Had a scare last night...

[wadejjet]

It's 1:45 am, my wife and I are asleep in our bed with our 20 month old daughter between us. Something wakes me up that sounds like the crack of glass. It happens nearly the same second that the heat in the house quits running and I lay there and try to convince myself that it was only the filter in the vent return, only seconds later to hear the very distinct sound of shattering glass. I'm blind as a bat without glasses so I hop out of bed, throw those on and reach for my trusty Glock and SureFire light. Our door is partially closed so I open it the rest of the way to examine the area of the house that I can see from our doorway. No movement. Since the three of us are the only people who should be there, I close and lock our door, lay down the pistol, and switch to the 590A1 in the corner. My wife is on the phone with 911 (she woke up when I jumped out of bed but didn't hear the glass breaking herself) and our daughter is fast asleep. The police come, walk around the perimeter and check all of the windows to find no broken glass.  :confused:

 

I still believe the sound I heard this morning was the crack of glass followed by a shatter, but I have not found the culprit...yet! I suspect the answer will be in our attic directly over our bedroom with the two tons of junk we hoard up there. This evening I intend to prove I'm not crazy!

 

Regardless, since then I've replayed this over and over in my mind, as many of you would, to consider what I could/should have done differently in this scenario. I'm curious what you would do in a similar scenario in your home? Should I have grown a pair and checked it out further myself? In the past when I've heard things go bump in the night, I've always left our room to check it out. Tonight with our daughter in our room though, standing my ground with my 12 gauge aimed at our door felt like the best decision. What are your thoughts??

Edited March 8, 2013 by wadejjet

[Guest kj4gxu]

Sounds like you handled it well to me.  From your story it sounds like everything of importance in the house was right there in the bedroom with you.  The stuff in the rest of the house is just that, stuff.  You'd have been legally justified in investigating yourself, but in my opinion there's nothing wrong with remaining in a more fortified position and waiting for the police.  Glad it turned out to be nothing of importance.

[UncleJak]

Protecting your daughter is priority #1 and you made a good choice. 

[Guest Cogent Design]

One thing about meeting the threat is that at the very least, if the intruder gets away, he will know you will meet him with force if he reenters your home. Any self preserving individual would steer clear after encountering you and your 590. But staying and protecting your wife and child was probably right. Calling 911 was a good call.

Edited March 8, 2013 by Cogent Design

[wipfel]

I would agree.  The deciding factor to me is you were sure you heard shattering glass.  If I were unsure of whether I heard anything suspicious (or wasn't sure what I heard), I might check the house instead of calling the cops.  Given that everything you needed to protect was in the same room and you were convinced of what you heard, I think that was the right thing to do.

[Volzfan]

I think you did a great job of protecting the MOST valuable gems in the house! 

[maroonandwhite]

I think you did the right thing. That's what I would have done.As others said if your entire family is already in the room with you then stay hunkered down and call the cops. You tip the odds closer to 50/50 when you go out looking for him as he could be anywhere in the house. In your bedroom you know he has to come through that door.

[wadejjet]

Thanks guys. In the moment it made sense and seemed like the right decision. Of course its a completely different ball game if that little girl will ever start sleeping through the night in her bedroom again. Nothing like those kind of noises to wake you up quickly and get your chest pounding though.

[wadejjet]

I would agree.  The deciding factor to me is you were sure you heard shattering glass.  If I were unsure of whether I heard anything suspicious (or wasn't sure what I heard), I might check the house instead of calling the cops.  Given that everything you needed to protect was in the same room and you were convinced of what you heard, I think that was the right thing to do.

 

That has sort of been the way I've operated in the past. If I've heard something that was odd but still sounded like it was outside around the house, I've always gone to check it out. I guess the expectation that the broken glass was one of the windows and the possibility of some thug coming through one shortly, made me reconsider. 

[maroonandwhite]

On a side note I hate those filters creaking after the heat goes off! Our vent is right outside of our bedroom door and that thing still wakes me up sometimes with all that loud popping. Hard to believe how much air is actually moving through that thing.

[Dennis1209]

Not saying you didn't hear glass breaking but, on occasion just as it seems I'm transitioning from awake to sleep, I'll hear a loud something in my ears that jars me awake?

 

You did the best thing IMO. When in doubt call 9-1-1, as that's what they get paid to do and taxes are paid for.

 

When my ADT alarm went off at 3:00 A.M., I discovered my Remington 870 was to unwieldy for the configuration of my home, as I had to make my way from the bedroom to the kitchen to silence the blasting alarm. Given the choice I would have stayed in the bedroom and called 9-1-1 and had the shotgun trained on the bedroom door that do not have a lock on it.

 

Since then, I made some changes, one of them being I installed a 6 position stock on my 870 and makes a big difference rounding corners. But still more comfortable and maneuverable with a HG.

[safeandsecure]

Sounds like you have your priorities in order. Glad it was nothing.

 

Years ago - before our boy came along - had a home invasion. Verbal warning scared him off. Never caught the culprit. Since then, have added a security system and an extra handgun for the wife, just in case, along with an extra loaded mag for both pistols.

 

Boy is now grown and gone.  And unless grandkids are over, I keep one beside my chair in the den as well (sometimes go to sleep trying to watch the 10 o'clock news and don't make it to the bedroom til a pee call wakes me up). Also keep my EDC on me at home until I get ready for bed.

 

Don't want anyone taking my stuff, but I will not allow my most precious possessions (family) to be threatened.

[RED333]

100% the right thing, no need to put your self or family in harms way.

Ya done good, REAL GOOD!

[peejman]

Sounds like you did the right thing. 

 

As for the noises...  I've had stuff fall over in the attic, pots/pan that weren't stacked particularly well come crashing down inside the kitchen cabinet, stuff fall off shelves in the garage, the cat knock over a table lamp, and the thing that scared me the most... the suction cupped shower caddy thing come crashing down. 

 

 

On a side note I hate those filters creaking after the heat goes off! Our vent is right outside of our bedroom door and that thing still wakes me up sometimes with all that loud popping. Hard to believe how much air is actually moving through that thing.

 

Turn the fan from "auto" to "on".  The fan will run 24/7.  Your air will be cleaner, the HVAC won't cycle as often, and your utility bill may drop. 

[maroonandwhite]

Sounds like you did the right thing. 

 

As for the noises...  I've had stuff fall over in the attic, pots/pan that weren't stacked particularly well come crashing down inside the kitchen cabinet, stuff fall off shelves in the garage, the cat knock over a table lamp, and the thing that scared me the most... the suction cupped shower caddy thing come crashing down. 

 

 

 

Turn the fan from "auto" to "on".  The fan will run 24/7.  Your air will be cleaner, the HVAC won't cycle as often, and your utility bill may drop. 

That's interesting. I have never heard this. Not saying you're not right just never heard it. Would that not lend to early failure of the fan motors or anything?

[Monkeyman2500]

Got one word for you, DOGS. I know, not everyone can have one, or in our case a bunch, but they are great for letting you know what's up. I couldn't sleep without them. With your situation I definitely think you did the right thing.

[maroonandwhite]

My dachshunds have learned every noise in the house so they don't bark at the creaks and such. They go nuts if something is out of place though and will wake you out of the deepest sleep possible.

[Troutburger]

+1 for leaving the heat pump fan running.  Mine has run continually for 13 yrs no issues so far...its like a whole house air filtration unit. 

With 2 dogs, a cat, and a baby, I figure we need all the filtration we can get...

[maroonandwhite]

Well that's it then. I'm gonna try it and see. I guess I always just thought that ON meant everything stayed on. Know that I sit back and think about it I feel kinda stoopid. :rofl:

[monkeylizard]

Aw man....if that was me, I'd have grabbed my AR-15 with NV ACOG, my backup MP-5 with a silencer, put on my 5.11 gloves, vest and kevlar helmet and swept the house to dispatch the opfor with extreme prejudice. I'd have proceeded to clear the attic, the crawl space, and the backyard shed using tactical moves I learned playing COD Black Ops. It's totally like the real thing. It's what the Army uses to train their people now, just on bigger screens. My buddy's a SEAL Team VI member and he said it's true. I'm glad I didn't get the HBAR on my AR-15. Those are no good for clearing rooms.

 

J/K.

 

 

Seriously though, you did the exact right thing. You had a good position with your family behind you and the cops on the way. No reason to risk getting yourself shot, or having to deal with the aftermath of even a justified SD shooting if you don't absolutely have to.

Edited March 8, 2013 by monkeylizard

[safeandsecure]

+1 on dogs and motion-activated flood lights.

[peejman]

Well that's it then. I'm gonna try it and see. I guess I always just thought that ON meant everything stayed on. Know that I sit back and think about it I feel kinda stoopid. :rofl:

 

That switch only controls the air handler (aka, the fan).  The thermostat still cycles as needed.  Motors wear out more starting and stopping than by running continuously.  The motor doesn't draw much power once it's running.  The power saved by the reduced cycling frequency generally more than offsets the power consumed by the fan running continuously. 

 

Once you get used to the sound of it running all the time, the house will be eerily quiet when the power goes out.  Use a quality pleated air filter with MERV rating of 8-11 or MPR rating of 800-1500 and change it roughly every 2-3 months.  The higher the number, the better it works, more it costs, and faster it clogs up.

 

now... back to things that go bump in the night...

[Makiaveli]

That switch only controls the air handler (aka, the fan).  The thermostat still cycles as needed.  Motors wear out more starting and stopping than by running continuously.  The motor doesn't draw much power once it's running.  The power saved by the reduced cycling frequency generally more than offsets the power consumed by the fan running continuously. 

 

Once you get used to the sound of it running all the time, the house will be eerily quiet when the power goes out.  Use a quality pleated air filter with MERV rating of 8-11 or MPR rating of 800-1500 and change it roughly every 2-3 months.  The higher the number, the better it works, more it costs, and faster it clogs up.

 

now... back to things that go bump in the night...

 

2 things....What monkeylizard said :) and @ peejman I was under the impression that the thicker filters reduced air flow, and thus make the HVAC unit work harder which lead to shorter lifespan. Course I used the thin cheap ones, changed them monthly and the <deleted> thing died 2 months after the warranty so I am open to suggestions :)

[wadejjet]

Ok so I didn't dream the noises! After about 20 minutes of looking around the house this evening I started checking glasses in our kitchen cabinets...bingo! Last night the wife had just unloaded the dishwasher before bed. There were three glass cups stacked together and for whatever reason the bottom one cracked and then a big chunk broke away hitting the other glasses in the cabinet making the shattering noise I heard.

[monkeylizard]

If she stacked them while still hot, that can happen. Glass is strange stuff. I've talked with a guy who managed a bottling facility in Louisville (old Forrester) who said he's seen bottles get dropped to concrete from 12 feet and not break, and has seen them break while being picked up by a human hand.