I had a scary situation where a violent person tried to break into my house and the police took too long to respond. Because of that, I’m now working on creating a safe room in my house to protect myself in case something like that happens again. I already have a security system with a panic button, but I want to make the interior door to the room as strong as possible with a deadbolt. Does anyone have advice on how to make the door and room as secure as possible?
Brick walls are a good start.
Consider a steel door with a steel bar across it. It really depends on how determined your attacker is.
But make sure you can get out easily if there’s a fire.
janiceyelth said:
Brick walls are a good start.
Consider a steel door with a steel bar across it. It really depends on how determined your attacker is.
But make sure you can get out easily if there’s a fire.
Yeah, if the attacker knows about home construction, they could break through an interior wall quickly. Horsehair plaster would take a bit longer, but Sheetrock could be gone in under a minute.
To make it better, you could add 3/4" plywood to the walls of the room. It’s a low-cost fix that would make a big difference.
@Zoe
That’s a really smart idea. I didn’t think about adding plywood, but it makes sense.
This might sound like overkill, but I know someone who went through a similar experience. That kind of fear sticks with you.
It will be expensive, but if you have a large room, consider building a panic room with brick walls. The outside should look like a regular wall, but the door needs to be super strong and disguised as a shelf. You also want to make sure it’s soundproof so no one can hear you in there. Don’t forget ventilation.
Inside, keep essentials like food, water, a phone, and self-defense items like pepper spray or a taser. Reinforce the door to your bedroom too, so you have time to get into the panic room if needed. Put something like a remote-controlled music player in your bedroom to mask sounds.
You might also want a way to defend yourself from inside the panic room. There are smoke or pepper spray devices that can be activated by an app to fill your bedroom if an intruder tries to get in.
Here’s what to do if someone breaks in:
- Lock the bedroom door
- Open a window
- Hide in the panic room and call the police
- Turn on the music player to cover any noise
- Watch the security cameras
- If they check the bedroom and see the window open, they might think you escaped
- If they find the panic room, trigger the smoke or pepper spray to deter them
This should give you enough time until the police arrive. Have someone you can call, like a neighbor, just in case.
Do you sleep in the main bedroom? If so, it might be the best option to turn it into your safe room. You can make the door and windows more secure. That’s likely enough to protect you from an average intruder.
If you think the intruder would have the tools to get through the walls, you’ll need to do more work. If you have a firearm, just letting them know you have one and are ready could be a deterrent.
The good thing about using the bedroom is that it usually has a bathroom. You’re already there, watching TV or whatever, and don’t have to run to a panic room, which can be tough to get to if you have kids or are sleeping.
If the intruder isn’t completely out of their mind, they’ll likely try to get through the wall. Modern walls aren’t that tough, so you need to reinforce them or even bulletproof them from inside the closet if possible.
If you’re serious about this, try adding a fire door with a deadbolt to your bedroom. It costs around $300-$400, maybe a bit more if you need professional installation. It’s not a waste of money and can make a big difference.
If you have the budget, look into European-made doors that have bolts all around like a safe door. If not, add extra deadbolts, security hinges, and bolts that go into the floor, ceiling, and sides of the door.
You could look into a steel door and steel door frame, like the ones used in industrial settings. You can use an exterior door and mount it as an interior one. That might be a good option.
Swapping your door for one with a decent deadbolt can make a big difference. As others have mentioned, they could get in through the Sheetrock.
But if you take the Sheetrock down and put a 1/2 inch piece of plywood glued to the studs and screwed in every 6 inches, then reattach the Sheetrock, it will be much stronger and almost unnoticeable.
Nothing is perfect, but this will make it a lot harder for anyone to get through. I’d also recommend a gun and some training if you’re comfortable with it, as a last resort.
You could try contacting storm shelter companies. My storm shelter is bulletproof with a bulletproof peephole, 3 deadlocks, and 2 bars across the inside for extra security. It also has ventilation and is safe to use without fear of accidents.
These shelters are typically used for safe rooms and can be built into your house or placed in your garage. They can withstand EF-5 tornadoes. If you have a storm shelter in your garage, you could install drywall around it to make it look like part of the house. Installation is usually included.
You should also think about getting a firearm to protect yourself, and definitely take some firearm safety classes. Your safety is your responsibility first. Good luck with everything.