I've seen thread after thread on other forums about people "clearing" their houses when they hear a bump in the night ... or thinking about how they would clear their home if they heard something that they thought needed to be investigated.
Let me make my opinion abundantly clear ... CLEARING A ROOM, BUILDING OR AREA IS AN ACTIVITY THAT SHOULD BE LEFT TO TEAMS OF TRAINED PROFESSIONALS.
Military and law enforcement teams train for hundreds of hours to learn and hone the skills necessary to clear an area, building or room. They do it in teams ... for a reason. Most civilians don't have the training or the team to "clear" their home. This is one case when the phrase, "Don't try this at home," really applies. You and your family have a much better chance of survival if you stick together, in a safe area, call the cops and maintain a defensive posture. (Clearing is not defensive.) In some states, it is even possible that going on the offensive to clear your home exposes you to legal ramifications to which you would not be exposed if you maintain an exclusively defensive posture.
Tactically, my recommendation (if you hear something that sounds threatening) is to gather your family in the most defensible area of the house possible. You should have a plan for your family that takes the variables into account (day time, night time, heavy sleepers, etc.), communicate that plan and practice it regularly.
There's a reason it's called self-defense/home defense not offense!
Let me make my opinion abundantly clear ... CLEARING A ROOM, BUILDING OR AREA IS AN ACTIVITY THAT SHOULD BE LEFT TO TEAMS OF TRAINED PROFESSIONALS.
Military and law enforcement teams train for hundreds of hours to learn and hone the skills necessary to clear an area, building or room. They do it in teams ... for a reason. Most civilians don't have the training or the team to "clear" their home. This is one case when the phrase, "Don't try this at home," really applies. You and your family have a much better chance of survival if you stick together, in a safe area, call the cops and maintain a defensive posture. (Clearing is not defensive.) In some states, it is even possible that going on the offensive to clear your home exposes you to legal ramifications to which you would not be exposed if you maintain an exclusively defensive posture.
Tactically, my recommendation (if you hear something that sounds threatening) is to gather your family in the most defensible area of the house possible. You should have a plan for your family that takes the variables into account (day time, night time, heavy sleepers, etc.), communicate that plan and practice it regularly.
There's a reason it's called self-defense/home defense not offense!