How about bugging out in my own home?

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artbylorraine

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Nevada
My husband and I are new to prepping but our home is like a fortress and has a basement that will soon have a hidden door. Our house is on a hill in a rural area, overlooking the other houses and it would be easy to fortify if we need to. Suggestions?
 
I know this is lady prepper, but if you cover your window with 1" plywood, and tread a large pole through it and brace it inside with piece of 2x4, this will block blunt objects and most bladed weapons. If you have a trap door, in the entrance hall, create a ledge where you can shoot from trough it, the plywood will cause the intruder to enter the only entrance, the front door. It will act as a funnel as long as there is no other way to get into the house.
 
My husband and I are new to prepping but our home is like a fortress and has a basement that will soon have a hidden door. Our house is on a hill in a rural area, overlooking the other houses and it would be easy to fortify if we need to. Suggestions?
This is something i ponder quite a bit. for me it depends on what happens if it is a moderate earthquake i will stay put, but if it is something likely to not clear up any time soon I am headed to, as they say, "higher ground"
 
There seems to be a fascination with the idea of "bugging out". Unless where you live becomes inhabitable my strongest opinion is staying in your own home. Unless you have a defined place to go and the means to get there you will become a refugee. Why would anyone want to loose what they are familiar with, leave behind all their essentials and most of all go where it maybe worse than you all ready have it. If you cant stay in your home I understand that, but leaving would be a last resort. Maybe being from rural WI I dont have a full idea of where other people live.

Now my kids on the other hand have their own places and lives. As soon as there is any idea things will turn bad they all know to pack their vehicles and get back "home". So I guess for them that would be a bug out plan.
 
Thanks, guys...our home is twelve sided so it looks round with a wrap around deck on the first floor and the second floor. In order to get to it, you would have to have a ladder. If someone stands in the center of the home you can see almost 360 degrees. The windows are large plate glass but in order to reach them a person would have to have a ladder. I think, with our guns and my husband's Marine training, we could be safe. I agree that I would hate to be a refugee at a time like that. Since we live in the mountains we are already at higher ground.
 
Our stash of food will be in the basement. We are building a wall (hidden door) over the basement door and the way our house is situated, no one will ever guess there is a basement. It is already hidden, no windows, no outside door. It can be locked from the inside and the hinges will be hidden. Even if they shoot out the windows, they can't get in because the deck goes around the house and is about twentyfive feet from the ground. I am hoping that works, anyway. Plus, we are not telling anyone about the stash of food and guns.
 
Our stash of food will be in the basement. We are building a wall (hidden door) over the basement door and the way our house is situated, no one will ever guess there is a basement. It is already hidden, no windows, no outside door. It can be locked from the inside and the hinges will be hidden.

Make sure you have a reliable way to get fresh air in there. You don't want to suffocate if you have to hide in there and you don't want everything moldering.

Even if they shoot out the windows, they can't get in because the deck goes around the house and is about twentyfive feet from the ground. I am hoping that works, anyway. Plus, we are not telling anyone about the stash of food and guns.

This is a good idea. Keep it quiet. The less the neighbors know, the better. 25' from the ground? How do you yourself enter it?
 
Our stash of food will be in the basement. We are building a wall (hidden door) over the basement door and the way our house is situated, no one will ever guess there is a basement. It is already hidden, no windows, no outside door. It can be locked from the inside and the hinges will be hidden. Even if they shoot out the windows, they can't get in because the deck goes around the house and is about twentyfive feet from the ground. I am hoping that works, anyway. Plus, we are not telling anyone about the stash of food and guns.

Given enough time, anyone can and will breach the house if not being defended. Even with 2 people is would be hard to defend the house from all sides, especially at night. If you are locked in the basement with your preps squatters that think you left may try to take over your castle. Just something to think about.
 
Oh, I realize that we are somewhat vulnerable. You asked how the windows are 25 ft. high? Our house is built in the side of a hill. The part that is very vulnerable is the entrance, which is level with the top of the hill. We would have to cover those two windows with plywood. I am not saying we will be totally safe, but my husband is a Marine with special training in making trip wires and home made grenades and such. I just think we will be safer here than any where else. Oh, I would love to have one of those underground bug out shelters but being realistic, we can not afford one. I appreciate any suggestions since this is pretty new to us.
 
It is better than what most people have it is a very good thing. I would think about reinforcing the areas around the windows or have some kind of mobile barrier that can absorb some bullets.
 
That sounds good. I know that the downstairs windows will be covered with plywood. The upper deck is big so it may be hard for them to get up to it but they could always shoot them out. But then, they would have to bring a big ladder to get up there. I don't want to "bug out" because all our food and medicines, etc...are here.
 
That sounds good. I know that the downstairs windows will be covered with plywood.

Plywood can be easily pried off in the middle of the night when you're sleeping. I would use those iron window guards people use in the cities. They would turn all but the most determined away.

The upper deck is big so it may be hard for them to get up to it but they could always shoot them out. But then, they would have to bring a big ladder to get up there. I don't want to "bug out" because all our food and medicines, etc...are here.

A small dog would give you warning if someone was outside trying to get in or up on the deck. But that means hoarding dog food.....
 
Oh, yes, we have two medium doggies that would try to eat anyone that came in. I have already started hoarding canned dog food.
If the ply wood is mounted on the inside of the window, can it be so easily removed?
 
Oh, yes, we have two medium doggies that would try to eat anyone that came in. I have already started hoarding canned dog food.
If the ply wood is mounted on the inside of the window, can it be so easily removed?

Plywood, nailed or screwed on the outside or inside isn't going to keep people out. Have you looked into those heavy duty iron window guards? They're mounted from the inside and unless someone uses a heavy chain and motor vehicle to rip out the entire window frame, they wont get in. But if there's a fire, you may have trouble getting out. Keep a key to the lock on these window guards on a chain around your neck at all times.

Plywood would help keep them from being shot out and glass everywhere.
 
my greatest fear is fire. Like Molotov cocktails or explosives

If they burn or bomb you out they lose all your store of food, ammo and whatever you had they wanted. I would think any fires in your home or bunker would be accidental.
 
If they burn or bomb you out they lose all your store of food, ammo and whatever you had they wanted. I would think any fires in your home or bunker would be accidental.
yeah but you cant expect everyone to be so rational. Someone might be crazy enough to think "oh they aren't sharing? well screw them" or what if you were defending your own and killed a family member of said psyco and they wanted revenge? Just from what I have seen on the news I can't expect anyone to have a stable mind set especially in a world that might not have rules.
 
yeah but you cant expect everyone to be so rational. Someone might be crazy enough to think "oh they aren't sharing? well screw them" or what if you were defending your own and killed a family member of said psyco and they wanted revenge? Just from what I have seen on the news I can't expect anyone to have a stable mind set especially in a world that might not have rules.

You have a point there. That's why everyone who hopes to survive should be well armed. I feel our house is vulnerable but we're not close to any large city. Hopefully the starving hoards wont make it this far.
 

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