Home Security Update
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Greetings,
I was in the home and commercial Alarm Business for many years. I can tell you that 1000 dollars for 3 doors, 2 motion detectors, one control panel, and around 30 dollars a month for a contract of 3 yrs is the going rate, and was over 10 yrs ago..
So, that's a fair price.
What any Alarm Installer company wants is the Monitoring contract, 3 to 5 yrs, as that is where the money really is FYI.
Do not worry about Window Alarms, because if the Tech's who put in your 2 motion detectors know their stuff, they should have most of upstairs hallways and maybe one bedroom, covered. Meaning, in a bedroom corner looking both, at the bedroom and hallway. And the downstairs Motion detector should cover stairs going up and any hallway if possible. The main thing is they cover travel routes up or down, in or out one way or another, and they will do the job.
Now, if you didn't spend any extra (usually built into the monitor price) or you can pay up front, for any extras, such as any windows, or smoke detectors. But, off the record, your motion detector will see FIRE, or any rapid temperture change of +3 degrees or - 3 degrees, which brings me to some of your false alarms.
If you have an open window that a motion detector can see (just move in front of the suspected window, if it's covered, you'll see the red light come on) but, if a motion detector sees either warm OR cold air, that is over 3 degrees hotter or "colder" than the ambient temp in your house, it will set it off. Kind of think of it (it happened to me once) like on a agv temp day of 75,and a cold wind kicks up and the breeze blows thru your window screen, say a cool 60 degree wind.. Your motion detector thinks its a snowman coming thru the window..
And visa verse, you have on the A/C in summer, and your house is 75 inside, and you leave a window open and a breeze kicks up and comes thru a window seen by a motion detector, and the outside wind is 90.. It thinks Hot man just came thru the window, and it will go off.
Also, make sure if it is looking at a fire place, to make sure fire is out, or been off to cool down, and close the screen, it will help, as most of the heat will go up, rather than out when fire is out for a bit.
Same deal back to not having a smoke detector.. rapid heat will set it off, the only thing a motion detector can't do is detect smoke, or make the call to the Fire Dept. which smoke detectors do, or should.
One other small tip.. IF a motion detector is looking at a closed window, that gets Hot from the sun, it can set them off if it gets real hot, or thru an open to an outside temp that is either 3 degrees hotter or cooler than the inside house ambient temp, with a little breeze, it will go off.
Might want to make sure that the tech put the motion detector for you cat, in right. Technically they're supposed to be level beamed at about 6ft level, and other than that, see where the cat can jump to, couch, desk, bookshelf, etc. anything that is above the 5 - 6 ft level, and ya might have to change a few things (the cats routes..lol).
Rule of thumb: If alarm is set all windows it can see, must be closed.
Any windows that aren't seen by a motion detector can be left open, but use a piece of wood or safe lock so that the window is only open 3" max.
And, if its gonna get windy, or HOT (with AC on) make sure any windows will not let breeze, warm or cold, travel within range (sight) of any motion detectors.
If you're not gonna be gone long, put Kitty in a nice room with door shut, that way, motion detector will not put out false alarm when she climbs high.
And your local PD will appreciate 1 or less false alarms per year, along with your neighbors. Trust me, we have some neighbors, that just can't get it, and they average 6 false alarms a year, and like car alarms going off all the time, people don't bother to look anymore. But if your house is quiet, and it goes off once or twice a year only (one false, one real deal) your neighbors will look, and should give you a call at your workplace or cell..
Good luck,
LS
Ps.. didn't mean it to be so long