Home Security Services

[AdamDuritz99]

I'm thinking about getting a home securty service. Are they worthwhile and if so, which service company is better? ADT, Brinks, or another company?

 

[AdamDuritz99]

ttt

 

[wyvrn]

I'd like to know also..

 

[orakle]

if nothing else, i think having a security system installed reduces your homeowner's insurance.

 

[JEDI]

so does a home alarm system that u can buy from radio shack.

 

[MustISO]

It lets me know when I should get my gun... that's worth it to me

 

[wyvrn]

Originally posted by: JEDI
so does a home alarm system that u can buy from radio shack.

Actually many insurance carriers have strict requirements that a RS alarm isn't going to meet. I just got faxed a full page of them that we have to meet to get the discount on our insurance.

 

[AdamDuritz99]

well a break on home insurance is great bonus, but getting a home security system just for that seems kind of.... inefficient. Lets say home ins. is 500 with out a security system. I don't know what the drop of price would be but let's say 25%. So you save 125 dollars. Well now lets just say a security service is 25/monthly. hmm... that's 300 a year. So you really don't save on money, and it's pointless if you are just getting it to get a break on home ins. Now don't get get me wrong, the drop in home ins premium is nice, but I'm looking for more of an incentive. ie. feeling safe, protecting valuables, fire protection/alarm.

so which company service is better? Are they really helpful to deter crime from your home. Does the avg. burgular really pay attention to the window stickers and if they do break in, do they typically leave immediatly?

peace
sean

 

[Anubis]

yes
ADT > *

 

[Mookow]

Originally posted by: Anubis
yes
Akita > *

Fixed. .

 

[Anubis]

Originally posted by: Mookow

Originally posted by: Anubis
yes
Akita > *

Fixed. .

ill give you that BUT, a pure bred Akita isnt cheap, neither is feeding it, im gonna say it costs just as much as an ADT install and monthly payments,

ADT works when you dog isnt home also

 

[Papagayo]

Be very careful with the contracts..

They are very tricky.

I have Guardian, signed up for 5 years.. I have 30 days to cancel at the end of the 5th year, if I don't they it automatically gets renewed for additional 5 years..


They suck.. You can't get out of it early either..

 

[RedRooster]

We got ADT with our new house, I think it was worth it.
We got to choose the hardware and it was all free, as was installation. Must've been some kind of limited time deal.
Just straight into the $25 monitoring fees for 2 years and then the equipment is ours and the contract doesn't auto renew, but I will anyways.
Now that I think about it, that was a pretty good deal. Haven't had it go off yet, but it makes you 'feel' safer, since we can't have guns up here.

Plus it gives me a little more comfort when I leave our pets at home alone, if there's smoke or flooding or anything at least someone will know.

 

[TMPadmin]

I've had my ADT for about two years now and I'm absolutely paranoid the thing is going to go off on a false alarm. This happened once at 3am. Actually twice that same night. I ended up slipping on my jammies on the new hardwood floor right on my back. Kids were crying the fire dept was at my house, phone was ringing (ADT checking if everything was okay). Hasn't tripped in about a year now (the installer "fixed" everything by putting in new smoke detectors. So now I have redundant smoke monitoring - one hooked to ADT one not just sounds.

I am changing from Cable modem to DSL and my security system needs a filter like any other phone or modem or TiVO. So I have to either pay them $25 service fee and $50 filter purchase or rewire everything myself. It's going to be a pain but I know how to do it now, plus all 20 phones in the house will be filtered as well. The builder didn't do it right, I will.

We have a big house and our third child is on the way. After the 3am feasco I wanted to cancel but I was locked into the 3 year contract and could only buy out my remaining year, plus having such a big house I feel better knowing we are "protected". I was looking on the web and my ademco system can be upgraded with components to turn on / off lights, adjust the heat / AC, monitor the sump pump (which did flood recently). Plus I do get a break on one part of my homeowners ins. But I wouldn't get a system just for the break.

One think you need to realize with the stickers - if an intruder sees the "protected by ADT" he will know to simply cut the phone wire outside. It then won't call. But my bet is he will go to the next house.

 

[GTI337]

I would call around to some local home security companies. Also ask your neighbors for recomendations. Most of the time you can find a local company that will do the same thing Brinks or ADT will do with no contract and for less money. BTW, my alarm has saved my possesions twice now.

 

[LuckyTaxi]

My parents have had ADT for over 8 years now. We cut it off for the past 3 years because my mom stated it was getting too expensive. Whatever ...

She recently turned the service back on a month ago and I had a score to settle with them. About 6 years ago my dad forgot to lock the door leading to our garage. After the 40 seconds (whatever amount it was) was up and the system armed itself, the door swung open and the alarm went off. Everyone else in the house was sleeping heavily and then the loud screeching alarm came on and i ran downstairs to try to shut it off. ADT NEVER called in to see what the problem was. I had to call them to tell them our alarm went off by accident and I needed to shut it off.