Barricading / Home fortification.

[Deeps]

I think one of the best defenses when concerned about looting is to engage your neighbors. This should be easier in an area that has seen rioting in the past.

As others have stated looking less appealing as a target than the next place is an easier defense. I live on a cul-de-sac. Pulling our cars into a blockade of the main entrance makes our neighborhood much less appealing.

• looters are cowards by nature - lazy as the day is long - and looking for quik & eazy pickings

.... with most of the homes unbarricaded and undefended - why would a few looters even bother with a hard nut of the neighborhood ....

Not sure that's necessarily the case, they might be looking for the easy option but I wouldn't assume that they're automatically cowards, it wouldn't make any difference anyway if there were 5 of them and 1 of you.

[Jaeger48]

Not sure that's necessarily the case, they might be looking for the easy option but I wouldn't assume that they're automatically cowards, it wouldn't make any difference anyway if there were 5 of them and 1 of you.

I completel agree. They are opportunists. I'm a firm believer in small community cooperation in any disastrous event.

In a self defense situation it is always wise to be keenly aware of the existiance of disparate force. There should only be accident (and I exclude poor planning from this) that in a physical assault by any group I'll use every means at my disposal to protect myself and my family. The best option is to never reach that point.

[lincsprepper]

The ideal house to defend would be one with a basement. You could build a bookcase door to hide its entrance and a more secure steel door behind it as a contingency. During a post shtf raid sit quietly in the basement with your preps and they would probably think the place was abandoned.

[greyman]

Was thinking about this on my 12 hr nightshift,like you do.
Most modern houses have double glazing,what about taking the glass out,which is quite easy and replacing with sheet metal,bit of angle iron around the edges to make up the gap from the old window with wingspan etc for insulation.
Did think of plywood but easy to set fire to.
It was a long night : just a thought
The lad over the road has a sheet of plywood cut to the size of his back door frame with relevant holes for handles etc he screws to the frame on the inside when going on holiday.

[PreparedKent]

If you were really going the whole hog sheet metal cut to size, screwed over the existing windows with an overlap so they actually fix to the wall..... some raw-plugs and security screws.

The Front Door if its wooden would need a Birmingham or London Bar, and a Mortice Plate to reinforce the deadlock (you remove a lot of wood when you put the deadlock in). Replace the hinges with longer screws. Screw the door frame into the wall with 6-inch screws.

Don't forget to plate up the letterbox, you wouldn't want to barricade yourself in only to get burned out

[Rearfang]

Put trellis on fences to make climbing harder
Spikey plants at vulnerable points
Beware of dog if you don't have a dog
I live here dog pic if you do as beware of dog could be viewed as admitting to owning a dangerous dog in eyes of law
Pricker strip stuck to top of walls its like gripper rod in plastic but legal
Sash jammers can be added to upvc doors and windows like a extra bolt
Patio doors with the opning door on the inside lay a piece of timber in track to stop it opning
Make sure all upvc euro locks are flush with the handles and doors are double locked

[junmist]

Beware of dog if you don't have a dog
I live here dog pic if you do as beware of dog could be viewed as admitting to owning a dangerous dog in eyes of law

Beware of dog or signs with dog pictures on them, Makes the law considered that you have a dangerous/ guard dog and you are then liable if they attack anyone. HOW ever a Dogs running free sign just lets people know that you have a dog lose and they are not considered to be dangerous. After all more vets are bittern by Jack Russell's than Rottweiler's but which one of them has the bad name

[xplosiv1]

Beware of dog if you don't have a dog
I live here dog pic if you do as beware of dog could be viewed as admitting to owning a dangerous dog in eyes of law

Beware of dog or signs with dog pictures on them, Makes the law considered that you have a dangerous/ guard dog and you are then liable if they attack anyone. HOW ever a Dogs running free sign just lets people know that you have a dog lose and they are not considered to be dangerous. After all more vets are bittern by Jack Russell's than Rottweiler's but which one of them has the bad name

I'd be more likely to stick this up

[Deeps]

Beware of dog if you don't have a dog
I live here dog pic if you do as beware of dog could be viewed as admitting to owning a dangerous dog in eyes of law

Beware of dog or signs with dog pictures on them, Makes the law considered that you have a dangerous/ guard dog and you are then liable if they attack anyone. HOW ever a Dogs running free sign just lets people know that you have a dog lose and they are not considered to be dangerous. After all more vets are bittern by Jack Russell's than Rottweiler's but which one of them has the bad name

I'd be more likely to stick this up

That would certainly be the case at Casa Deeps but I'm not sure I'd want to advertise that my dogs are crap, or advertise any toughness on my part, real or imagined. I've posted it before I think but if I was using the dogs to scare the neighbours they would be pretty useless but if any strangers heard them barking in the house they sound pretty fierce and would be a great deterrent. One of the cats would be a better deterrent against the neighbours, he's a bit of a nutjob.

[yorkshirewolf]

I nearly ordered a sign that read:

Forget the dog - Beware of the wife


I chickened out. but i did show it her and we had a laugh, she even asked: "am i that bad?"


Erm, yes.

In relation to the topic, i'd be wary about making any barricades or reinforcements too obvious, to me it makes you more of a target as it suggests you have something to hide or worth protecting.