OT: Home Security Systems

[Kirk007]

Moving to the (a) Big City and a very urban section at that, so considering home security system. Some of the pros/cons of the various systems, not to mention the marketing schemes are obvious. And we had a monitored hard wired system 18 years ago but since then have done without. But I wonder what else I might be missing with some of the new technology.

Likes/Dislikes? Any one familiar with "pre-entry" wireles systems that appear to rely solely on sound detection rather than sensors (something like this: www.homesecuritywashington.com/index.html).

Appreciate any thoughts/experiences good and bad. Thanks!

[Peter P.]

The best security system is a sign in the front and back doors that says, Beware of Dog, even if you don't own one. That's a little known law enforcement fact.

[Fixed]

a dog and a security system ?
. brinks is what we have at work
a dog works but you don't want it to get hurt
cheers
http://www.homesecuritydeals.com/brinks

[BumbleBeeDave]

. . . of a bid bad dog, but I'm betting William will save me the trouble.

BBD

[rwsaunders]

I recall this subject being previously discussed...with a lot of dog references.

http://forums.thepaceline.net/showthread.php?t=81959&highlight=security+system

[GuyGadois]

A dog helps or just buy the security sign and stickers to put on the windows. That will deter most robbers.

Gadois

[Kirk007]

. . . of a bid bad dog, but I'm betting William will save me the trouble.

BBD
I was thinking of just posting a pix of William :)

[Fixed]

my security system is sleeping on the couch right now
cheers

[GuyGadois]

When we had our house burglarized a few years ago we had two large Rhodesian Ridgebacks in the area the burglars went through. The cops laughed when we asked how they got through the dog area and said that experienced burglars carry milk bones and make new furry friends while taking your stuff. We got a security system installed but, honestly, if they see the security sign they tend to move to the next, easier target.

Gadois

[1centaur]

There are 10,000 alarm installation companies in the United States but only 3 with national reach (my firm owns an investment in one so I've seen the pitch book). ADT is by far the largest. This matters because I knew a college kid 25 years ago who sold alarm systems in the summer and had to quit because he was Mormon and the circuit boards were apparently junk that caused customers all sorts of problems (false alarms among them); he found this morally troubling. The tiny alarm companies get their alarms wherever and then outsource the monitoring function to call centers run by others, in many cases. As a buyer, you should care about the hardware, the installation and the monitoring.

If I were looking today, I'd be looking for wireless contact points in order to reduce the wired installation hassle, but I would not rely on sound only (no pets?). I would at least use one of the large companies' reps to make recommendations before deciding how much protection I need. And I'd talk to the local police about what they've seen work and not work.

[Peter P.]

People; I think you missed the point.

You don't need the dog; just the sign.

[godfrey1112000]

Next Topic Please

[William]

. . . of a bid bad dog, but I'm betting William will save me the trouble.

BBD


We use the Bruno 5000 security system. :)




William

[SEABREEZE]

Dont be surprised, if you did get sued by the home intruder, if your dog bites him or her. Seen it happen several times on the news brodcasts, where the home owners dog attacks the intruder.

Sometime we just have a hard time rapping our mind around some of the laws.

[Frankwurst]

We use the Remington 870 security system. Very reliable. :beer:

[SEABREEZE]

Something to consider is tiny cameras set up to your computer. On the news I seen this guy on a business trip to texas, where he saw his home being burgalarized in another state that he was able to monitor from his I phone.

Called his local police, they arrived, burgalars heard them, and they took off.

The draw back here is if they go for your computer, or that they are smart enough to disconnect computer, I can see this failing.

[William]

We use the Remington 870 security system. Very reliable. :beer:

Guard dogs are great, but they have to be fed, walked
groomed, trained. This back up I just have to oil. ;)

http://www.mossberg.com/images/Mossberg_Guns/930/New/50591.jpg




William

[Dave B]

I am going to be very unpopular here and i am fully aware of this, however there isn't enough protection you can have.

My wife and I had our garage/cars broken into and while not much was taken (in fact they took almost nothing) the reaction I saw in my wife and how scared she looked. I also have a 5 year old alseep down the hall when this happened.

There isn't anyhting I wouldn't do to protect them. wek later we got a security system (ADT) and while we have a dog, he is about as useful as a poopy flavored lolipop. He does have a nice growl, but he is a baby.

I don't have a gun, but it is somethingI am beginning to think about. I interact with our Local Police daily (DARE program) and have become great friends with so many of them. The make extra effrots to swing by my house and see how we are doing and just make their presence known.

I would gladly allow a theif to walk through my home and take whatever they want. However, they lay a finger on any one of my girls and they will get a bullet in the head. Period.

none of my stuff is worth fighting for, but those girls...I would give my life for them and they deserve to feel protected at any cost.

That may be backward thinking, but it is where my heart is.

[SEABREEZE]

Frankwurst and Big Bill, the problem with wepontry is you have to be home, when the crime occurs... Not always the case.

[93legendti]

A dog doesn't do anything when you are away from home; it doesn't call the police; it doesn't call the fire dept and it doesn't lower your insurance premiums.

To each their own, but the last thing I do before going to sleep is make sure the alarm is on. Then, I sleep very well.

[93legendti]

I am going to be very unpopular here and i am fully aware of this, however there isn't enough protection you can have.

My wife and I had our garage/cars broken into and while not much was taken (in fact they took almost nothing) the reaction I saw in my wife and how scared she looked. I also have a 5 year old alseep down the hall when this happened.

There isn't anyhting I wouldn't do to protect them. wek later we got a security system (ADT) and while we have a dog, he is about as useful as a poopy flavored lolipop. He does have a nice growl, but he is a baby.

I don't have a gun, but it is somethingI am beginning to think about. I interact with our Local Police daily (DARE program) and have become great friends with so many of them. The make extra effrots to swing by my house and see how we are doing and just make their presence known.

I would gladly allow a theif to walk through my home and take whatever they want. However, they lay a finger on any one of my girls and they will get a bullet in the head. Period.

none of my stuff is worth fighting for, but those girls...I would give my life for them and they deserve to feel protected at any cost.

That may be backward thinking, but it is where my heart is.
No argument here.

After a few of those horrific cases where young girls were taken from the 2nd stories of ther homes, I make sure after the cleaning woman is gone that the safety tabs on the windows are pulled out. That way, the windows can not be opened more than 3". A policeman once told me how effective those tabs are.

I don't care about statistics and chances. If it happens to my family I feel it 100%.

[William]

Frankwurst and Big Bill, the problem with wepontry is you have to be home, when the crime occurs... Not always the case.

Very true. The bottom line is that there really is no 100% fool proof form of home/personal security. The best you can do is improve your odds by making your home appear to, and actually be, a hard target. Security signs and mean looking dogs staring out the window help. Hopefully if your neighborhood is being cased, they will move on to an easier looking target.

If my family and I are not home and the house is broken into, it would really suck, but at least we are safe. If it's a home invasion (and it's happened in the area before), then I want every means at my disposal to deter the effort and protect my family. In that case, the dogs are more of an early warning system. The weapons are just in case. As much as I respect Law Enforcement and the job they do, the fact of the matter is that they won't likely get to you until after the fact. There is nothing wrong with personal security (with all the safety considerations) and the intent to take it as far as needed if you are forced to do so.

This is all atmo of course.



William

[vqdriver]

To the op, you'll have to decide which avenue of prevention/protection you want. But you asked about alarms so I'll toss in my .02 cuz I went thru this process last year.


1. regardless of the company you contract with, stick with NEW GE, honeywell, or DMT gear. These will normally be warrantied for the duration of your service contract. alarm monitoring companies make their money on the monitoring, not hardware sales.

2. ADT is nationwide and sold by local "installers" (those are the ones sending you coupons when you get your change of address/welcome to the neighborhood packet) and by ADT corporate. They sell the same monitoring services but the installation competency varies greatly. If you decide to go with ADT make sure corporate is doing the install. Btw they're big enough that your monitoring may be done in another state. You decide if that's a plus or minus.

3. Wireless window sensors with hardwired door sensors and motion sensors in the master bed are de riguer and pretty much the minimum you'll need. Its kinda pointless to only put sensors in some entry points and not others. It is NOT as expensive as you may think. Remember they want your service contract not a one time hardware sale so they are pretty flexible on this.

4. The wireless sensors have proven to work quite well. Havent had to change a battery since the installation and you get warnings via the panel when it's time. The company I went with waits for the first low bat warning and comes to change all of them together. I was skeptical at first but I trust the wireless stuff now.

5. You can get gsm backup systems that will transmit a heartbeat and alarms via cell towers in the case you have no landline or if it's cut. In my area that's almost standard issue now as well.

6. You can control some systems with an iPhone app which has a virtual keypad. I use DMT which is text messaging based and love it.

7. None of the above matter if you don't arm the system. Make it a habit.

[93legendti]

To the op, you'll have to decide which avenue of prevention/protection you want. But you asked about alarms so I'll toss in my .02 cuz I went thru this process last year.


1. regardless of the company you contract with, stick with NEW GE, honeywell, or DMT gear. These will normally be warrantied for the duration of your service contract. alarm monitoring companies make their money on the monitoring, not hardware sales.

2. ADT is nationwide and sold by local "installers" (those are the ones sending you coupons when you get your change of address/welcome to the neighborhood packet) and by ADT corporate. They sell the same monitoring services but the installation competency varies greatly. If you decide to go with ADT make sure corporate is doing the install. Btw they're big enough that your monitoring may be done in another state. You decide if that's a plus or minus.

3. Wireless window sensors with hardwired door sensors and motion sensors in the master bed are de riguer and pretty much the minimum you'll need. Its kinda pointless to only put sensors in some entry points and not others. It is NOT as expensive as you may think. Remember they want your service contract not a one time hardware sale so they are pretty flexible on this.

4. The wireless sensors have proven to work quite well. Havent had to change a battery since the installation and you get warnings via the panel when it's time. The company I went with waits for the first low bat warning and comes to change all of them together. I was skeptical at first but I trust the wireless stuff now.

5. You can get gsm backup systems that will transmit a heartbeat and alarms via cell towers in the case you have no landline or if it's cut. In my area that's almost standard issue now as well.

6. You can control some systems with an iPhone app which has a virtual keypad. I use DMT which is text messaging based and love it.

7. None of the above matter if you don't arm the system. Make it a habit.
I don't want my sensors in the master bed, I want to know if someone is in the house BEFORE they get in my room, or upstairs. My motion sensors cover every possible entrypoint downstairs-including the staircase upstairs.

[csm]

Remington 870 sp turkey gun here. only need it when I'm home.
I think people ought to post "Gun-Free Home" signs in their yards; kinda the oppositie of "beware of dog."

[vqdriver]

Well the master bed sensor is for burglaries when no ones around since that's the first place they go. The sensors cover entry points. Motion sensors in major areas like common hallways or great rooms if you can. If you're home and someone heads to occupied rooms an alarm isn't going to protect you.

[Louis]

I'm going to show my ignorance here, but what does the typical home burglar break in to steal?

If you're worried about somebody breaking in to kidnap someone from your home, then I have to believe that your fears are irrational and misplaced. How often does that happen? Granted it makes the splash in the news when it does occur, but if you're worried about safety, then I bet a big-honking Volvo on the highway and defensive driving classes will contribute more to your family's safety than a squad of Marines living full-time in the basement.