Anyone have a home security system? Care to share some thoughts?

[jo-jo]

We have had same company for about 10 years. Very basic system. No cameras , no phone control stuff. I tried to text yesterday and got" you are in the queue", I waiting 6 hours (I thought I was talking to disney) and then got a message, chat is closed. Do you want to be put in the queue tomorrow. Yes. This morning I got a text.....hello, name , address,...... I didn't have eyeballs on the screen. 4 mins later (while I am typing name, etc. )another text pops up, since you didn't response, we are closing this chat.

We also feel we are paying a high price compared to online ads.

Anyone happy with another company?

 

[_19disnA]

Have used ADT for many years at different homes and service has always been good. There was no charge to setup our new home with them when we moved since we were already customers somewhere else. Never had an issue with contacting them. Phone support has always been good and you actually get people who understand the system and are able to provide assistance. Too many 'customer service' people with other companies seem to be entry level people with ZERO training who only know how to read from pre-printed scripted responses even it has nothing to do with your question.

The new sensors are all wireless/battery powered and those batteries do wear out eventually. Changing those batteries is fairly complicated since the system thinks an intruder has damaged the system even if it wasn't armed (you can't just change a sensor battery, but need to enter a lot of codes on the base station). Easier for them to initially install, however, can be a pain much like smoke alarms when it randomly buzzes at 2am to tell you some battery is going low.

 

[SandyinMonterey]

We had ADT is our old house, a 1500 square foot ranch and it was just a basic one. We had poor customer service with ADT and they always had price increases. Another problem, no one local to come out and fix a problem in a timely manner. Usually had to wait 2 weeks. In our new home, we have a local company. Just about everyone in my HOA/neighborhood uses the same one. He's well known and his office is 5 minutes down the road. The system is an older one, but it also has sensors in the house, even if someone breaks a window. My home is 7500 square feet so there is a lot more to cover. Great customer service and paying a lot less years later with them than we ever did with ADT. One price increase in 6 years, it was a $1. We also put blink cameras around doors. It was a gift from my mother but probably would of gone with Ring. We're remodeling the front of the house, new door, lights, etc and plan on switching the doorball to a ring with a camera.

 

[barkley]

does having kept the signs adt gave us for our former home and placing them in the yard of our current home count? they say that the signage alone is a great deterrent.

 

[spiders]

I have SimpliSafe and I like them a lot. Higher start up costs but lower monitoring fees. You’re paying for the equipment which is why your start up costs are higher.

At the end of the day, though — I don’t actually think security systems do anything besides provide a deterrent unless you also have cameras as well that can be used to verify a burglary. The monitored smoke detectors are definitely worth it, though because the fire department will certainly show up.

I also have the SimpliSafe version of Ring which integrates well.

Final note — I wouldn’t let higher start up costs be a deterrent. Even though you are going to pay for sensors from other places —you don’t actually own any of that stuff. If you call them up and say you are canceling and switching to a different company then the contract says you will allow them access to your home to remove the equipment and any drywall damage is at your expense.

 

[tvguy]

does having kept the signs adt gave us for our former home and placing them in the yard of our current home count? they say that the signage alone is a great deterrent.

Those signs are probably a greater deterrent than many may think. We have Alert 360, no issues.

 

[jo-jo]

We did have cooking food start smoking (no fire, just smokey) while I was outside and the fire department was called, so we know that part works.

But I'm curious about other systems, you see commericals for half the price we are paying. Makes you say hmmmmmm.

 

[_19disnA]

Might also look into local laws about security systems that automatically call police/fire/etc. In some places you get charged if your system sends enough false alarms. I can imagine cooking something on the stove can mistakenly set off the fire alarm, for example. Part of the price probably relates to how complicated the installed system is and what features it actually offers. If you have pets or small children, motion detectors need to be configured differently to avoid setting off alarms in error. The size of your home probably matters less then the configuration of the necessary equipment. Generally, you want motion detectors on the first floor where intruders are most likely to enter along with a a few door switches. Motion detectors can cover a large area and limit the need for every window to have a sensor. Intruders are less likely to enter your home from a 3rd story window and even if they do, would likely try to exit using a door on the main floor.

Most alarm companies who install equipment will send out a rep to make suggestions on how the system should be configured. If your system isn't centrally monitored, do you just want a loud alarm to sound and hope one of your neighbors calls the police? That happened somewhere we used to live (they were on vacation). One of the neighbors called police who said they couldn't cut the wire to shut off the blaring siren without the permission of the homeowner (or else the police could be held responsible if there was a break-in while they were gone.) I don't recall how they ever resolved that.

Some small company just starting out could go out of business and no longer offer monitoring which would make your system useless. My impression is the equipment is specific to each company, so I would want to choose someone likely to still be in business 5+ yrs from now.

 

[cvjw]

Simply safe system inside. On all doors and windows in the basement and first floor. Water detectors under washer, fridge and water heater. Motion detectors. Glass breakage detectors. Panic buttons. Monitored for $25 per month. We have been pleased with the system. Used it for years.

We have a system of blink cameras outside.

 

[jo-jo]

Simply safe system inside. On all doors and windows in the basement and first floor. Water detectors under washer, fridge and water heater. Motion detectors. Glass breakage detectors. Panic buttons. Monitored for $25 per month. We have been pleased with the system. Used it for years.

We have a system of blink cameras outside.

$25, that's it??? That's half what we are paying for way less gadgets than you. Does simply safe alert fire or just you?

I haven't priced out gadgets, but it sounds like we'd be ahead of the game in a year or so by the time we buy stuff but pay way less per month.

 

[JimMIA]

Our monitoring is $20 per month and includes both fire and police notifications. Our savings in homeowners insurance more than covers the cost. We've had this system for 24 years, and just recently switched from landline to cellular. Almost no problems, and when we have one I just call Felix and it's fixed. Easy peasy.

ETA: Correction. When we switched to cellular recently, our monthly went to $30 per month. We pay it quarterly.

 

[MillauFr]

I guess I don't understand what is the point of these systems? To stop someone from breaking in? Wouldn't more secure locks do a better job of that?

 

[JimMIA]

I guess I don't understand what is the point of these systems? To stop someone from breaking in? Wouldn't more secure locks do a better job of that?

Windows and doors break easier than good locks. If you have an alarm system, the noise of the alarm will drive most burglars away.

 

[tvguy]

Might also look into local laws about security systems that automatically call police/fire/etc. In some places you get charged if your system sends enough false alarms.

Anyone here actually have a system that calls directly? I thought those have been illegal for decades in most areas. Most systems require monitoring from an independent company, and they call police or fire based on their protocol. My alarm monitoring company's protocol is first they speak to you over the build in speaker system in the alarm panel. If they get no response they go down the list. In my case, first call is to my landline. Second call is to my cell phone. Third call is to my wife's cell phone. Fourth call is to my daughter who does not live with us.
Last statistic I saw for the county I live in is 90% of the home alarm calls are false alarms, which is why it it almost impossible to get them to send officers to an alarm in an unoccupied house. An occupied house, with someone calling from inside gets an immediate response.

 

[JimMIA]

Anyone here actually have a system that calls directly? I thought those have been illegal for decades in most areas. Most systems require monitoring from an independent company, and they call police or fire based on their protocol. My alarm monitoring company's protocol is first they speak to you over the build in speaker system in the alarm panel. If they get no response they go down the list. In my case, first call is to my landline. Second call is to my cell phone. Third call is to my wife's cell phone. Fourth call is to my daughter who does not live with us.
Last statistic I saw for the county I live in is 90% of the home alarm calls are false alarms, which is why it it almost impossible to get them to send officers to an alarm in an unoccupied house. An occupied house, with someone calling from inside gets an immediate response.

My monitoring system calls me first, then calls police or fire if I tell them to. That's just a sensible approach because we have a lot of electrical storm-caused glitches where the alarm goes off, resets, and is perfectly fine. We don't have all the interior cameras like some do, but we do have interior motion sensors, so we'd know if someone was inside.

 

[tvguy]

My monitoring system calls me first, then calls police or fire if I tell them to. That's just a sensible approach because we have a lot of electrical storm-caused glitches where the alarm goes off, resets, and is perfectly fine. We don't have all the interior cameras like some do, but we do have interior motion sensors, so we'd know if someone was inside.

My daughter has cameras that automatically record, but they don't trigger an alarm, they just text her notification of motion on one of them. She sees every cat that walks through her yard, and knows when the mailman is there. Only issue she had was one neighbors thinks another neighbor backed into their car and asked her to check her cameras. Fortunately it was out of range of her cameras, because that could have been awkward.

 

[a1tinkfans]

ADT w/ central monitoring. They call us first then authorities if needed. Fire dept direct, $80 year..all windows and doors alarmed. Sheriff dept requires yearly update, Insurance discount ( I think that’s about $50-75 year) signs and stickers provided. No issues and feel safer

 

[cvjw]

$25, that's it??? That's half what we are paying for way less gadgets than you. Does simply safe alert fire or just you?

I haven't priced out gadgets, but it sounds like we'd be ahead of the game in a year or so by the time we buy stuff but pay way less per month.

We register with our local county, so I assume they will alert the police or fire department if they can’t get in touch with us. They always call us first. We have never needed their assistance. They have called a couple times when we opened a door while the system was still armed.

 

[JLong06]

I have a WiFi outdoor camera system (Arlo) that is motion activated. No monthly cost and all motion captured videos are saved for a week.

I also have an alarm system through Cove (all windows, doors, etc). It’s on its own cellular plan and was super easy to set up. I think we pay $10 a month for it. They call us first, then authorities. Highly recommend

 

[LuvOrlando]

We have had ADT for ages, I bought all the equipment & especially like the panic buttons that will call for help in an emergency including a health emergency. I would buy it again because the people skills aren't really what I'm paying for with this, when there is a breech they call right away.

We have Arlo cameras which can be very twitchy. The equipment is fine but every now and again the software just drains the batteries, I think it's intentional to push customers into upgrades. I would never buy the brand again nor would I recommend it, I just keep it because it's paid for a while back but I do like that we have 2 separate systems that operate independent of each other.

Right now I'm looking at mobile setups for our apartment and am OK with buying since I'll just gift it to my kids when they get their own places. I was looking when DD was in college but 2020 happened just before i was ready to buy so I never did, we're looking again. It's mostly to keep an eye on things when I'm away, I don't think it will keep anyone out who really wants in but like the idea of the police being called. I assume the mobile stuff in ADT is run by a different company and SimpliSafe seems on par, I'm just not sure about reliability - this is the only reason I didn't buy yet.