Any advise on home security systems??

[RedMM]

I want to get a home security system installed the nextfew days and I was wondering if any of you have any experience or thoughts on the different companies. I am considering Brinks, ADT and a couple of local brands. If you have any thoughts either good or bad, I would appreciate hearing from ya. Thanks!! Mike

[Tallboy]

i've had adt for 10 years. excellent service/response. we live in a nice neighborhood, but you can never be sure...

[QWK SVT]

Up here, we have a company called Alarm Force... Long story short, their system has a two-way intercomm. When the alarm goes off, someone asks what is going on, and requires a code word. The phoneline is deeply buried, so there's little chance anyone would be able to a) find it, or b) kill it.

Someone tried to break in to my house, a few years ago. They managed to break a 6x8 pane of glass on the front door, and were turned away, quickly, as a result. Did the moron not see the big sticker?

Only thing they got away with was my "menacing-a-hole-answering-the-door-when-salesmen-knock baseball bat"... I really miss that bat, but all the other goodies were still safe and sound, in my home, where they belong!

Along with signs that say "Beware of Dog" and a very low rumbling bark from inside, I think most would pass my house, for easier pickings... That's about all you can do, short of boobytraps

[Donny Carlson]

Up here, we have a company called Alarm Force... Long story short, their system has a two-way intercomm. When the alarm goes off, someone asks what is going on, and requires a code word. The phoneline is deeply buried, so there's little chance anyone would be able to a) find it, or b) kill it.

Someone tried to break in to my house, a few years ago. They managed to break a 6x8 pane of glass on the front door, and were turned away, quickly, as a result. Did the moron not see the big sticker?

Only thing they got away with was my "menacing-a-hole-answering-the-door-when-salesmen-knock baseball bat"... I really miss that bat, but all the other goodies were still safe and sound, in my home, where they belong!

Along with signs that say "Beware of Dog" and a very low rumbling bark from inside, I think most would pass my house, for easier pickings... That's about all you can do, short of boobytraps

ADT has a nationwide presence, the rates are good. You should get the equipment and install free if you sign up for a certain number of years. Our union hall is protected by ADT.

[CRUZTAKER]

ADT here...and they have a shop/whse down on 82 just west of 77.

[Agent M79]

1) Own your own equipment up front, not at the end of a lease or other term. Do not tolerate "lock out" codes of any kind. You might pay more but there is good reason. Free equipment means higher monthly fees for a long period of time. You WILL pay for the equipment, you WILL pay for the install, and you WILL pay more for the pleasure of paying for a longer period of time. Read that 3 to 5 year contract and see if you can keep your lunch down.

2) Nobody "gives" you anything. You will pay for it in some fashion.

3) It doesn't matter if you are monitored locally. Really. Don't let them make that a sales point.

4) If you use telephony based monitoring, make sure they can deal with your DSL or VoIP.

5) Learn your false alarm regulations. Learn how to arm and disarm your system. Learn how to power down your system and disconnect it's battery. Know where to disconnect it from your phone lines.

6) Learn how to add and remove disarm codes for your system for house guests or house sitters. If you don't learn this, you will have to pay the service to do it for you or share your code (See #7).

7) Don't share your code. Don't. Don't use your code as the password with the central station.

8) Know that there are ways to be monitored in the absense of a phone line. Know that you will pay for this. (See #2)

9) If someone calls you and says they are from your monitoring company and they want your passcode but you are not 100% sure you did, do not give it to them. Hang up and call your central station yourself to verify the reception of an alarm signal.

10) You may believe your Uncle Bob when he says the alarm sign is more of a deterrent than the alarm itself. He's right. But the sign can't call the fire department when your house catches fire, call the police when you use your duress or panic feature, or save your life while carbon monoxide kills you in your sleep. Keep the alarm. Give Uncle Bob your sign.

I see you are in Middleburg Heights. I am orginally from Cleveland. I worked for the best alarm monitoring outfit there before I moved to NC to help build an even better one.

I still have strong ties to the folks that helped create the best monitoring station there even though we've all moved on. If you want a couple of good local references, let me know and I'll have them recommend some for you.

[RedMM]

your words of wisdom seem toindicate that most of you have had positive experiences with your chosen systems- a good thing to know. You can't put a price on peace of mine when it comes to the security and safety of your "Castle" Have you had any reliability issuses, ie, false alarms, etc? My community(Middleburg Heights, OH) only allows ONE false alarm response-after that, I must pay 50-75 dollars per false alarm response. I would be interested to hear from some of our LEO's-you would have first hand knowledge of which companies you find yourself be dispatched to that may turn out to be false alarms more that others, also, which companies call your departments for help quicker than others. THANK YOU SO MUCH to all who have responded!! Mike Barry-call me tomorrow if you have time-I'l find out who your contact person is. Mike

[RedMM]

Thanks-I would appreciate hooking up with someone you know and trust. Want to be set up by Marauderville weekend-pm me I you want with info!! Thanks alot! Mike

[O's Fan Rich]

I want to get a home security system installed the nextfew days and I was wondering if any of you have any experience or thoughts on the different companies. I am considering Brinks, ADT and a couple of local brands. If you have any thoughts either good or bad, I would appreciate hearing from ya. Thanks!! Mike

Hey!
That's what I do for a living!
Give me a call.
800-232-2500 and I'll answer any questions you may have.

[SouLRioT]

One thing you might want to do first befor an alarm company would come out to your house is to get a crime prevention officer from your local depatment to come out and do a survey of your house. They would also offer things you could do to your house surroundings to deter burglers. As far as one company having more false alarms than another, there really isnt an answer to that, it has to deal with also how many alarms are out there for a ciertain company. IE. If there are more customers with ADT, ADT will have more false alarms. A false alarm also does not usally deal with the company but the user/weather. And for the price for false alarms, your area is cheap, my county charges $250 for the second false alarm. Hope soem of this helps.

[AlabamaSS]

I want to get a home security system installed the nextfew days and I was wondering if any of you have any experience or thoughts on the different companies. I am considering Brinks, ADT and a couple of local brands. If you have any thoughts either good or bad, I would appreciate hearing from ya. Thanks!! Mike

I am down in lower Alabama and I use Monitronics out of Dallas. They use local vendors but do the monitoring there. They have exellent customer service.

[CRUZTAKER]

My ADT has falsed twice in 4 years....each time while we were in Barbados. I came to find that my silly cat got bored being locked up for a week and discovered the pretty little red light on the motion detector in the ***** area of the house. He also discovered that jumping in the air and waving his paws not only resulted in a horribly loud noise....but company came!

I modify that motion when we do long trips so that he can no longer do that.

[jaywish]

I really endorse what "Agent M79" said. They are all very important issues.

I also found out the pet ignore motion sensors are important. Why not install them right from the start even if you don't have a pet yet?

I like hardwire, just to avoid changing batteries.

Also you can add in sensors for flooding from hot water heaters, washing machines etc. carbon monoxide sensors etc.

Make sure you add interior alarm speakers in all areas of the house where someone might conceivably sleep. (eg. bedrooms, living room couch, basement playroom couch, etc.

Also keypads, keypads, keypads. All entrances including the garage if it is connected to the house. Plus maybe one in or near the master bedroom.

[MYSTA KANG]

All systems are nice and the customer service is A+. But I guess im from the old skool due to the fact nothing protects better than Smith-n-Wesson, GLOCK and a good guard dog.

[PhastPhil]

I had considered a good high end security system. I work rotating shifts so I am at work many nights, and was worried about my wife home alone. Though we do live in a very good area. But since we volunteer with animal rescue groups we now have two German Shepherds, and two Rottweilers. They function like a good securtiy system in that, if anyone comes near the proerty they bark to give a warning to both the intruder and the home occupants. The closer the intruder gets, the louder and more frenzied their barking becomes. So we can tell how close someone is to the house. And finally thier snarling faces at the window is the ultimate detterent. Also one sleeps on the bed with us. One or tow are on the bedroom floor. And at least one, sometimes two wander the house sleeping in various rooms for full protection! They range in size from 80lbs for the smaller Shepherd to 130 lean muscled lbs. for the big Shepherd. The Rotties are both around 100lbs. I learned of their intimidation factor when a close friend who grew up on the Lower East Side of NYC and is proud to say he is afarid of no man no where no matter how dark the alley, confided to me that he is very afraid of my 130lb. Shepherd!!! None of the dogs are trained as guard dogs, they just naturally protect their home and property.