Home security systems

D Binx · Jul 8, 2013

I'm moving into a new apartment in August and I'm thinking of having a wireless ADT security system installed as protection for when I am not home. The apartment isn't in a bad neighborhood or anything (it's a college town), I just like knowing that I have the extra security. I think I'm a little paranoid ever since my brother had his apartment burglarized a few years ago but luckily insurance replaced all of his belongings. Does anyone have any opinions/experiences with ADT or similar security system companies?

P&R Fan · Jul 8, 2013

Yes I do, and I am not impressed with ADT.
My recommendation is to use a locally owned alarm company if possible. I have quite a bit of experience in this regard.
Jim

GKC · Jul 8, 2013

I've had Smith-Thompson for years, and I'm very happy with them. A few years ago, when our internet company finally stopped requiring a land line for DSL (it comes into the house on its own, separate cable pair) we canceled our land line. I thought I was going to have to cancel our alarm service as well...but they came out and installed a wireless uplink, so it works on a cell phone device rather than a land line. (it has its own cellular device, it doesn't use my cell phone.) Their service is very reasonable, IMO...I pay $55 a quarter for monitored service, with all doors and windows alarmed, motion sensors, and two panels.

Brian41 · Jul 8, 2013

We've used ADT here for 12 years and have been happy with them. I've had some false alarms in that time and they handled them well.

D Binx · Jul 8, 2013

I've used a local company in the past and had a good experience with them. The problem is that this is a very small college town and the only locally owned business is not well reviewed. I like some of the features that ADT offers like the fact that it's wireless and allows me to move the system when I need to move apartments again. They also have a feature that lets you monitor your system from your phone or computer which is a plus.

kozmic · Jul 8, 2013

D....What floor is this apartment on? If 2nd or above I might rethink everything. Does the door have a deadbolt and seem to be adequately secure when closed and locked? Is it well lit? Is your door in close proximity to your neighbors? If "yes" then IMO, a security system (for just security) might be overkill. If the only realistic way in is thru the door and that would take some time and create a hellava racket or quite a bit of exposure. I think those sorts of things are a pretty good deterrent.

If you have renter's insurance and they'll give you a good-sized break on monitoring and premiums and/or if you want them to monitor CO2, smoke and fire then "maybe".

As far as ADT, they are just ok in our area. I'd ask around in the town where the apartment is located. Both for crime rates and for quality security companies.

YMMV.

quneur · Jul 8, 2013

Check with your apartment manager first. Anything mounted to the wall will be a no no.

D Binx · Jul 8, 2013

quneur said:
Check with your apartment manager first. Anything mounted to the wall will be a no no.

I noticed ADT and a few other companies have units that install wireless without any hardware/drilling. The downside to that is that the batteries have to be checked regularly.

rwsmith · Jul 8, 2013

I used...

.....APX/Vivint. Their alarm monitoring is excellent but their business practices are horrible and it has gotten them into legal trouble. Now I have Power Home Technologies but I haven't had a chance to form an opinion there. I would make sure that whatever company you use has a local office.

Rastoff · Jul 8, 2013

My early warning/security system:

JJEH · Jul 8, 2013

We have ADT wireless and so far satisfied with it.

EugeneNine · Jul 8, 2013

Before you do the alarm system look up the local police liaison and ask if they respond any differently to an alarm call than they would a normal call.

Kinman · Jul 8, 2013

I have to agree with the sentiment that a local company that not only installs the system but also does lock work for you is the best idea...they have a vested interest in you, otherwise you are just part of a huge national company that may or may not have the response time as effective as your local company. I have had a recent false alarm where I had put a large diameter power cable under my roll up door to my shop, the alarm set correctly and everything seemed fine. A heavy wind came up early in the morning with enough force to cause that roll up door to move enough to seperate the magnets enough to cause it to set off the silent alarm. I was dead asleep and the phone rang, I let it go with the "Who the hell is calling me at 2:30am?" It rang a short while later when my back up called me...I let that go, at 2:45 my doorbell rang, I got up and there were two uniforms and it suddenly dawned on me. We went out to the shop everything was OK, I got hit with the false alarm but thats OK...I really appreciated that quick response time. We had another false alarm years ago regarding the front door which led to us getting dinged for this one.

moosedog · Jul 8, 2013

I've had experience with alarms and home invasions for 32 years.
Most alarms are silent alarms and take a minute or longer to trip and activate. All the monitored alarms have a remote dispatch who answers the alarm, trys to make contact to verify, then contacts the police. You've already lost about two to three minutes or longer.
The police dispatch gets the call and then puts it out to an availible car. About at least one more minute lost.
Unless the responding unit is parked in front of the address, it will take several minutes (ideal reponse time) to 15 minutes or longer (more likely response time).
The bad guys know this and grab what they can quickly and flee.
I prefer a loud speaker alarm that causes everyone in the area to take note of the noise. I also like motion detector lights.
Bad guys don't like attention when they are doing something bad. The audible alarm with cut down the amount of time the bad guy stays in your house or if he even enters it after tripping the alarm.
With an apartment, it may be hard to achieve this.
Just my two cents.

D Binx · Jul 8, 2013

JJEH said:
We have ADT wireless and so far satisfied with it.

How is the wireless alarm? Is it loud enough that it would alert my neighbors?

And thanks for all the responses, guys. You're making me consider a lot more things than I had before.

Kanewpadle · Jul 8, 2013

I work with alarm companies on a regular basis. Mainly installers and salesmen. I can't recommend any but ADT does NOT impress me at all. I would stick with a local company.

Besides, I don't care for the scare tactics ADT uses in their commercials.

Apartment are difficult to secure. Especially large apartment communities. Normally all of the apartments are master keyed so they can get in if there is an emergency. Problem is employees come and go and they don't keep track of those keys.

And yes, I would check with the management. Most often, they don't allow alarms or upgrades to door locks.

EugeneNine · Jul 8, 2013

I used to live down in the city of Columbus OH. Moved to the suburb a while back. We were just a street over from April Lane business park. I called the police three times in one hour telling them about an alarm going off at the business park, they would not come unless I told them the address. I gave the dispatcher mine and said they can come here and follow the sound if they need to.
Year or so after that I sent the wife to a massage one sat morning just a couple months after she gave birth to our first. Two kids on drugs drove into our driveway so fast they left skid marks on the road, bounced off the side of my truck and took out the side wall of our garage. It was a one car garage and I was sitting on the couch on the other side of the other wall holding my son as he slept, if they had hit that side of the garage they would have ran us over. When the police finally came 30 minutes later the two kids had walked to their parents house and took a quick shower and changed clothes so they didn't smell like drugs anymore. I later asked the police why they took so long when the alarm went off and they said they don't give them any priority over any other calls. I cancelled the ADT service when I moved and call them and complain every time one of their sales droids calls me and tries to scare me into a worthless alarm system that does nothing but annoy the police.

gdnagle · Jul 8, 2013

Kanewpadle said:
Apartment are difficult to secure. Especially large apartment communities. Normally all of the apartments are master keyed so they can get in if there is an emergency. Problem is employees come and go and they don't keep track of those keys.

And yes, I would check with the management. Most often, they don't allow alarms or upgrades to door locks.

I can vouch for this my stepbrother was robbed and killed in a large apartment complex. Police said looked to be a inside job as a key was used to enter while he was asleep, but this was the same police that didn't find the 12ga murder weapon in the sewer drain within 100 ft of his body. Baltimore City, never found his murderer. This is a large complex only two levels not the greatest part of town.
You can say F*** the management and deal with them when and after the alarm goes off. What can they do, make you leave and charge for holes in the wall if any but they will do that anyway. Most of the time you don't get you deposit back anyhow they always seem to find something damaged.
Remember management has their so called rights to inspect their property with proper notification and if you tell them and they let you have a alarm they will want the code but chances are they won't let you have it if you ask.
Best is to have enough apartment insurance to replace stolen items, juts make sure you know what they cover.
First alarm will bring the wrath of management upon you.

jkc · Jul 9, 2013

You haven't asked the right questions --- here are some answers worth considering ---

1. All of the hardware is more or less fungible, most alarm companies use the same devices.

2. Wireless devices use radio signals to communicate with the control panel, and don't require sometimes damaging or unsightly installations of wiring, but do require maintenance of batteries.

3. Most alarm systems rely on very vulnerable phone lines to communicate with the monitoring "central station" --- if your phone lines are, as most are, externally exposed and easily cut, your alarm is useless. A cell phone connection is a necessity.

4. Any alarm system is no better than the personnel operating it, most of whom would make the TSA proud, and earn false positives on IQ tests. Your only quality check is whether or not the monitoring firm and its "central station" are certified by Underwriters Laboratories (UL), which demands strict standards for certification, insurance essentials for high-value burglary risks such as banks, jewelers, gun shops, &tc.

5. Arrange code or passwords for yourself and trusted friends to defeat your own defenses, and to permit official entry by cops, EMTs, etc.

6. Protect every possible point of entry, and, add, various internal zone sensors --- motion detectors of various sorts, pressure mats, etc., enough allowing alert of intrusion while you're fast asleep...

P&R Fan · Jul 9, 2013

I have a very good friend from church who is a Woman in her '70s. She is a widow, and she asked for my opinion on ADT since she knows I own a Contract Security company and am a Private Investigator. We talked, and she told me about their rather high-pressure sales tactics. I asked if she wanted me to be there when they came to her house and she gratefully said yes. I then contacted a local alarm company that had installed alarms in two homes of one of my female clients. The owner told me quite a bit about that company, including the fact that their alarm boxes can be smashed on the wall, effectively disabling the system. He gave me a really good "ballpark" figure for an installation. I told my friend and she cancelled the meeting with ADT. They were quite upset, and took a very long time to return her deposit. She ended up getting one of those necklaces from the hospital that you can push a button and summon help. Costs $25 per month. I think that is a very good deal for older folks. My Mom also has one.

The alarm business is VERY competitive. I trust this local company, and their system works very well. My client trusts me implicitly, and has given me, at her insistence, keys to her homes. I am second on the call list after her if the alarm goes off. A few years ago she was out of state and I got a call from the alarm company at 0503 hrs. They said her fire alarm was going off, and the fire dept. had been dispatched. I was a key-holder, so I had to meet them there. Rolled out of bed and let the firefighters in. No fire. It was from a lightning strike. Re-set the alarm, sent my client a text message and went home and went back to sleep. I was impressed with the system.

Made my client take me out for crawfish etouffe when she got home.

Jim

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