Anything special to know before getting a home security system?

[StageLeft]

ADT is a big player here - free installation and pretty cheap per month. So what do I need to know? Will any large security company now have a good solid system (using things like radio to transmit to the head office instead of phone line) and are they pretty secure?

Also I've seen some commercials for these and when the alarm goes off they then call you. That seems like a freaking waste of time to me. I understand why they do it, but is it possible to have yourself setup such that if the alarm goes off the company knows to call the police immediately instead of playing around on the phone for an extra minute? I know that these systems have 30(?) seconds anyway when the thing is tripped before the alarm goes off for when you come home and what not.

 

[Electric Amish]

Originally posted by: Skoorb
ADT is a big player here - free installation and pretty cheap per month. So what do I need to know? Will any large security company now have a good solid system (using things like radio to transmit to the head office instead of phone line) and are they pretty secure?

Also I've seen some commercials for these and when the alarm goes off they then call you. That seems like a freaking waste of time to me. I understand why they do it, but is it possible to have yourself setup such that if the alarm goes off the company knows to call the police immediately instead of playing around on the phone for an extra minute? I know that these systems have 30(?) seconds anyway when the thing is tripped before the alarm goes off for when you come home and what not.

If they don't call you to ensure an actual emergency it's possible for you to incure charges from Police calls.

amish

 

[Mill]

You know Hoover Police fines you for EVERY false alarm they receive. You are going to want them to call you. I have an alarm system at my house and have never activated it. Same way in Atlanta. My parents lived in Birmingham for 50 years without an alarm system and they were fine(no break-ins). It really depends on your area and sense of awareness. It is your money!

 

[JeffreyLebowski]

buy your self a shot gun, and learn to shoot. It's cheaper, and birds won't make it go off. Hell a robber knows he has at least 6-15 minutes to get your sh1t and get out, if you have an alarm. A shotgun requires one pump of the slide, and that mofo will sh1t his pants and run. I know this from experience. I've never seen a white guy run that fast in my life.

 

[arcas]

Just don't let a security system lure you into a false sense of security. If your intrusion alarm is tripped, it probably means they're already inside. Make sure you don't omit the smaller details of home security that can help discourage a burglar.

- Your deadbolt locks should be anchored by 3 inch screws or longer. Long enough to reach into the stud, not just the doorjam.
- Windows should have auxillery locks that are anchored to the window frame. The little twist locks on most windows are screwed onto the window sash by tiny screws and offer almost zero resistance to a prybar.

 

[Anubis]

you have to turn it on for it to work

 

[Looney]

If they don't call you to ensure an actual emergency it's possible for you to incure charges from Police calls.

Heck ya... ours went off 3 times in one month, and each time it was a $90 charge, and we didn't get a phonecall before the police showed up (was with ADT too). After that, we installed our own system.

 

[StageLeft]

Originally posted by: JeffreyLebowski
buy your self a shot gun, and learn to shoot. It's cheaper, and birds won't make it go off. Hell a robber knows he has at least 6-15 minutes to get your sh1t and get out, if you have an alarm. A shotgun requires one pump of the slide, and that mofo will sh1t his pants and run. I know this from experience. I've never seen a white guy run that fast in my life.

Sweet - which automated self-firing shotgun do you recommend I use? I've seen a couple in some video games but I didn't know you could get them installed for house use yet - also will it filter out movement from my cats?!

I want the cops called the second the thing goes off because I don't plan on falsely tripping the thing - but I do want the cops to be dispatched the second the real alarm goes off!

Anyway that stuff aside what should we know about a system if we end up buying one, which is very likely...

 

[bunker]

Do some research and stay the hell away from ADT or Brinks.

$30 a month for monitoring stuck in a 3 year contract sucks. Also you don't own the equipment with them, you're just leasing it from them, I own my system and can take it with me when/if I move. True, I paid $600 for it, where as with ADT you'll onlly pay $99 up front but I still come out ahead in the long run. I just had a wireless system installed by a local company and the monitoring is only $17 a month with no contract.

Believe me, the first time MrsSkoorb forgets about the alarm and sets it off you'll be glad they call instead of summoning the police right away! (my wife's done it 3 times in the 2 weeks we've had the system).

Go to realpages.com and do a search for home security and find a local company with cheaper monitoring. That's what I did and am quite happy with what I got.

*Edit - as far as the wireless contact to the monitoring station (no phone line), in all my research I never saw that option. What you can have is a cellular backup device installed in case your phone lines are cut. I didn't opt for that one as it was a little out of my price range.

 

[StageLeft]

Thanks for the info about pricing and what not - but in regards to setting it off by mistake how could a person do it really? I mean you go in your house and it bleeps and you have a short period in which to deactivate it - did your wife just ignore the tone or didn't hear it or what...?

 

[StageLeft]

^

 

[Looney]

Thanks for the info about pricing and what not - but in regards to setting it off by mistake how could a person do it really? I mean you go in your house and it bleeps and you have a short period in which to deactivate it - did your wife just ignore the tone or didn't hear it or what...?

Not too sure... animals, or it just malfunction and goes off? Maybe somebody did try to break in, and they saw the flashing light and ran off. Ours went off 3 times in a single month, and we had no idea what caused it. Only to be awoken in the night by the police.

Depends what the protection is for... is it for when you're at home but in bed? If so, just install your own, but make sure it's connected to a loud siren. That'll be good enough to scare away anybody that breaks in... and if not, at least you're alerted and can take care of the problem. It takes the police a few mins to get to you anyways.

 

[RobCur]

home security is a big scam. the rich are paranoid, they need something to feel safe. May as well get yourself a terminator, available soon. :Q

 

[VBboy]

X10.com has some home security systems... May not be as advanced as ADT or other security companies..

 

[morkinva]

Get the Seinfeld Clapco D-29 doorlock.

There are some systems which you cannot arm unless you have all the doors closed. This may or may not be an issue for you.

 

[kermalou]

if you have DSL, do not put the emergency call on that line, it interferes with the signal.

had a headache for two months because of it. ADT wouldn't arm the system beause of the static on the line becuase of the DSL. i had to put DSL on a second line.

 

[ElFenix]

Originally posted by: kermalou
if you have DSL, do not put the emergency call on that line, it interferes with the signal.

had a headache for two months because of it. ADT wouldn't arm the system beause of the static on the line becuase of the DSL. i had to put DSL on a second line.

was about to mention this same thing. security service + dsl = no go

 

[fatkorean]

uhh I have DSL + security on the same line and i have no problems. ? I heard that also before I got dsl, but they told me no it will work, and it does. *shrug*

 

[bunker]

Originally posted by: Skoorb
Thanks for the info about pricing and what not - but in regards to setting it off by mistake how could a person do it really? I mean you go in your house and it bleeps and you have a short period in which to deactivate it - did your wife just ignore the tone or didn't hear it or what...?

Sorry for the late response, it's my daughter's first b-day tomorrow and I've had a bit of house work to do.

We set the alarm at night when we go to bed and have a keypad in our bedroom. She forgets to turn it off when she gets up in the morning and goes downstairs and the motion alarm catches her.

To fix that I set it in stay mode so only the doors and shock sensors are active. Well, then she goes to leave for work and forgets to shut it off so as soon as she opens the door, boom, it goes off.

I've since taped a big ol' note to the garage door in pink highlighter that says ALARM so she won't forget .

 

[Mill]

I have known people who have had alarms for years and still accidently set them off. If you are sick, tired, or just not thinking you may accidently set one off.