Essential home defense strategies you need to know NOW to maximize your chances of survival

As a prepper, you need to secure your home even before SHTF. Remember, not securing your house may also compromise not just your property, but also your safety and that of your entire family. (h/t to SmartPrepperGear.com)

Some preppers make the mistake of thinking that all you need to protect your family is a gun and some ammo. However, home defense is more than owning a weapon. You also need to have a fool-proof defensive strategy.

Home defense tactics to prepare for a survival scenario

After a disaster scenario, looters might decide to break into your home to look for food, water, and other resources. Here are some tips that can help deter trespassers from setting foot in your well-defended property.

Reinforce entry points

Always lock your doors and windows. According to a survey, 34 percent of burglars break into homes by going through the front door.

If you have the budget, replace your window’s glass with acrylic glass, which is tougher than conventional glass. If you’re short on money, you can fortify your windows with chicken wire.

Replace your front door with something made of steel. Additionally, replace the hinges with heavy-duty alternatives. While sturdier hinges may cost more, shelling out some cash is a worthy investment if it means you’re fortifying our home.

Invest in sandbags

Not all thieves will risk breaking into your house with just a crowbar. In fact, some of them may come armed with guns. To defend your home from an armed attacker, use sandbags.

Keep some bags and sand in your backyard so you can set up sandbags whenever you need them. If your house is under attack, place sandbags behind your doors and windows since these are the most common targets of attacks.

Build a parameter

One of the most important rules of home defense is to keep attackers outside your home for as long as possible. You can do this by building a defensive parameter around your house.

A relatively inexpensive way to do this is to use barbed wire. While this method isn’t 100 percent impenetrable, a barbed wire barrier provides enough of a physical impediment for your attackers to make them think twice about attempting to break into your house.

Add layers of nail boards behind your fence to improve its defensive abilities. If your budget permits, use several layers of nail boards and barbed wire to make it even more difficult to enter your property.

Control your attackers’ movement

A good way to defend your home is by controlling your attackers’ movement. Build a maze of nail boards and barbed wire, then set up areas where your attackers may try to take cover. Since these areas are “fake cover,” you can easily target your attackers and pick them off one by one.

Prepare to fight at night

It’s very likely that your attackers may attempt to trespass at night instead of during broad daylight. Even if they use the darkness to their advantage, you can preempt an attack by having a guard stationed in your property at all times. When SHTF, you can also benefit from an alarm system that will warn you of incoming invaders.

You can also invest in night vision goggles. Last, you can install very bright lights around your property. Aside from making it easier to monitor your home, the lights can also blind your attackers.

Work with your neighbors

Don’t wait until SHTF before you try to befriend your neighbors. When looters target your neighborhood, you have a better chance of chasing off your attackers by uniting as a group instead of facing them alone. Help each other defend your properties and exchange resources and information.

Set up a safe room

A safe room is a hidden area inside your home where you can hide if you fail to fend off your attackers. You can also send the elderly or your kids to a safe room if you decide to engage any looters.

Store enough food and water for at least three days for each family member in your safe room. Ideally, the room must be big enough so your family can sleep in it if they have to. (Related: Simple strategies you can implement NOW to significantly improve your home security.)

Prepare an escape route

After you prepare an escape route, set up a bug out destination so your family can stay safe once you’re forced to flee from your home. When things go south, you can increase your chance of survival by heading for the escape route. Use this last resort if attackers manage to take over your home.

When SHTF, these home defense tips can help you survive even if looters target your home.

Improve your odds of surviving anything at Survival.news.

Sources include:

SmartPrepperGear.com

Safewise.com