<p>Once again last evening two young men knocked on the door. I checked through the peephole and decided not to open the door. They knocked, then they knocked with a tune…
We seem to get this 2-3 times a week every spring. It is not safe and it is annoying.
As I see my options–put a security door over my beautiful wood door, set up a camera or an intercom system on the front porch.
Any other ideas or any sources to purchase such items? Have googled but have not found exactly what I would like which would be a camera and an intercom unit.</p>
<p>If it is annoying, why not display “No solicitation” on your door?</p>
<p>Do a google search for Smarthome. They have all kinds of products which will fit your needs and most are fairly easy to install yourself.</p>
<p>We have done the No Soliciataion sign before and it does not keep many from ringing the door anyway–esp. those who are trying to get sign ups for good causes. We give to certain causes but won’t hand out checks at the door, in any event.
Just wondered if anyone had a good system/source that left them feeling safer.</p>
<p>Go see the ‘gun’ thread. ;)</p>
<p>In my area I sometimes put a ‘No Trabajo’ sign on the door since I get a lot of illegals knocking on the door looking for work. These guys have always been very respectful though and usually knock/ring and then stand way back from the doorstep - like 10 feet back because I think they want to make sure they don’t intimidate anyone. I wish more solicitors were like them.</p>
<p>Otherwise, we frequently will just ignore the knock or look out a window where we can see who it is. Other times I go ahead and open the door and tell the solicitor, usually a religion solicitor trying to get me to join their religion, or someone trying to sell magazine subscriptions, that I accept no door to door solicitors under any circumstances then just close the door - i.e. I don’t argue about it.</p>
<p>I’ve thought about installing a wireless webcam that can send the image to a computer. That way you could monitor the doorstep even when you aren’t home - if you wanted to.</p>
<p>That’s what I am thinking about–a wireless webcam. But I would like an intercom also and have not found (just started looking) a combo. We have no window at all that shows who is at the door and the peephole is distorted just enough that at times, like yesterday evening, I could not really see who it was. On top of that they can see my shadow as I approach the peephole. It is just amazing that they will walk down an very steep hill and then down a lane with only 3 houses on it and then ring the bell and then knock and knock as if we are going to be interested if they are just persistent enough. I wish there was a National “do not solicite” like the “do not call” registration.</p>
<p>A large dog with an intimating bark, trained to bark like the dickens if the doorbell is rung, or if a knock is heard.</p>
<p>Two are better.</p>
<p>We trained our Newfs as puppies to bark aggressively at doorbells, knocks, and they jump to attention and start the cacophony if you just say “who dat”.</p>
<p>Works virtually 100% of the time.</p>
<p>Little does the solicitor (or perp) now that the only peril they may face from a Newf is being drowned in drool.</p>
<p>violadad
Great post. Reminds me of my late lamented lab.</p>
<p>There seem to be some combo units available. Google - wireless video intercom. I found, for example, this one - [Secure</a> your property with the SVAT VISS7500 Hands Free Video Door Phone Intercom System from SVAT VISS VIDEO INTERCOM SECURITY SYSTEMS](<a href=“http://www.spytown.com/viss7500.html?productid=viss7500&channelid=NEXTA]Secure”>http://www.spytown.com/viss7500.html?productid=viss7500&channelid=NEXTA)</p>
<p>You could also just use a separate webcam and intercom. You could install the wireless webcam receiver adjacent to where the inside end of the intercom is mounted. </p>
<p>If you don’t want to get some big dogs yet you feel vulnerable, get some recordings of big aggressive dogs and have it ready to play on your stereo.</p>
<p>Can you peek from an upstairs window to see who’s at the door, without their seeing you? Then you can just pretend no one’s at home.</p>
<p>Not trying to minimize your concern, but that’s how we handle it.</p>
<p>Get a dog with a loud strong bark. There’s nothing like an intimidating bark to make the person on the other side of the door think twice about entering. The dog is always on duty and will happily accept a pat on the head and a dog biscuit as payment for his “work”.</p>
<p>I’m with VeryHappy. I just look out a window (or the peephole if I’m near the front door anyway) and, if I don’t like what I see, I don’t open the door. That method is a lot cheaper than either a dog or a camera.</p>
<p>^^ The OP said there’s no window that overlooks the doorstep.</p>
<p>Our Wheaten also goes crazy at the sound of the doorbell – or even just the sound of the UPS truck coming up the driveway. Little does anyone know that he’s really trying to get outside to play with the newcomer, and would probably just lick him/her to death.</p>
<p>And off topic, but … violodad, you have Newfies?? My brother had had several Newfies over the years (only 1 at the moment) – too big for our tastes, but so lovable!</p>
<p>Many dogs are “silent killers”. Our neighbors had a picture of their intimidating-looking dog posted near the door. H wants to make signs “May I help you?” with a picture of our pup. LOL.</p>
<p>I once had to yell “honey, call 911” when overzealous Witnesses pushed their way into our house even though I said they were not welcome. Nowadays I always peek to see who is knocking. </p>
<p>I think a wireless camera may be enough. If you want the visitors to come in, you’ll come to the door anyway. If you do not know what they are doing on your doorstep, no conversation is needed IMO.</p>
<p>Our development has no solicitation signs and the neighborhood is aggressive about calling the police when a solicitor shows up. They usually show up in a squad car to talk to the solicitors and then we don’t see them again.</p>
<p>Jasco/GE makes a fairly inexpensive item called the Intellicorder. It’s a battery operated camera w/ motion sensor that records to a SD card. It fits into a standard peep hole size opening. </p>
<p>We’ve had them on previous houses, and they more than paid for themselves when a delivery guy claimed to have delivered a package (such as jewelry for dd’s Christmas gift) and did not. Just telling his supervisor that I had a camera on the porch seemed to cause the package to magically appear the next day. They also came in handy when a driver making a pickup for a charity starting acting…odd. I pointed out the camera and mentioned that we downloaded the images to our computer, and he suddenly decided to leave. (I didn’t tell him that the download is not wireless/instantaneous - he just assumed.)</p>
<p>Someone in the city where I work was arrested for recording a conversation between himself and police officers where the police officers behaved improperly. The guy sent the recordings to the police station and they charged him with recording without permission. He did have a sign but I think that it was deemed too small. I think that they eventually dropped the charges and took disciplinary actions against one of the police officers. There was a massive outcry around the state over this issue.</p>
<p>
Our town has a no unregistered solicitors ordinance. Also residents can sign up on the “do not disturb, no solicitors wanted” list at city hall. Registered solicitors have to visibly wear their police department issued ID tags around their necks and to get them have to sign off with the police department that they have read and acknowledged that do not disturb list and agree to not approach any residence on that list. Soooo, any registered solicitor that knocks on my door is doing so illegally, one call to the police dept and they loose their permit and sometimes are escorted out of town. Any non registered solicitor is first detained at the police station for a while before being escorted out of town. Sorta a police state, but it’s peaceful.</p>
<p>hey–thanks all–I love dogs but DH thinks a camera system will be cheaper 
.
U-dad I like that combo and some sites are sold out until April even though the ratings are mediium–so must be working for some.
4 trees–never thought to bring up with the HMO the idea of a no soliciting zone but will do so at the next meeting.
Again–I appreciate all of your ideas. I will say that I designed this house and “missed” the idea of being able to see the porch as I was more invested in our own privacy. Lesson learned–IF I ever get to build another home I will build in the idea of strangers at the front door.</p>