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What if you cannot find the key when a fire breaks out?
I had hung them on the wall, out of reach of an arm in one room, in another was on a shelf nearby and another was in a drawer. Everyone in the family knew where they were.
The best bang for the buck deadbolts on the market are Kwikset model 980. You can add 2 of them to an entry door (place them maybe 18-24 inches apart), then use the same type of smartkey for the doorknob and key them all to the same key. Saves having 3 or 6 different keys on your keychain if you have 2 or 3 different entry doors.
Keep in mind you want to buy the post 2016 deadbolts where they revised the internals to make them much more durable. Before this, they could be opened by prying them with screwdrivers, something kwikset has decided to try keeping quiet about as they quietly revised their product line. Almost all 100% of lowes stores will carry the newer version...my store sold out of the old ones fall of 2016 already. The revised versions come in a black and red box, much like their website. The older versions had a white and red box. You can get them for as low as $18 on amazon.
I just installed a second deadbolt to my garage entry doors last night, and installed a one sided deadbolt to my front door. My front door will no longer be used for entry from the outside, only the garage entry doors.
These deadbolts are also ANSI grade 1. I did this because I stupidly installed the deadbolt right where the storm door handle is, and the deadbolt that was on there stuck out too far and hit the door handle.. this single sided one doesn't have that problem.
I've never lived in an area where we really had to worry about such a thought but I have always loved two story homes, live in them all my life. I enjoy the separation of personal/sleep space to the commune areas below, nice sense of privacy. That being said we do have an alarm, firearms, a dog, and a fire ladder that could always come in handy.
Thankfully it's not of major concern but there are options.
I don't think single or two story makes a difference. I lived in both. I just have a good security system. It gives me a warning. My dogs will start barking and I have guns nearby. I dont want to hurt anyone but I have no issue to do it to protect my family.
I feel safer in a two story because I sleep so soundly that I never hear anything. I have two dogs that would eventually wake me up, but by that time, someone could already be next to my bed in a one story house. Between the dogs and the noisy stairs I'd have enough time to hear someone coming, get the gun, and shoot them. I would also never feel comfortable sleeping with windows open at night in a house with windows so close to the ground. We have a door in the bedroom farthest from ours on the second story that we could escape from if we needed to. I'll leave it open at night as well. You would need a ladder to get to it unless there is more then one intruder. We do have a nice fence with iron posts and deadbolts on each gate. Our first floor windows are high enough off of the ground that you would need a ladder as well to reach them. We live in a very safe community and I've always felt very safe in the house, well, except for whatever walks the hall upstairs and the staircase that can't be seen.
What if you cannot find the key when a fire breaks out?
The ones we had didn’t have keys. There was a smooth chain and heavy cotterpins attached to the bars behind a panel. You open the panel, pull the pins out, and push the bars open. And because you check them every few months, you get very well versed in doing this.
Where were had them, they were needed. It was an old home, converted into two apartments, and it was built out to fit the lot, so people walking by on the sidewalk could literally lift their arm and knock on the apartment door and keep walking.
Which people did all the time. We stopped reacting to it.
Then some stole the electric meter. Bad neighborhood.
Just my $0.02...but I honestly don't know of anyone that would want me dead or want to injure me so if my house looks like someone is home - lights on, computer screens on and visible in the main windows, TV on, etc., I'm honestly not that concerned that I'll get broken into. Thieves generally don't want to mess with people.
And if I'm out of the house at work or whatever, that's what I have my homeowner's insurance for. Sure, I lock my doors...but I don't have a guard dog or cameras all over and I certainly don't like guns. That can turn into a big macho ego trip about protecting your family so those guys can have at it.
I figure at least half my battle is fought by living in a very solidly middle class neighborhood that isn't rich enough to attract anyone wanting to get more than a TV and a laptop - no safes, no jewels, no thousands in cash laying around.
What's hilarious is when I hear of people calling the cops because they left their third vehicle in the driveway with the doors unlocked and some kids came by and stole some change! So yeah, I try not to do dumb stuff like that.
Just my $0.02...but I honestly don't know of anyone that would want me dead or want to injure me so if my house looks like someone is home - lights on, computer screens on and visible in the main windows, TV on, etc., I'm honestly not that concerned that I'll get broken into. Thieves generally don't want to mess with people.
This...I understand that random violence can and does occur. But, most people that are victims aren't accidental or random victims. They have something someone wants. It can be shady, like someone is known to be a major player in the drug business, or simply someone that is known to own a restaurant or jewelry store or otherwise has a high profile and is successful.
The sales director at Widget Corporation? Not so likely.
If someone breaks into my house, I'm pretty certain that they just want my TV and laptop. I don't see how a one story house would be more lucrative to rob than a two story. If they do it while I'm home my dog will likely scare them off (he's gentle but has a vicous bark, and he's a big dog that looks halfway intimidating,) and will slam against a door if someone tries to enter. If not, I hope they leave him be in his crate. The rest of it can be replaced.
I don't know the odds but I would have to imagine you're more likely to hurt yourself falling down the stairs than being killed or injured from someone breaking in. I would get an alarm and rest easy.
As you age those stairs could be a problem 24X7. And a significant safety hazard. You do not often have to worry about intruders. And I would assume anyone strong enough to break in could navigate the stairs easily. I would get a dog.
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