Best Value Home Alarm Systems...

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SkaerE

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i see a lot of threads about "which gun for home defense" and the like and it seems to me like a prudent step to install an alarm system in addition to having a good HD gun. I'm in the middle of remodelling a house and figure now is the best time for me to install a security system.

anyone work in the industry? from the discussions i have had in the past with install techs i dont imagine they're horribly difficult to install, especially since im removing a ton of sheetrock and the house is getting repainted anyhow. :)

any input would be great, thanks!
 
I have a package deal from adt $28 a month and I have forgotten what the set up cost but under $200 for sure.
 
I recommend contracting a local alarm company with local monitoring. You can call your local PD or SD and ask them who they use to find them.
 
Woof Woof!

The best home alarm is one with four legs and a sharp set of teeth... He doesn't have to BE mean, just SOUND mean.
 
The best alarm system isn't a dog.


Sure, they are great IF-- big IF-- you are home. If you aren't a thief is likely to:

A: shoot your dog

B: poison your dog.

Then they get free-run of your home.


Dogs are great at letting you know something is up when you are home. I have two Jack Russell Terriers that are very alert.


-- John
 
Min.jpg


Honestly, the absolute best money I've ever spent. Won't fend anyone off, but I know when someone is around.
 
Things to consider on an alarm system for a home:

Does your community have a fine for "false alarms" (many do)
Do you own a cat or dog that stays inside - ever
Will you be able to run the wires from all exterior doors and
windows
Which is the "entry door" for setting the delay - keypad should
be nearby
Additional keypad for master bedroom? Panic alarm?
Two story? Do the upper windows need contacts installed

Once you answer those questions for yourself, you might contact several alarm companies and ask for a free quotation and recommendation. See what they tell you but remember, they are SELLING a service.

I do not like wireless systems, silent systems or those without a UL approved monitoring station.

Some companies push their "two way voice" and that could be a plus if inadvertant activations are likely.

Hope some of this helps.
John
Charlotte, NC
 
I have discovered that I have a superb alarm system for when I am at home. I wear one of those "Help, I've fallen and can't get up" alarm buttons around my neck at all times. If I press that button, within 5 minutes I will have a deputy, a Fire Truck with 4 fireman and a rescue team of 2 fireman/paramedics onboard. If they can't handle my problem, no one could. I know how well it works because my Cat actuated the master alarm once, when I wasn't home. I had to pay a pretty penny to pay for the damage they caused smashing their way into the house. (I have since moved the alarm to where the cat can't get at it.)
 
dave ramsey is constantly pimping some nashville-based alarm company that monitors for $9/mo.
 
How about one of those devices that monitor sudden pressure changes in your house due to opening a door to the outside or opening a window and set off an alarm and/or call your cell phone / police when activated depending on how you have it set up? I forget the name of the one that was demonstrated to us at our CCW class but it was setup in a class room in the back of the shooting range (big place, probably about 4000 sq ft) and when the front door 75 feet away and around corners sure enough it goes off immediately. That way you don't have to install sensors on all the doors and windows in your house. It was about $2000 and the size of a shoe box.

Quick google search, this isn't the one I saw but concept is the same.
http://www.securityandsafetysupply.com/product-self-defense/volumetric.htm
 
Personally, I'd like a good alarm system that wasn't monitored or anything. Just a good alarm, maybe some lighting, that type of thing.
 
An unmonitored alarm system is just a noise maker! How many people pay attention to a car alarm going off? Sure, it costs money for the monitoring but without it you only HOPE to scare the housebreakers off - don't expect your neighbors to call the police cause that just doen't happen.

I do not work for an alarm company nor a monitoring company.

John
Charlotte, NC
 
Alarm systems are great, but READ THE CONTRACT if it is from one of the big companies like ADT or Brinks. I had a Brinks alarm system (actually worked for them for a very short and miserable time) and had to write the Oregon AG dept of consumer fraud to get them to honor my request to cancel their service. I was lucky to have signed a month to month contract.

They no longer do month to month contracts. It is a yearly contract the Evergreen's. What that means is that if you don't cancel the contract in writing for the next contract period, it automatically renews for another year and you are stuck with cancellation fees if you try to cancel early.
 
I would advise having an alarm company do the install and let them monitor the thing.
I live in a small house in an area that has the highest crime rate in the state.
I use APX security. Door sensors,motion detectors,smoke alarm and a life alert thing for my bed/wheelchair bound wife.
If the alarm is activated a human responds via a speaker in the control panel.
Very happy with the system but police response is so so here. The alarm went off only one time so far when we were not home. They called me on my cell and sent the cops. I was 1/2 hour away and left my wife at the store and headed home. Got home--no sign of break in and no cops. I entered and cleared the house--all ok. Called dispatch to tell them I was home. They said that when an alarm goes off --they just let the officers know and when they have time they come by and check it out. It had been about an hour. The dispatcher laughed when I told her we had been at Gander Mtn buying a Ruger GP 100 for my wife for a home defense gun.
Seems one of the cats had set off the motion detector.
I don't like the long LE response time so I recently got a big Liberty safe for all guns and valuables. I figure the cops will be here before the BG got that thing open plus where I live we don't have real thieves--we have the grab and go gangbanger/illegal immigrant type stuff.
My wife is usually home and I set the alarm when I leave. I pity the poor fool who tries to enter. She is severly disabled but well armed and a pretty decent shot with her revolvers (She can't rack the slide on semi auto's ).
I also have good outside lighting and I installed metal grates on all side windows. It's not impossible to get in but it would be harder to get in here than in any other house around here so --I feel pretty secure
 
I too was looking for an economical solution for a relatively small condo.
I found LaserShield. I think I paid $125 for it at Circuit City. It's absurdly idiot-proof and monitoring is optional. Big alarm.
 
An alarm system will do some things a dog can't.
If you want a dog they can do some things an alarm can't. Some folks just don't wan't a dog.
 
Have a Radio Shack self installed system. 95 lb. American Bulldog backed up with a 870 riot and a SA 1911. 20-30 minute response time in my neck of the woods for help to arrive on a good day. Had a neighbor down the road who was hit with his B----s system armed and they stiill managed to load and drive off with 5k+ worth of his valuables including 4 guns. Sleep well with my simple system. Would be more p----ed if they killed my dog than stole my guns. Can't replace or get any life insurance for my buddy.
 
I have only ever responded to one real residential alarm. Make sure the police/EMS can see your house numbers from the street.
 
Local Mom&Pop Safe, Lock, Alarm companies are highly recommended.

If one can afford a German Shepard Trained Security - get one.
These work great around kids, families and those on the road.

Mom&Pop are sharp and smart!
The ones I dealt with - never put Alarm Stickers / yard signs with a company or brand name of products.
Criminals know makes, models of all this.
Professional Thugs I was concerned with knew more about systems than some that designed the darn things.

"Save My Pet" stickers free from the Fire Dept are best too.
Never use "attack dog" or "Guarded by Pit Bull Inc".

One is advertising to BGs and setting themselves for liability with some alarm and dog stickers.
One popular company with yard signs, I can disable the system in less than 60 seconds and I am nobody.

These GSD were not inexpensive.
They more that paid for themselves, and not only alerted, stopped threats to Sales Reps, and families at home.
Hi-Risk bunch we are.

Then again the family pet is a great deterrent , security measure as well.


Security needs to viewed from location, available resources ( or not) budget, ETA of first responders and type of FR( remote, volunteer fire, on Deputy working large areas etc).

Fire might be the biggest concern such as being next door to a Dry Cleaners.

Mom & Pops know what is going on and know what MOs are.
Those companies based out of state that only know you from a phone number...just run the crime reports to use scare tactics to hard sell.
They are not part of your community.

Mom & Pops are.
 
Best alarm? My GDS. If I hear noise and the she doesn't growl, I don't worry about it. A big bark is an excellent deterrent.
 
The reduction in my homeowners premium pays for my annual monitoring fee with Nextalarm, an internet monitoring company. A lot cheaper than ADT or any of the others. THe local companies probably contract out the monitoring anyway.

If you have a system put in, GET THE INSTALLER CODE. You need it to reprogram the system in the future. Make that part of the deal and make the installer show you how to put it in, to make sure it is legit! There is at least one pay internet site where you can download installer manuals for most systems. That way you can change monitoring companies at will. It also forces you to understand your system. I have had to reconfigure my system as we added on to the house and a couple wireless sensors went bad that I had to replace.
 
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