/shop-html

Alarms don't PREVENT burglaries either. Best bet is to put a sign in your yard that says PROUD MEMBER OF THE NRA. MY NEIGHBOR DOESN'T BELIEVE IN GUNS.