I don't know if I could have found a more ... deflating subject to write about. However, if you are new to vacuum packing you may find something helpful in this blog.
Why vacuum pack? How many times have you thrown some food item away because it became stale or moldy way before it's time. The cause of food going bad is humidity, oxygen, bugs and freezer burn. So, it makes sense that if you can remove the oxygen so mold and bugs cannot live in that environment and keep the humidity from infiltrating your food then it will stay fresh a lot longer.
I started out with an automatic Food Saver that I felt wasted too much of my vacuum bag. So, I replaced it with another Food Saver, Model - Game Saver Deluxe Plus that requires more handling and I love it. There are a lot of different models so pick one that you will be comfortable with and use.
I use the Food Saver Vacuum Bags that comes in a roll so you can control the size bag you need. I also use the Food Saver Canisters and Ball Jars.
For vacuum bags try to avoid food with sharp points, like, dent corn, wet food or food that can be crushed, like, crackers or cereal. It does not take much to poke a small hole in a bag so if that happens re-bag the entire bag that leaked but be sure to cut a slit in it with scissors so the air will be vacuumed from both bags. If you suspect something may poke a hole in your bag then put it in a paper lunch bag before you vacuum pack it.
If you must vacuum pack something that has moisture, like, fish then roll up a paper towel and cut it to fit inside your bag between your food item and the machine. The goal is to stop the moisture from reaching the seal point else your bag will not hold an airtight seal. You can also use the paper towel trick if you are vacuuming something gritty, like, sugar or grits.
If I am going to vacuum pack store bought items already in a bag, like cake mixes or pudding, I cut the instructions and description off of the box to put into the vacuum bag. I will also cut one slit in the bag being stored so the oxygen will be removed from it also. Vacuum packing essentially extends the expiration date by removing the oxygen.
When you lock the bag in place ready to be vacuumed, flatten out the contents before vacuuming. This makes the bag a lot easier to store.
And, if you do decide to vacuum pack something that can be crushed, when most of the oxygen has been removed and the crushing begins, simply stop the vacuum process and seal the bag.
I have even heard of people vacuum packing their ammo.
There is a place on the bag to write a description, recipe (for rice it might be '1CR 2 CW' for 1 cup of rice and 2 cups of water), quantity (for bulk rice or beans I note how many cups are in each bag) and date (I only write the MMYY when I vacuum packed it).
I use the Food Saver canisters for meal leftovers and block cheese. I connect a hose between the machine and canister to remove the oxygen. To use, you simply break the seal, use what you need and reseal the canister. We have not thrown away cheese since we started this practice.
I use Ball Jars from Pint size to half a gallon to store darn near anything. Crackers, cookies, cereal, potato chips, dry beans, etc, etc & etc. I use the small and wide mouth attachment for jars. It's amazing how fresh and crisp food stays when oxygen and moisture is not present. A new use for the jars is to store fruit like grapes, cherries and bananas. Fruits, such as grapes, will last 4 - 5 times longer than normal by removing the oxygen. Do not wash the fruit until ready to eat. To use, it is the same as above for the canister.
Good luck with your vacuum packing.
Tuesday, July 24, 2012
Friday, July 20, 2012
Aurora, Colorado Theatre Shooting
The Aurora, Co theatre shooting that left 12 dead and 50 hurt is a senseless tragedy that occurs far too often. Even kids cannot go to a movie theatre without fearing for their lives. My sympathy and prayers go out to those that were killed or wounded and their families.
The Shooter was a coward, as these people usually are, because he wore body armor and a helmet to protect himself from getting shot or injured. He is a weak individual who does not deserve the news he is getting. The news should be about what he did and the victims but never mention his name since that was his only objective …. to be famous.
To reiterate that he did not want to be harmed and only wanted to be famous is supported by the fact that he did not put up a fight with police….he simply gave up so HE would not get shot. And then he spilled the beans to the police about where he lived and there were explosives in his apartment.
Over the week following this event we will hear arguments for gun control. But to me, even if there were no guns in the U.S. this guy would have found a way to create a massacre. He could have used Molotov cocktails, a sword or knife, pipe bombs or any other weapons he could cause mayhem with. He wanted to be famous and in his mind, a massacre is the only thing he was qualified to do and he wanted it to be bigger than anyone before him.
One could also use this event as an argument for Concealed Carry. If 10 or 15 people had immediately pulled their guns and started firing back at this guy, he would have split …. if he was able. I don’t believe nearly as many people would have been killed or injured. Remember, he is a coward and does not want to get shot. As an example, a week earlier, two guys with guns entered a internet cafe in Florida to cause mayhem and rob the patrons but when a 71 year old drew his pistol and started firing they took off running over each other trying to escape. They did not even take the time to fire back because they were so afraid of getting shot. These kinds of people try to pick on unarmed, unprepared, weak people who are vulnerable. If they suspect you are armed, they will leave you alone because they know you are trained and proficient with your weapon. They do not want to get hurt.
The only society that is at risk of being abused is the one that cannot protect itself.
I regret that this happened and I feel for the victims and their families but I hope our society does not over react to this event.
Why We Became Preppers
My wife and I are in our sixties and we discovered we were pretty naive. Probably still are. We learned a lot of things, new to us, that we had previously just ignored. I will discuss those things later but first we wanted to understand how we managed to let everything escape us.
We found our answer by observing our kids and their families. Having small kids in school and participating in activities, such as, soccer, baseball, karate and boy scouts does not leave time for much of anything else. You become so wrapped up in daily living that anything not associated with that will be ignored. That's exactly how we were. Simply living from day to day.
I'm not sure what event started us looking outside of our daily existence but for us, it didn't happen until our 60's. We were aware of a lot of things we questioned but not enough to make us get outside of our comfortable box. We suffered from Normalcy Bias .... don't worry, everything will remain the same.
I think one of the first things we began to worry about was the fact we were retired on a fixed income and prices started rising. We wondered what will happen to us IF gas goes to $8 -$10 a gallon and bread cost $15 a loaf and all the rest of our expenses goes up in a similar fashion. We either become a burden on our kids or we get a job, if we can and are able, and work till we die. Not a pretty picture.
Then we started doing research on things we knew about but paid little attention to see how it could affect our lives. Like the inflation thing wasn't enough.
So here are some of the things we found out.
If you do a search on 'Canary Island Volcano', one of the first things you will come up with is -
Solar CME (Coronal Mass Ejection) and EMP (Electro Magnetic Pulse) are two things that happen all the time with the sun and cause the Northern Lights. The sun goes through cycles where the flares are rated kind of like the way we rank hurricanes and these flares will peak in 2012 and 2013. Here's the problem. Some of the more powerful flares have not been pointed directly at earth. We do have problems from time to time but nothing major. However, if a major CME occurs and is pointed directly at earth, the EMP it generates could destroy all of our satellites, our power grid and everything that has any electronics. This means no power, no cars except those without electronics, no planes, no TV, no radio, no phones. We would be thrown back into the 16th century in a matter of seconds. It could take years just to rebuild our power grid. Why? Because all of the high tension lines and transformers would be fried and we do not make these in the U.S. anymore. It is estimated about half of the population of the U.S. would perish by the end of the first year. Our government would not be able to help you. This kind of stuff can keep you awake at night.
Our power grid is also at risk from a nuclear explosion high over the U.S. causing an EMP like the sun. We are also at risk from an internet attack that could bring down our power grid or a terrorist attack on key installations. All of these situations have been talked about in the news. They are real. Regardless of what happens, how long could you survive without power, sewer and water? And food. That's right, food. If there is no electricity then how do you can and package food or refrigerate it to keep it fresh?
Now to current events. The U.S. is deeply in debt and is at risk of financial collapse. If that is not enough, there are forces that would like to remove the dollar as the reserve currency. What this means is that every country in the world must convert their currency to dollars to buy commodities, like corn, wheat, gold, etc. If the dollar is removed as the reserve currency we would have to convert our currency into something else to buy commodities and that would cause massive inflation in the blink of an eye.
Many people feel that if something happens they would rather go quickly. Unfortunately, that is usually not how it happens. I would not want to be holding my dying child or spouse in my arms and apologizing because I didn't prepare.
So, for this blog this is enough doom and gloom reasons for becoming a prepper. We go to prepper conferences, we can, dehydrate and vacuum pack. We also buy food from long term storage companies and we prepare for the worst case scenario .... no power. We also plan on planting our own crops. For protection, we go to gun shows, we are fortifying our house and we are prepared to protect what we have. Here is something to remember. Noah took no one on the Ark he had not prepared for.
So, how do you start. Easy. Just imagine you have no electricity, no water, no sewer and the stores will not have food. Make a list of what you will need to survive? You can live about 3 - 4 days without water. Do you know how to purify water? Do you have the means to purify water?
We did not do this all at once. We have been doing a little at a time but we would like to be somewhat prepared to take care of ourselves if a disaster strikes. Just the images of the New Orleans Super Dome after Katrina should make you not want to go into a FEMA Camp. You also need to understand that if you do have to go to a FEMA Camp, you will not be allowed to leave until everything returns to normal .... which could be years.
So, do your research, get out of your Normalcy Bias and start preparing to be self sufficient.
We found our answer by observing our kids and their families. Having small kids in school and participating in activities, such as, soccer, baseball, karate and boy scouts does not leave time for much of anything else. You become so wrapped up in daily living that anything not associated with that will be ignored. That's exactly how we were. Simply living from day to day.
I'm not sure what event started us looking outside of our daily existence but for us, it didn't happen until our 60's. We were aware of a lot of things we questioned but not enough to make us get outside of our comfortable box. We suffered from Normalcy Bias .... don't worry, everything will remain the same.
I think one of the first things we began to worry about was the fact we were retired on a fixed income and prices started rising. We wondered what will happen to us IF gas goes to $8 -$10 a gallon and bread cost $15 a loaf and all the rest of our expenses goes up in a similar fashion. We either become a burden on our kids or we get a job, if we can and are able, and work till we die. Not a pretty picture.
Then we started doing research on things we knew about but paid little attention to see how it could affect our lives. Like the inflation thing wasn't enough.
So here are some of the things we found out.
If you do a search on 'Canary Island Volcano', one of the first things you will come up with is -
Scientists Warn Of Massive Tidal Wave From Canary Island Volcano
Basically, this has been going on for years but has scientist really worried because there is nothing they can do about it. If the right earthquake and eruption strikes this volcano, a very large portion can fall off into the sea and cause a tsunami unlike anything this planet has ever seen. Do you remember what happened at Mount St. Helen? You ask, so how does that effect me. Well, that tsunami will be a mile high when it reaches the mid-atlantic and will still be several hundred feet high when it hits the entire East Coast of the U.S. from Maine to Florida. Nova Scotia and the Bahamas will also be hit. It is expected to wash inland about 40 miles which is 4 times further than the tsunami's that hit Indonesia and Japan. Also, it will only take about 8 hours for it to reach the U.S. I can't imagine all the ways it can affect us but I'm pretty sure our power and food supply will be compromised. You know how we responded after Katrina. How would we respond to the whole East Coast being destroyed .... including Washington. This revelation caused us to move away from the coast.Solar CME (Coronal Mass Ejection) and EMP (Electro Magnetic Pulse) are two things that happen all the time with the sun and cause the Northern Lights. The sun goes through cycles where the flares are rated kind of like the way we rank hurricanes and these flares will peak in 2012 and 2013. Here's the problem. Some of the more powerful flares have not been pointed directly at earth. We do have problems from time to time but nothing major. However, if a major CME occurs and is pointed directly at earth, the EMP it generates could destroy all of our satellites, our power grid and everything that has any electronics. This means no power, no cars except those without electronics, no planes, no TV, no radio, no phones. We would be thrown back into the 16th century in a matter of seconds. It could take years just to rebuild our power grid. Why? Because all of the high tension lines and transformers would be fried and we do not make these in the U.S. anymore. It is estimated about half of the population of the U.S. would perish by the end of the first year. Our government would not be able to help you. This kind of stuff can keep you awake at night.
Our power grid is also at risk from a nuclear explosion high over the U.S. causing an EMP like the sun. We are also at risk from an internet attack that could bring down our power grid or a terrorist attack on key installations. All of these situations have been talked about in the news. They are real. Regardless of what happens, how long could you survive without power, sewer and water? And food. That's right, food. If there is no electricity then how do you can and package food or refrigerate it to keep it fresh?
Now to current events. The U.S. is deeply in debt and is at risk of financial collapse. If that is not enough, there are forces that would like to remove the dollar as the reserve currency. What this means is that every country in the world must convert their currency to dollars to buy commodities, like corn, wheat, gold, etc. If the dollar is removed as the reserve currency we would have to convert our currency into something else to buy commodities and that would cause massive inflation in the blink of an eye.
Many people feel that if something happens they would rather go quickly. Unfortunately, that is usually not how it happens. I would not want to be holding my dying child or spouse in my arms and apologizing because I didn't prepare.
So, for this blog this is enough doom and gloom reasons for becoming a prepper. We go to prepper conferences, we can, dehydrate and vacuum pack. We also buy food from long term storage companies and we prepare for the worst case scenario .... no power. We also plan on planting our own crops. For protection, we go to gun shows, we are fortifying our house and we are prepared to protect what we have. Here is something to remember. Noah took no one on the Ark he had not prepared for.
So, how do you start. Easy. Just imagine you have no electricity, no water, no sewer and the stores will not have food. Make a list of what you will need to survive? You can live about 3 - 4 days without water. Do you know how to purify water? Do you have the means to purify water?
We did not do this all at once. We have been doing a little at a time but we would like to be somewhat prepared to take care of ourselves if a disaster strikes. Just the images of the New Orleans Super Dome after Katrina should make you not want to go into a FEMA Camp. You also need to understand that if you do have to go to a FEMA Camp, you will not be allowed to leave until everything returns to normal .... which could be years.
So, do your research, get out of your Normalcy Bias and start preparing to be self sufficient.
Wednesday, July 18, 2012
Prepping in Small Spaces
Many people think they do not have the space to be a Prepper. When they watch programs like Dooms Day Preppers and see people with 2 - 3 years of food storage costing thousands of dollars and requiring a lot of storage space, they get discouraged and give up even before they start. But let me tell you, they also had to start small.
My wife and I started prepping when we lived in a three bedroom condo. One of the bedrooms was the size of a large walk-in closet. We decided to turn that room into our prepper room. The room ended up holding four heavy duty storage shelves with 5 shelves each and a 5 cf Freezer. We were in our early sixties.
You could also convert a two bedroom condo or apartment if the second bedroom is not being used on a regular basis. How often do you have company? Once or twice a year? That room could be put to better use as a Prepper Room. For company, give them your bedroom and you sleep on an air mattress or buy a sleep sofa. Use your imagination.
We enjoy doing a lot of our own long term food storage. But we also buy items from long term food storage companies. These companies are especially great if you work or if you are not interested in do-it-yourself. It does take a lot of time.
Most of the long term food items you buy come in a No. 10 can. These are easily stored in a closet, on top of cabinets, behind furniture or under a bed. As long as they are not opened, they will last for 15 to 25 years if stored properly. These items are delivered directly to your door so there is no reason why you should not be prepared for any event.
Here are some companies to get you started.
http://www.carolinareadiness.com/
http://www.honeyville.com/
http://www.samsclub.com/ Did you know that Sam's Club had Emergency Supplies.
When the Sam's Club initial screen comes up
Move your cursor over the 'Grocery' tab - Do not click
another window will be displayed
Look for 'Emergency Foods & Supplies' and click on it
On the left side of the page you will see 'Catagories'
Click on the first category to get you started
Good hunting
FYI - You do not have to be a Sam's Club member to order online.
Here's our formula for deciding food storage.
1. Do an accounting of what you have on hand.
2. Figure how you can maximize your space.
3. Make your prepper list and prioritize in a logical order. As an example, don't try to get
all the food you need before you buy an alternative stove to cook it.
4. Clip coupons and watch for store sales. Pay close attention to Expiration Dates.
5. If you need to rent climate control storage, do you have like minded friends who
would share the cost and space. If you have a yard, buy or build your own climate
control storage.
6. Do your research on anything you don't know at the library or on the internet.
7. Get started .... times a wasting.
My wife and I started prepping when we lived in a three bedroom condo. One of the bedrooms was the size of a large walk-in closet. We decided to turn that room into our prepper room. The room ended up holding four heavy duty storage shelves with 5 shelves each and a 5 cf Freezer. We were in our early sixties.
You could also convert a two bedroom condo or apartment if the second bedroom is not being used on a regular basis. How often do you have company? Once or twice a year? That room could be put to better use as a Prepper Room. For company, give them your bedroom and you sleep on an air mattress or buy a sleep sofa. Use your imagination.
We enjoy doing a lot of our own long term food storage. But we also buy items from long term food storage companies. These companies are especially great if you work or if you are not interested in do-it-yourself. It does take a lot of time.
Most of the long term food items you buy come in a No. 10 can. These are easily stored in a closet, on top of cabinets, behind furniture or under a bed. As long as they are not opened, they will last for 15 to 25 years if stored properly. These items are delivered directly to your door so there is no reason why you should not be prepared for any event.
Here are some companies to get you started.
http://www.carolinareadiness.com/
http://www.honeyville.com/
http://www.samsclub.com/ Did you know that Sam's Club had Emergency Supplies.
When the Sam's Club initial screen comes up
Move your cursor over the 'Grocery' tab - Do not click
another window will be displayed
Look for 'Emergency Foods & Supplies' and click on it
On the left side of the page you will see 'Catagories'
Click on the first category to get you started
Good hunting
FYI - You do not have to be a Sam's Club member to order online.
Here's our formula for deciding food storage.
1. Do an accounting of what you have on hand.
2. Figure how you can maximize your space.
3. Make your prepper list and prioritize in a logical order. As an example, don't try to get
all the food you need before you buy an alternative stove to cook it.
4. Clip coupons and watch for store sales. Pay close attention to Expiration Dates.
5. If you need to rent climate control storage, do you have like minded friends who
would share the cost and space. If you have a yard, buy or build your own climate
control storage.
6. Do your research on anything you don't know at the library or on the internet.
7. Get started .... times a wasting.
Tuesday, July 17, 2012
Self Defense
When I was younger I could pretty much hold my own with anyone. I had military training, as well as, the strength, the quickness and the stamina. But now I am weaker, stiffer and I get tired quicker. I like to think I am still tough but in reality I would not want to get into a fight. I now avoid places that I may get into a conflict but that may no longer be possible with our declining economy and flash mobs that invade stores for the purpose of ransacking and mayhem. We could end up as collateral damage as part of the mayhem.
If I were younger, like my grandchildren, my wife and I could learn karate. But we are in our 60's and learning how to fight is not at the top of our priorities. Learning how to defend ourselves and disable someone quickly is a top priority. So, we have two approaches. One approach is with weapons we can buy that may give us an edge in either fighting or escaping. The second approach is to learn how to street fight without complicated moves to disable someone quickly.
Weapons
There are several self defense weapons you can buy for your personal protection.
Pepper Spray - Used to spray into an attackers face to slow them down or to make them retreat.
Stun Gun - Used to knock an attacker out and disable them. These come in a varity of ways from looking like a cell phone or incorporated into a flashlight.
Baton - These are billy clubs that expand with a snap of the wrist and are used to disable an attacker. These can cause a lot of damage so don't crush someone's skull unless you are in a life or death situation.
Neck Knife - My wife has one of these. It hangs around your neck like jewelry but at the end is a small knife with the handle hanging downward. If she is grabbed from behind while going to her car she can easily pull the knife from its sheath and stick the attacker in the arm, neck or face. If the school teacher that was recently attacked and murdered while jogging had had one of these, she would probably still be alive.
Tactical Flashlight - This particular flashlight has an extremely bright light and some come with a strobe function. Shining this flashlight in someones eyes will temporarily blind them long enough for you to escape or to press your attack on them. The one thing an attacker does not expect is for you to go on the attack. It un-nerves them and they do not want to get hurt. The light end of the flashlight has a hardened scalloped edge that can be used as a weapon.
Baseball Bat - Keep this by your front door so it is very accessable.
Concealed Weapon - These are handguns that are meant for the worst case scenario. This requires a permit and constant training in its use so a life changing mistake is not made. My wife had never fired a weapon until her 60's. Even though she was very skeptical the first few times she fired a handgun she is now proficient with a glock 9 mm and has received her concealed weapons license. Regardless of your age, do not be afraid of a handgun. Be sure to get proper training so you know how to handle the weapon. The more familiar you are with a weapon the more comfortable you will be. There is nothing worse than being in a situation where you need a handgun but you do not have one. Prepare for the worse case scenario and hope for the best.
Shotgun - These are good for home defense. Point and shoot to cover an entire hallway.
Rifles - You have choices whether you want one for hunting or self defense. For self defense, many people are buying tactical weapons, such as, AK47's and AR15's. Most come with 30 round clips and are easy to fire with little recoil.
One rifle you may want to look at for your Go Bag is the Henry Survival Rifle (AR7). This rifle easily breaks down into three parts without the use of tools and the receiver and barrel stores in the butt stock. It floats, can be put together in less than a minute, uses 8 -10 22 LR loaded in a clip and does not need a conceal carry permit since it is not a handgun. A big plus with this weapon is that it is cheap to practice with.
Regardless of the weapon you purchase, make sure you get proper training and practice often.
Street Fighting
Street fighting is not about getting into a fight with your neighbor out in your front yard. If you want to still have a neighbor do not use street fighting techniques on them. Street fighting is for when you fear for your life and you are willing to do permanent damage to someone to protect your or a loved ones life. There are a lot of people who will teach you how to street fight but my wife and I learn the techniques taught by www.closecombattraining.com/captainchris.php
It is best you learn from the experts. This is good stuff to know regardless of your age.
Good luck with your self defense.
If I were younger, like my grandchildren, my wife and I could learn karate. But we are in our 60's and learning how to fight is not at the top of our priorities. Learning how to defend ourselves and disable someone quickly is a top priority. So, we have two approaches. One approach is with weapons we can buy that may give us an edge in either fighting or escaping. The second approach is to learn how to street fight without complicated moves to disable someone quickly.
Weapons
There are several self defense weapons you can buy for your personal protection.
Pepper Spray - Used to spray into an attackers face to slow them down or to make them retreat.
Stun Gun - Used to knock an attacker out and disable them. These come in a varity of ways from looking like a cell phone or incorporated into a flashlight.
Baton - These are billy clubs that expand with a snap of the wrist and are used to disable an attacker. These can cause a lot of damage so don't crush someone's skull unless you are in a life or death situation.
Neck Knife - My wife has one of these. It hangs around your neck like jewelry but at the end is a small knife with the handle hanging downward. If she is grabbed from behind while going to her car she can easily pull the knife from its sheath and stick the attacker in the arm, neck or face. If the school teacher that was recently attacked and murdered while jogging had had one of these, she would probably still be alive.
Tactical Flashlight - This particular flashlight has an extremely bright light and some come with a strobe function. Shining this flashlight in someones eyes will temporarily blind them long enough for you to escape or to press your attack on them. The one thing an attacker does not expect is for you to go on the attack. It un-nerves them and they do not want to get hurt. The light end of the flashlight has a hardened scalloped edge that can be used as a weapon.
Baseball Bat - Keep this by your front door so it is very accessable.
Concealed Weapon - These are handguns that are meant for the worst case scenario. This requires a permit and constant training in its use so a life changing mistake is not made. My wife had never fired a weapon until her 60's. Even though she was very skeptical the first few times she fired a handgun she is now proficient with a glock 9 mm and has received her concealed weapons license. Regardless of your age, do not be afraid of a handgun. Be sure to get proper training so you know how to handle the weapon. The more familiar you are with a weapon the more comfortable you will be. There is nothing worse than being in a situation where you need a handgun but you do not have one. Prepare for the worse case scenario and hope for the best.
Shotgun - These are good for home defense. Point and shoot to cover an entire hallway.
Rifles - You have choices whether you want one for hunting or self defense. For self defense, many people are buying tactical weapons, such as, AK47's and AR15's. Most come with 30 round clips and are easy to fire with little recoil.
One rifle you may want to look at for your Go Bag is the Henry Survival Rifle (AR7). This rifle easily breaks down into three parts without the use of tools and the receiver and barrel stores in the butt stock. It floats, can be put together in less than a minute, uses 8 -10 22 LR loaded in a clip and does not need a conceal carry permit since it is not a handgun. A big plus with this weapon is that it is cheap to practice with.
Regardless of the weapon you purchase, make sure you get proper training and practice often.
Street Fighting
Street fighting is not about getting into a fight with your neighbor out in your front yard. If you want to still have a neighbor do not use street fighting techniques on them. Street fighting is for when you fear for your life and you are willing to do permanent damage to someone to protect your or a loved ones life. There are a lot of people who will teach you how to street fight but my wife and I learn the techniques taught by www.closecombattraining.com/captainchris.php
It is best you learn from the experts. This is good stuff to know regardless of your age.
Good luck with your self defense.
Monday, July 16, 2012
Protect against Home Invasion
As our economy gets worse I have noticed more news of home invasions and break-in's. As they say ... we ain't seen nothing yet.
When I was younger, I really did not worry about such things. I thought I could handle most any situation that could occur. Foolish, huh. Now that I am older I do not move as fast nor am I as strong as I was in my 20's. How depressing. Anyway, being of an adaptive mind set I have come up with ways to compensate for my short comings and to protect my property better when I am away.
I have watched video's of people breaking into homes by kicking in the front door and I was amased at how easy and quickly someone can enter into your space. Usually, someone can get into your house quicker than you can respond. If you have a metal door with a metal door frame then you should be pretty safe. Unfortunately most metal doors come with wooden door frames with itty bitty screws for the strike plate. A 12 year old could kick in your door.
Secure your Doors
At your local hardware store they sell Security Door Jambs. These replace your original strike plates for just the door or for the door and dead bolt. They use about a 3 1/2 - 4 " screws that goes into the stud that the door frame is attached to. These are easy to install with just a drill and screwdriver and would stop the 12 year olds as well as the 250 pounders. If you don't have a dead bolt, then get one.
If you want more security while you are at home then buy a Door Club. This is a device that fits on the floor behind your door and acts as a Super Door Stop. This device would probably keep the swat team standing on your stoop. Again, this is easy to install with just a drill and screwdriver.
Both of the above solutions are very cost effective. Being on a fixed income I always look for solutions I can afford.
Note: A new method for entering your house is the use of a Bump Key. This key will break your lock and allow entry. Bump Proof door entry and dead bolts are now available.
Secure your Windows
One of the weakest points for entering a home is the windows. Most any device will easily break a window to allow entry. If you want to discourge someone from breaking into your home then make it difficult so it takes time and more noise than what the burglar would be comfortable with.
You can purchase 8 mil or greater Security Window Film that would stop most anyone from breaking into your home. It is fairly easy to install yourself or you can have it installed. The cost will depend on the number of windows you want to secure.
Light Up the Night
Another thing burglars do not like is lit up spaces. You can easily replace all outdoor lights with motion sensor lights that are available at your local hardware store.
Inside Your House
If you want to monitor the inside and/or outside of your home while you are away then go to Amazon Home Connect http://www.amazon.com/b/ref=amb_link_354141542_1?ie=UTF8&node=2315506011&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=special-offers-5&pf_rd_r=1K96PD98ZD0QZJQV7FNW&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_p=1276243342&pf_rd_i=B004T9Y0MW to see how to do it yourself or you can hire someone to install a system for you if you are not technically inclined. Video monotoring your house is more costly than the other suggestions but it is a solution that is available to you.
I hope this helps you with securing your home. Please add any helpful suggestions.
When I was younger, I really did not worry about such things. I thought I could handle most any situation that could occur. Foolish, huh. Now that I am older I do not move as fast nor am I as strong as I was in my 20's. How depressing. Anyway, being of an adaptive mind set I have come up with ways to compensate for my short comings and to protect my property better when I am away.
I have watched video's of people breaking into homes by kicking in the front door and I was amased at how easy and quickly someone can enter into your space. Usually, someone can get into your house quicker than you can respond. If you have a metal door with a metal door frame then you should be pretty safe. Unfortunately most metal doors come with wooden door frames with itty bitty screws for the strike plate. A 12 year old could kick in your door.
Secure your Doors
At your local hardware store they sell Security Door Jambs. These replace your original strike plates for just the door or for the door and dead bolt. They use about a 3 1/2 - 4 " screws that goes into the stud that the door frame is attached to. These are easy to install with just a drill and screwdriver and would stop the 12 year olds as well as the 250 pounders. If you don't have a dead bolt, then get one.
If you want more security while you are at home then buy a Door Club. This is a device that fits on the floor behind your door and acts as a Super Door Stop. This device would probably keep the swat team standing on your stoop. Again, this is easy to install with just a drill and screwdriver.
Both of the above solutions are very cost effective. Being on a fixed income I always look for solutions I can afford.
Note: A new method for entering your house is the use of a Bump Key. This key will break your lock and allow entry. Bump Proof door entry and dead bolts are now available.
Secure your Windows
One of the weakest points for entering a home is the windows. Most any device will easily break a window to allow entry. If you want to discourge someone from breaking into your home then make it difficult so it takes time and more noise than what the burglar would be comfortable with.
You can purchase 8 mil or greater Security Window Film that would stop most anyone from breaking into your home. It is fairly easy to install yourself or you can have it installed. The cost will depend on the number of windows you want to secure.
Light Up the Night
Another thing burglars do not like is lit up spaces. You can easily replace all outdoor lights with motion sensor lights that are available at your local hardware store.
Inside Your House
If you want to monitor the inside and/or outside of your home while you are away then go to Amazon Home Connect http://www.amazon.com/b/ref=amb_link_354141542_1?ie=UTF8&node=2315506011&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=special-offers-5&pf_rd_r=1K96PD98ZD0QZJQV7FNW&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_p=1276243342&pf_rd_i=B004T9Y0MW to see how to do it yourself or you can hire someone to install a system for you if you are not technically inclined. Video monotoring your house is more costly than the other suggestions but it is a solution that is available to you.
I hope this helps you with securing your home. Please add any helpful suggestions.
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