The best Home Security Systems: Reddit reviews

From 3.5 billion Reddit comments

There are door wedge alarms, too - best of both worlds. $10 cheap!

Change the locks! Have a heart to heart with SO about how awful you felt at that moment and how you never want to feel like that again. Ask for his help in strengthening up the house security. Follow whatever rules are there on your lease, but definitely do what you can to protect yourself. Amazon has alarm door wedges (or just search "alarm door wedge. I haven't actually owned this product. It was just the top of the search) that you can stick under any door and it will have a shrill sound when opened. Might be a decent temporary measure.

Look up wedge door alarms. They scream/beep when activated, and they don't require any installation. One for your front door, one for your bedroom.

This doesn't fix the MIL and SO problem, but could you install a door chain or a deadbolt that is only accessible from the inside? (Make sure to use the longest screws you can find in case she loses her mind further and decides to body slam the door.)

There's also these door blocks that scream when activated.

At least then you could have privacy in the bedroom

What the fuck? That's not legal. Your landlord can not just let himself into your home without permission unless it's a serious emergency and property damage is happening. And he should at least attempt to let you know that's what's happening (like by knocking or ringing the doorbell or calling).

Stick one of these on your door so that he at least scares the shit out of himself when he comes in unannounced.

Usually these kind of hairpins look like this.

The item in your photo looks like a lock picking tool.

If it were me, I'd put any valuables in a safe deposit box and carry some mace or other self defense items.

As another poster suggested, you can get inexpensive alarms for your doors and windows to use while you're at home.

Please stay safe. It may be a neighbor since they seem to know when you're out. There are ways to use an old cell phone as a security camera if you need an inexpensive alternative.

If they're on your porch, they're trespassing. Call the police (or ask "new guy" if he'll call the police if he spots them when you aren't home).

Also, get something like this:

Door/Window Alarms

They're cheap and easy to use. My elderly neighbor has one on her front door. She sometimes forgets to switch it off when deliveries arrive, and I can hear it in my apartment with my windows and door shut. It isn't loud enough to wake me up, but it definitely gets my attention when I'm hanging out watching TV. It's about as loud as a smoke alarm.

Pair this with maybe a chain lock and an indoor camera in case you're sleepwalking.

https://www.amazon.com/SABRE-Wedge-Security-Alarm-Siren/dp/B00M30SQGA/ref=mp_s_a_1_5?dchild=1&keywords=door+security&qid=1631194479&sr=8-5

Many one star reviews. Seems like a good idea. I wonder where the fault is.

This looks interesting: https://www.amazon.com/SABRE-Wedge-Security-Alarm-Siren/dp/B00M30SQGA/ref=mp_s_a_1_5?dchild=1&keywords=door+security&qid=1631194479&sr=8-5

Window/Door Alarms. These stick on like command strips and you can set it to alarm or make a chime noise when a window or door is opened! I also have pieces of wood in my windows to help block them from being opened by force.

Cheap security camera. This I have in my window pointing to the front door, there’s an app you download where you can watch the video! Definitely gives peace of mind when I’m out of town.

Have fun! I lived with roommates all throughout college, it is so fun to live by yourself.

You can also get stick-on door and window alarms from Amazon for super cheap. I had these when I lived in a street-access studio. While they won't actively protect you, they make a LOT of noise.

Yikes. That would freak me out. If you want to cheaply make yourself a bit safer at night, you should replace the screws in the door frame/hinges with longer screws — this costs only a few cents and a few minutes of time. Google how to do it to increase door security and you’ll find plenty of information. This will help prevent someone from kicking your door in — it is quite easy to kick in a door. At a minimum, I would also purchase some really cheap door alarms you can stick on the door, which can be armed from the inside.

Like this: https://www.amazon.com/GE-Protection-Installation-Apartment-45174/dp/B00FGPM1SS/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?dchild=1&keywords=door+alarm&qid=1619803229&sr=8-3

Z-Wave and HA has been really successful for me. Literally rock solid, no issues at all. Been running for a year. Highly recommended. I have the following Z-Wave stick:

Aeon Labs Aeotec Z-Wave Z-Stick, Gen5 Z-Wave Plus 

If your door swings open:

SABRE HS-DSA Wedge Door Stop Security Alarm with 120 dB Siren --- Great for Home, Travel, Apartment or Dorm https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00M30SQGA/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_GA4C7R0AMBRHS0BG7FB1

If your door swings out:

GE 45115 Personal Security Window/Door, 2-Pack, DIY Protection, Burglar Alert, Wireless Chime/Alarm, Easy Installation, Ideal for Home, Garage, Apartment, Dorm, RV and Office, White, 2 Count https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00178HMCI/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_JR8MTC3A13PJQEPP574J

These will at least help while you are asleep

this is the one I use: https://www.amazon.com/Security-Doorbell-Resolution-Real-Time-Response/dp/B07R3WY95C

For PC archiving, the RCA doorbell cams are just rebranded Hikvision cams, and they work simultaneously with the RCA doorbell app, and the Hikvision PC DVR recording software.

i use this when i travel to shady hotels in usa or anywhere really

https://www.amazon.com/SABRE-Wedge-Security-Alarm-Siren/dp/B00M30SQGA

This will at least scare the crap out of your neighbor

GE Personal Security Window/Door Alarm, 2-Pack, DIY Home Protection, Burglar Alert, Wireless Alarm, Off/Chime/Alarm, Easy Installation, Ideal for Home, Garage, Apartment, Dorm, RV and Office, 45115 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00178HMCI/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_fabt1_iogTFbKJEFFF6

I'm glad they are taking this seriously for you! Terrifying incident and not something I would ever want to experience.

A few things you can do to help you feel better about being home alone. Obviously make sure your doors are locked (thankfully in this case it seems like they were) just to help prevent someone coming in by opening it. There is also something called "door Jam armor" that I was recommended here to prevent someone from kicking in your door. It's not expensive, really easy to install and unobtrusive.

There are little chimes you can get for windows Amazon link that are equally unobtrusive and just make a very loud chirping noise if the window is opened without them being disengaged. These would wake you up similar to a smoke detector but louder.

You can also pick up keychain mace, or just regular mace to carry around and have at home so that if someone physically stronger than you breaks in, or tries to attack you there is a way to respond.

If you are comfortable with it having a gun at home can give you a means of self defense in the case of someone larger breaking in. It's not for everyone, but it is a tool that helps some people feel more comfortable after incidents like this. My mother experienced a very traumatic incident with a neighbors home and could not stand to be at home alone until she had picked up a gun. She's never had to use it but it made her feel much safer being a smaller, single woman.

Ultimately you are unlikely to ever have an incident like this occur again, thankfully! But taking a few steps to make yourself feel more comfortable in your own home, and be prepared just in case something happens is not the worst move.

Meditating before bed could help reduce some stress and allow for a better sleep. Don’t sleep with electronics in the bedroom or while in bed as this disrupts your natural sleep pattern even further.

Could also put down a tub of cold water where you put your feet down so the cold wakes you up.

You could set up bells on the door that might alarm you when you open the door. (Like the doggy hanging bells) or even an alarm that sets off when you open the door.

There’s quite a few things you can try from Amazon. . But personally I like the door stopper. That can stop you from wondering out and also might wake you up soon as you try.

You can buy these awesome door alarms on Amazon and attach them to the top of the door with removable adhesive strips (so they don't leave a mark or residue). I've used them as personal home security for years, and plan to use it on my backyard door when my son is a little older. The alarm is very loud, so you would definitely be alerted if she tried to open the door.

You could also consider something like this for the inside of your door while you’re in there (overnight): https://www.amazon.com/SABRE-Wedge-Security-Alarm-Adjustable/dp/B00M30SQGA/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1536281227&sr=8-1&keywords=Sabre+door+stop

These are bed exit sensors, but one placed beneath the window with a rug over it would certainly set off an alarm when they stepped off it

https://www.amazon.com/Ideal-Security-SK630-Pressure-Triggered/dp/B00GUNX7WY/ref=sr\_1\_5?dchild=1&keywords=pressure+mat+alarm&qid=1631984780&sr=8-5

Yeah you'll want to take care of that. You can use those little door monitors that give off a continuous screeching noise when the door is opened or just a tone. They're cheap and easy to stick on - https://www.amazon.com/GE-Protection-Installation-Apartment-45115/dp/B00178HMCI

You could put one on the dog door that just beeps and one on the physical door that screeches. It has a switch to change the setting on how it announces activity.

• Envisalink EVL-4EZR
• A DIY project if you want to get out a soldering iron.
• And as already mentioned, Alarm Decoder.

MyQ is great. You can even setup automation with something like samsung smartthings hub to send alerts to your phone when garage open.

https://www.amazon.com/Smart-Garage-Opener-Chamberlain-myQ-G0401/dp/B08GD3D9YJ

You're probably looking at the Envisalink - http://www.eyezon.com/?page_id=176 and they sell it on Amazon too: https://www.amazon.com/Envisalink-EVL-4EZR-Security-Interface-Honeywell/dp/B016WQTJ4S/

I can't give you any information about it because my house has a proprietary Brinks Security board in it which the EnvisaLink doesn't support (don't feel like changing the board and keypad right now). If you have one of the boards it supports it seems really good, reviews for it are fantastic.

There is a cheap workaround, if you dont mide soldering this was mentioned in a hassio podcast, can't recall the guy who came up with the idea but its brilliant, he hooked it up to a sonoff but you could just hook it up to a door sensor. open it up and solder the two connections to both wires of the mat. He placed it under his bed and when your on it it would show closed on the sensor, when up it would be off. Very cool and cheap idea for this! all props to the gent who thought of it!

amazon pressure mat

KVM-based Virtual Machine (all running under Proxmox) with USB passthrough of an Aeotec Z-Wave stick. Hourly snapshots are taken, so even if I nuke my setup, I can restore from a backup in a matter of minutes.

I'm not who you asked, but FWIW: I use the Z-Wave USB dongle by Aeotec with Home Assistant and it works well. You can also use this to force devices to unpair.

Don't do that to your wife!

Buy this instead and connect it to a pressure mat underneath the bed. This way you can tell when someone is on the bed (really great to automate "good night")