Home Alarm System

[gildo]

Thanks for the info, what's the cost?

[twotoner]

Originally Posted by csnarpy

IMO, getting an alarm system is not about the the stuff in your house. It's about Life Safety. If someone breaks in while your sleeping, the siren alone can help scare off potential situations.

Not sure of other companies, but ADT has panic buttons on their keypads that are direct lines to the police/fire. These ARE 911 calls and they work. I accidently forgot to put a system on test, hit a panic button - to show the client - police were there within 5 mins.

Monitored Fire/Smoke alarms, CO detectors, flood detectors are invaluable towards life safety and maybe help preserve your property. IMO. These alone justify getting a system.

I think a dog would be better for the "someone breaking in while you are sleeping" scenario. Our dog would go ape sheet, probably even wake up the neighbors.

For Fire & Smoke we've got four alarms, all wired to each other. In a real fire reacting to these would be our best chance of getting out. A few minutes later from a monitoring service might be too late. We've got CO2 alarms on every floor too. Not sure how long you have to get out when C02 starts getting dangerous, fires usually don't give you much time from what I've heard.

I've got motion lights outside, have re-enforced the deadbolt and hinges with thick plates and burly long screws. I'm debating putting some 3m security window film on the more vulnerable windows in my house.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9OeYKWUTSGw

[Berger_4_]

Originally Posted by Fugly

Just get a dog or at least a beware of dog sign placed in a few strategic locations.

In all seriousness, I'm willing to guess that most bad guys would rather pass over your house if they think a dog is inside.

I've heard that it's actually a bad idea to have beware of dog signs placed around your house, because it could mean that you're acknowledging the fact that your dog is dangerous. So if a kid got into your yard and got attacked, you could be found more liable...dunno if it's true or not though. Perhaps one of the resident lawyers could shed some light on this for me?

[csnarpy]

Originally Posted by GreenTeaFrapp

And if the burglar cuts the phone line, how does it work then?

There's a device to work around that, it's called a Digital Cellular Backup. Some people just use this instead of phone lines.

Originally Posted by jar_e

Just to follow up a few things for someone who's worked on the other side with 911....

If you a hit a panic alarm, its crucial to understand the call does NOT go straight to the 911 call centre or anything like that. It will goto the ADT alarm company and than they will phone us ON THE SAME BACK DOOR NUMBER THAT THEY PHONE FOR REGULAR ALARMS. The response may be adjusted due to the type of alarm but it still comes in on the same number.

FWIW, the average time between when a burglar alarm goes off and when police get notified is approximately 7-12 minutes...than it gets dispatched....plus repsonse time. So as much as I think they can be a deterrent don't expect them to catch anyone.

Futhermore, within the city, including CPS/CFD/EMS, you can get charged for false alarms. So, all stuff to keep in mind.

This is true, but the response is much quicker than a regular alarm call.

The response time from the ADT to 911 is 2-3 mins or ASAP if a panic comes in.

There is a false alarm supplemental with ADT, you can choose a guard service in lieu of the police. If you don't, then you sign a waiver for police response

cheers.

[GreenTeaFrapp]

Originally Posted by csnarpy

There's a device to work around that, it's called a Digital Cellular Backup. Some people just use this instead of phone lines.

Never heard of that. How does it work? Do you need to get a cellphone dedicated to that?

[csnarpy]

Originally Posted by GreenTeaFrapp

Never heard of that. How does it work? Do you need to get a cellphone dedicated to that?

you don't need a cell phone, it contacts the nearest cell tower and keeps the system monitored.

[csnarpy]

Originally Posted by twotoner

I think a dog would be better for the "someone breaking in while you are sleeping" scenario. Our dog would go ape sheet, probably even wake up the neighbors.

For Fire & Smoke we've got four alarms, all wired to each other. In a real fire reacting to these would be our best chance of getting out. A few minutes later from a monitoring service might be too late. We've got CO2 alarms on every floor too. Not sure how long you have to get out when C02 starts getting dangerous, fires usually don't give you much time from what I've heard.

I've got motion lights outside, have re-enforced the deadbolt and hinges with thick plates and burly long screws. I'm debating putting some 3m security window film on the more vulnerable windows in my house.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9OeYKWUTSGw

um... adt alarms react right away. Siren and all. They are reactionary devices like any standard smoke/fire/co/gas detectors. All wired together as well. When i said preservation, i guess i should have indicated that when your not at your house, you have a little more peace of mind that if you have a gas leak from your fireplace, someone is going to show up to hopefully prevent your house from blowing up.

[twotoner]

Originally Posted by csnarpy

um... adt alarms react right away. Siren and all. They are reactionary devices like any standard smoke/fire/co/gas detectors. All wired together as well. When i said preservation, i guess i should have indicated that when your not at your house, you have a little more peace of mind that if you have a gas leak from your fireplace, someone is going to show up to hopefully prevent your house from blowing up.

And how many houses last year were really saved by ADT from blowing up?

[Draug]

Originally Posted by twotoner

And how many houses last year were really saved by ADT from blowing up?

Probably some, which is better than none. It all comes down to what you are willing to pay for a little extra "insurance".

A couple years, we had a water fitting break on the furnace humidifier. We were out of town for a few weeks. Eventually, the whole basement flooded (which was less than 1 year since finishing). Because the house was "vacant", home insurance didnt cover it and the repairs/rebuild ending up costing about $40,000.

I know in that instance, I would have been happy for ADT's water leak alarm. Probably only the utility room would have needed repair. The savings would have paid for a lifetime of ADT monitoring (Which is how much, by the way? Nobody has said...)

[SportsJunky]

Originally Posted by Draug

The savings would have paid for a lifetime of ADT monitoring (Which is how much, by the way? Nobody has said...)

I'd like an idea of how much the monitoring is as well please.

[Madman]

Originally Posted by twotoner

We've got CO2 alarms on every floor too.

That has to get annoying, going off 24/7.

[csnarpy]

Originally Posted by SportsJunky

I'd like an idea of how much the monitoring is as well please.

the average is $32 - $35 a month. Everything depends on what you get. Some Life saftey products can increase the monitoring but by very little. A cellular backup can increases the charge by $5?? i think...

I'm not a sales rep so i'm not sure of exact numbers.

[csnarpy]

Originally Posted by twotoner

And how many houses last year were really saved by ADT from blowing up?

lol, you wont believe how many gas, smoke, flood and low temp alarms go off each year. Especially on new builds

[killer_carlson]

one issue I had with ADT was the privacy waiver. THe standard language was clearly drafted by someone who has not looked at Alberta's privacy laws. You are being asked to consent to give your personal information to adt, its affiliates and any third party that adt decides to contract with, in very broad language.

You are being asked to consent to ADT to give your personal information to its parent company in the US, and quite possibly (based on how it is written) to consent to them giving it to a third party if they contract with them without limitations. THey could contract with a telemarketing company and you would have consented to it.

I refused to sign. WHen they said I had to, I suggested they talk to an Alberta lawyer and that I would be happy to sit down and discuss the matter in more detail with their western canada management if necessary.

[twotoner]

Originally Posted by csnarpy

lol, you wont believe how many gas, smoke, flood and low temp alarms go off each year. Especially on new builds

I wasn't asking how many go off - I was asking them how many were saved. Seems to me if there is a flood or a fire in your house, Big F'in deal if someone else (ADT) knows about it. By the time the fire dept gets there, you still have thousands of damage. Maybe (and its a big maybe) the damage is less, but that is why I buy home insurance and read the fine print to ensure I'm covered when I need to be.

[csnarpy]

Originally Posted by twotoner

I wasn't asking how many go off - I was asking them how many were saved. Seems to me if there is a flood or a fire in your house, Big F'in deal if someone else (ADT) knows about it. By the time the fire dept gets there, you still have thousands of damage. Maybe (and its a big maybe) the damage is less, but that is why I buy home insurance and read the fine print to ensure I'm covered when I need to be.

Well i wish i could give numbers but I can't, im just a tech and there's no need to get hostile. You may not, but alot of people enjoy peace of mind. It's not a scam, its a system that works and it seems this company has a proven track record.

And to comment on another part of your statement. Getting the alarm system took 20% off my insurance, which more than covered my costs for the system.

Also, to take my statement of "your house blowing up" quite literally, well......

Cheers.

[twotoner]

Originally Posted by csnarpy

Well i wish i could give numbers but I can't, im just a tech and there's no need to get hostile. You may not, but alot of people enjoy peace of mind. It's not a scam, its a system that works and it seems this company has a proven track record.

And to comment on another part of your statement. Getting the alarm system took 20% off my insurance, which more than covered my costs for the system.

Also, to take my statement of "your house blowing up" quite literally, well......

Cheers.

Well homes do blow up and I vaguely remember at least one blowing up in Calgary ages ago.

Yeah sorry if I came across as hostile, its more just my feeling annoyed at people who think being safe ends with a sign on the lawn. And from what I've read, ADT is a one of the more reliable/reputable firms to go with so kudos to working for them. I think that alarm systems have a place on the list of total security things to do, I'd also include the monitoring part a little farther down on that list, and probably for me, it would be in the nice to have part of that list, given that I have a dog and have done a lot of other stuff that most don't consider.

[EYE_Overstand]

sorry to bump this thread…. i am about to purchase a house, and want to have a alarm company come in to set something up…

any recommendations?

i was leaning towards United Alarm or ADT

[soreshins]

Bump again. Any recent info?

[OldDutch]

Originally Posted by soreshins

Bump again. Any recent info?

I recommend Concept Security and Alarm. I kept the ADT hardware and switched as they were cheapest hands down. A bunch of us in the street use them. Run by an older guy who's family was big in the alarm industry in Calgary, never had an issue and a very nice guy too.

In the end I would say the cheapest is to get a consultation with ADT where they bring you a sign and stickers then don't sign up. The sales guy told me himself 90% of the time that is most effective deterrent. Alarm is just if you want to know they are breaking in. There is no easy way for criminals to know your system is legit or just a sign anyways.