Home security systems

[tcrist]

What/who do you think is the best home security system and why? I am looking into getting a new system and while searching the internet I come up with all sorts of different ones. When I do different searches at different times the order seems to change somewhat.

[Ron61]

Terry,

I can tell you what I have. I looked for one that the motoring station was close by, 125 miles away in Redding and then talked to them. After their suggestions I wanted more and laid out what I wanted and bought the system and just pay them to monitor it. That way I can add or change without having to go through their lengthy approval process. I have infra red, motion detectors, glass breakage detectors and of course door and window detectors in every room, plus fire and smoke detectors and a panic alarm. Outside I have motion detector lights that will cover every inch of the area around my house and sound an alarm in the house when they are tripped. The police station is now about 150 feet from my house. Just my opinion, but try to get one whose main offices are as close to you as possible. That way they can notify the police a lot quicker if something should go wrong. I am still adding to mine as the dopers around here increase, but so far they will walk on the other side of the street as the word has been out for the past few years that I not only have alarms but guns. Also my garage is fully alarmed in several ways. Also make sure it has a battery back up as most of the better oes do and you can have a cell phone set up in case the phone lines are down but that is expensive and mostly for businesses.

Ron

[sllib]

Cellphone systems are expensive but well worth the money when you stop to consider how little it takes to disable a wired phone system...snip-snip.
Bill

[tcrist]

Ron,

What brand system did you get? Or did you just pick and choose and make sure it is compatible.

I am looking at either Comcast (as I already have their tripple play set up) or maybe Alarmco (which my girlfriend has). All doors and windows with glass breakage and all doors including the roll up in the garage. I already have a 6 camera setup with motion sensors that goes to a DVR or I can hook it up to the computer with 24 hour recording.

Thanks,

[Ron61]

Terry,

I went with a local company called California Safety. They do nearly all of the banks and large businesses around here and have excellent service. In fact I am having them come out today to check my back up batteries. It sounds as if you already have a great start. A lot of people seem to forget about the roll up doors in the garages for some reason. I made sure that mine was done and then I disabled that sensor and tested the motion detectors and infra red detectors in the garage by going down my driveway to see if they would set off the alarms. I could get to within about 20 feet of the door before one of them would trip. Sure drove the dopers across the street nuts when I was testing as they are afraid to come out of the house for fear a cop may come by. As for the snip of the telephone wires in most cases that would be right, but remember I worked for Bell, Labs. I have back up wires that go in the wall and then underground to the main splice box on the poles. Also I have two lines, one dedicated to DSL which I can use with a regular phone if I need to. Darn city made me take the land mines out and they were just small ones.

Ron

Ron

[tcrist]

Yea, those city officials have no sense of humor.

I still have a phone box outside my home so let them cut that all they want as my phone runs through the cable.

[bliss]

Originally Posted by tcrist

What/who do you think is the best home security system and why? I am looking into getting a new system and while searching the internet I come up with all sorts of different ones. When I do different searches at different times the order seems to change somewhat.

Just a sign is a way to go...

[DanEC]

I'm curious since my collector car insurance renewal bill just arrived - has anyone asked their collector car insurance company if there is a discount for having a home security system with wired garage doors, etc?

[tcrist]

DanEC,

Never thought about that. I'll ask my insurance agent.

[tcrist]

Originally Posted by bliss

Just a sign is a way to go...

I was thinking about putting carpet tack strips along the inside of my fence boards but figured that I probably would be the first one to visit the ER.

[Bill E]

My shop got nailed last Saterday took all my air tools and power tools. about 5k worth. I own the home next door and have alarms rigged up inside. I had to make a run to the hospitel no one was here.

[tcrist]

Dang Bill, that sucks big time. Hope they catch them.

[Bill E]

I live next to a big field with housis all around it some one saw me leave.

[trularin]

We have the big barn and house wired with video and IR detect.

The other barns are not wired. Not sure someone would want to walk off with a plow or cultivator.

The best is a nice, large, big toothed, trained dog or dogs on the inside of the house. It is a lot of work, but they are fun and NO one will mess with the house.

Need them trained to NOT eat meat unless you que them it is okay.

[tcrist]

There was a guy that had a shop next to where I worked once that had a dog there all of the time. He had his dog trained not to eat anything that HE did not give him. Hate to think what happened when that guy passed.