Advice re Home Security Systems

[6518John]

fairly nice and quiet area except for the two idiot Mustang owners.

Mike —I am putting you on ignore, unfriending you and reporting this insulting post!

BTW I have seen TWO of the new Corvettes here locally in as many days. I guess they are starting to get them shipped out. Man they are nice! I window peaked one yesterday.

 

[Sistema1927]

Simplisafe here as well. We upgraded from the older system to the most recent last year, it was a huge improvement in that the signals between the keypads, fobs, and base station are encrypted. Also the fobs have a much greater range. We have cameras, including the doorbell camera. There is a panic button by the wife's side of the bed, and we also have their smoke alarm.

The monitoring staff is very professional. In addition to having a real code, we also have an alert code. If someone is holding you at gunpoint getting you to turn off the alarm, using this code alerts the monitoring staff to immediately send the police.

 

[Farmer17]

I had an alarm company wire my house as it was being built and it cost about 700 dollars 5 years ago with door and motion detectors and a loud siren. Monitoring is only $25 a month and they call right away and ask for a password and if you don't have it the cops get called immediately. Apparently police response time is fairly good around here, I'm in the construction business and we do remodels where business and home owners give us the alarm code and sometimes we fumble finger the keypad. I've had several cops walk in on me with gun in hand.

 

[Minorcan]

We have had SimpliSafe for years and are very satisfied. They work and have a good monitoring system and best of all no contract like ADT. Plus the monitoring cost is a lot less than feeding those Rottweilers and German Shepards.

 

[Jeff423]

I've always thought the sign in the yard was as effective as the hardware inside.

 

[Farmer17]

I've always thought the sign in the yard was as effective as the hardware inside.

Except the sign that says "Insured by Smith & Wesson". That just makes them want to come in when your not home and steal your guns.

 

[ladder13]

Mike —I am putting you on ignore, unfriending you and reporting this insulting post!

BTW I have seen TWO of the new Corvettes here locally in as many days. I guess they are starting to get them shipped out. Man they are nice! I window peaked one yesterday.

Hah! Can you hear me now?

I said Mustang not Shelby.

 

[TX-Dennis]

Be aware that many cities (including mine) require you to register an alarm system with the police department.

Yeah, the cops will get there after the suspects have left 99 times out of 100. The real value of an alarm system is as a deterrent to "amateur" thieves. The pros will be in and out before any response can be mounted. Several years ago I went outside to get the mail and heard a neighbor's alarm siren. I went to investigate. Back door was standing open, but no one was around. Police arrived about 15 minutes later. The burglars took three guns and some jewelry. They were gone in a flash. As far as I know they were never caught.

 

[Puller]

Some of you guys need to get with the new program. Burglary is an acceptable form of wealth distribution due to income inequality. Tax funded research shows that there is a strong and robust effect of relative income inequality on burglary.

If you make it easier for them to enter the data shows there is generally less property damage and less property is typically redistributed. Also, should there be an encounter between the property occupant and the redistributors evidence shows the violence is usually reduced, especially if the occupant does not resist.

I read this on-line just this week.

 

[duane_wade]

I've put up 4 Wyze cameras in and outside of the house. Have push notifications turned on and the system works very well. I am picking up a skybell doorbell next month so I can talk to anyone at the door but we live out in the sticks and get very few visitors. I also have very good neighbors (both believe in self preservation) on both sides so if someone's go on the property that i don't know one of them are almost always home and go check on things for me if we are gone.

Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk

 

[Farmer17]

I use to work in a building that had an alarm system siren that we called "the brain scrambler". It was kind of like an extremely loud buzzer and it was so painful to listen to you were usually running out of the building to get away from it when someone set it off. Even putting your fingers in your ears didn't stop the pain and I don't know if they still make that type siren but not many thieves could stand it for over a few seconds.

 

[Onomea]

I use to work in a building that had an alarm system siren that we called "the brain scrambler". It was kind of like an extremely loud buzzer and it was so painful to listen to you were usually running out of the building to get away from it when someone set it off. Even putting your fingers in your ears didn't stop the pain and I don't know if they still make that type siren but not many thieves could stand it for over a few seconds.

False alarms would probably not endear one to the neighbors in a housing subdivision like mine! (Sounds like a great idea for a remote location though.)

 

[Sarge9]

Went on vacation, returned to find everything gone, they used
spare car to haul things away. (spare key in junk drawer)
Car returned no gas, they even took MW. Lived in rural area, 1 neighbor.
Neighbor said I thought something was funny, curtains closed then open.
Found out who it was, but not enough for court. Relocated.
Alarm and/or dog since, 30 years now no problems. knock on wood.
IMHO courts will not do their job, and perps know this.
I like outdoor wifi cameras that send pic to your cell, you call LE.

 

[Walter Rego]

Isn't SimpliSafe the system that most burglars know can be defeated before it goes off by sticking the main unit inside the refrigerator to block the signal ?
Most people have that small tower-like unit sitting on their kitchen counter.

 

[samuelrp]

Going with a local company is the best overall three year value. Hardwired is best. A professional install will be better than diy. Most systems today can use a cellular communicator which is almost instantaneous. And, you can set your alarm on instant, using a key fob to eliminate any delay on a door. The basic do it yourself systems send a text to you for the lower price they charge. They do not notify law enforcement unless you pay more.....I think. The safety/peace of mind benefit occurs when your home with it turned on. Just my experience. Cameras are great, but that’s where diy may be ok.

 

[Capt Steve]

Things I do and don't do...

A couple of thoughts... earlier post recommended keyed deadbolts but your local fire department will confirm that is not an option... how do you get out if you can't find the key in a blazing/smokey house?

Having a sign in your yard announcing which security system you have is another bad idea. Any bad guy can get on line and research your system and probably find ways to defeat it.

If you are going too have a safe get a good one and bolt it down. My new Liberty Revere has 4 - 3" X 3/8" lag bolts screwed into the foundation and comes with 40 minute 1200 degree burn time protection.

Do not post your schedule/activties on any social media site. Bad guys have computer access too and announcing your upcoming vacation, hunting trip {whatever} is just a glowing invitation to Mr. Mayhem.

Outside of a book a dog is man's best friend... Inside of a dog it is too dark to read. {sorry could not resist}. if you can swing it a dog is probably your best bet. Even small yappy dogs {I hate those by the way} can discourage a prowler.

The neighbors at our new home have a very large 2 year old German Shepherd. She barks loudly at anyone she does not know. On day one living there I sought and received permission to give "Darby" a treat. Bought a couple boxes of decent dog bones and every morning our ritual sees her come running to the fence when I hit the garage door opener {very Pavlovian actually}. She dutifully sits on command and I toss her two treats followed by a good long scratch behind her ears and under her chin. If I ever hear her going off I will be out the door armed {I prefer hollow points in either 9mm or 38 Special around the homestead} and ready to find out why.

Lastly, I installed a video door bell which covers most of the front yard and all of the area adjacent our front door. I also have 5 Blink security cameras to cover the rest of the house and yard {.57 acres}. Both the doorbell camera and the 5 Blinks can be monitored from my smartphone. Once while camping I got an alert and saw a guy skulking around the side yard of my house before disappearing from view. Called my neighbor and he found all was well, the local gas company was replacing a meter without telling me they were coming. I called the gas company and that will NEVER happen again.

Works for me.

 

[Lee in Quartzsite]

Isn't SimpliSafe the system that most burglars know can be defeated before it goes off by sticking the main unit inside the refrigerator to block the signal ?
Most people have that small tower-like unit sitting on their kitchen counter.

Once a sensor triggers an alarm the signal is instantly sent from the Base (tower) Station. If it isn't cancelled immediately by the owner it is considered a valid alarm and will trigger a response. Even if the bad guy knows exactly where the base station is located, the alarm will have all ready been sent by the time it's disabled.

Mine....it's completely hidden and a ladder is needed to access it. There are all kinds of internet ideas of how to get around the SS system, but none have been proven to be successful, as far as I know.

It's simple and it works 100% of the time.

 

[WR Moore]

A couple of thoughts... earlier post recommended keyed deadbolts but your local fire department will confirm that is not an option... how do you get out if you can't find the key in a blazing/smokey house?

The local building inspector brought that up during his final inspection. I pointed to the chairs around the table right next to the door and the openable window 4 feet from the door. He didn't have a come back for that.

Being entirely correct, your post should read the keyed deadbolts aren't within code. What you do with your home after the inspector leaves is your business.

 

[Golddollar]

A couple of thoughts... earlier post recommended keyed deadbolts but your local fire department will confirm that is not an option... how do you get out if you can't find the key in a blazing/smokey house?

There are deadbolt locks that have to be accessed with a key to come in from the outside, but have a lever to turn in order to unlock the door from the inside.

 

[GypsmJim]

We have a "Smarthome" total house system. It was made in Israel and includes some features that I have not seen on other systems. It WAS a DIY install and most of the components are battery operated. The only components that are hardwired to the console are the EXCESSIVELY LOUD speakers that are mounted internally, but right behind decorative vents in the eves. I ran those wires when the house was built and this is the second system we have had in 32 years.

We have the option of having the system call a local agency for a monthly fee, but opted out. If an alarm goes off, it calls our 2 cellphones and alerts us that a breach was made. The sirens point in all directions, and believe me when they go off because we pressed the wrong button(LOL) all the neighbors look out their windows. When that happens we make sure to make ourselves visible so the neighbors know we are home.

I have motion sensors, door sensors, etc. set up so that there is no possible access ANYWHERE. There is only 1 entry point, and that has a 1 minute delay, so WE can come in and have time to turn it off. There are day and night settings so we can be home at night and walk around while the house is still armed.

There are a dozen different personal voice announces that we put in, and we are alerted for each "breach". If someone enters the house we get a call and it even tells us what door they came in. It alerts us if the power goes out and the system goes to backup battery. If the sump pump overflows, if a smoke detector goes off, a CO detector - we know about it.

We've had it installed for about 10 years now and we simply love it.