I’m sorry, but I’m not going to design my nighttime MO around the slim chance someone is going to break in. I want our bedroom doors open so I can hear if one of my kids is crying and they have a place to go if they wake up at 2am after a scary dream.

Anonymous wrote:Fire more likely than robbery. Shut bedroom doors. Get dog.

+1 close doors to thwart the spread of fire

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Get a big dog like a lab.

Labs are completely food motivated. Murderer could bring a dog treat and lab would greet him with open arms. Get a big dog like a Leonberger or a Great Pyrenees. No one but the most insane would get pass those dogs.

PP here. I do get what you're saying, but ours (an 80 lb retriever/coonhound mix) has a really deep, scary bark. So many people are afraid to have a really big dog, but I agree with your comments.

As an older person...

Closing a door is fine, but locking it is risky. If you suffer a heart attack or stroke while in bed, you may be able to dial 911 to get help. But it's less likely that you'll be able to get out of bed and go unlock the door to your bedroom. For those who push furniture in front of the door while you are sleeping, it's even worse. This is also true if there's a fire and you pass out from smoke inhalation...or there's carbon monoxide in your bedroom.

You want first responders to be able to get to you. Usually, they have to break the front door, which slows them down. You don't want them to have to break internal doors to get to you too.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just a question for anyone who has pondered this or sadly, experienced it. What was best?

There’s really no point in worrying about whether doors are open or closed. If someone breaks in, you’re totally at their mercy. Do NOT try to defend yourself, that will only expose you to more danger. Just beg them for mercy and plead for your life and the lives of your family. It might not work, but it’s better than hurting them.

I can only hope this is sarcasm?

Y'all are so crazy paranoid. I simply cannot imagine how you live like this.

Anonymous wrote:When's the last time a home invader attacked a child?
Where was the child located?

What exactly is your threat model?

Who is coming to assassinate you?

Guns in home are far more likely to kill a member of the household than stave off an intruder.

This exactly. Also there are many people who own a gun and when faced with an intruder either have the gun stored or choke when pulling the trigger because they’re unable to hurt someone. Killing a human being is not a normal or instinctual behavior, even when in danger.

Anonymous wrote:Get a big dog like a lab.

Labs are completely food motivated. Murderer could bring a dog treat and lab would greet him with open arms. Get a big dog like a Leonberger or a Great Pyrenees. No one but the most insane would get pass those dogs.

Anonymous wrote:Just a question for anyone who has pondered this or sadly, experienced it. What was best?

There’s really no point in worrying about whether doors are open or closed. If someone breaks in, you’re totally at their mercy. Do NOT try to defend yourself, that will only expose you to more danger. Just beg them for mercy and plead for your life and the lives of your family. It might not work, but it’s better than hurting them.

When's the last time a home invader attacked a child?
Where was the child located?

What exactly is your threat model?

Who is coming to assassinate you?

Guns in home are far more likely to kill a member of the household than stave off an intruder.

We've lived overseas in two countries that were considered critical threat for crime and one for political instability. We had a safe haven - basically all the bedrooms were in one area and we could secure that door (in one house it was a metal grill gate) to get us all in one area. And then the primary bedroom was the inner safe haven - solid door or metal door. In the one country where coups were the order of the day we had metal shutters to completely secure the windows and solid iron over the doors.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Generally doors closed is recommended to prevent fires from spreading, right? But safety wise I don’t know that a shut door would stop much. A locked door would slow things down slightly. I would talk to local police about safety in your area. Or a locksmith. Our locksmith said don’t be the easy target. Neighbors on both sides of you have iron bars on their back window and back door? You get iron bars. Don’t be the easy target. (Capitol Hill)

Iron bars on doors and windows are a serious fire hazard. This is horrible advice coming from someone that says BS in order to get you to gain a profit.

Modern iron security bars have interior release mechanisms specifically for fire. Everyone should know how they're going to get out of their house in case of fire. Which gets back to the OP's question - bedroom doors closed is a fire recommendation.

It does not matter if your doors are open or closed in case of someone breaking in but it does matter in case of fire (they should be closed) which is much more likely than burglary in most areas. Get an alarm system, invest in good locks for exterior doors and windows, security cameras. Statistically it’s extremely unlikely this will happen so don’t worry so much.most burglaries happen during the day bc most burglars do not want to break in when homeowners are there.

Anonymous wrote:Fire more likely than robbery. Shut bedroom doors. Get dog.

This. Close the doors

Anonymous wrote:Cameras, motion sensor lights, phone with 911 on speed dials, guns (real or fake), Alexa set to call 911, iron bars or motion sensors on widows. Dead bolts on doors. Fake siren maker.

That being said, don't keep unnecessary valuables at home and don't worry about these things. Most things we fear never happen, letting fear run our lives is no way to live. If something happens, you'll deal with it then, can't dedicate your whole life to it.

+dog