OT - Best Security system deal???

[dizneefamily5]

We are looking to install a security system fairly inexpensively, if possible. Our daughter is having some anxiety/fears at bedtime and the doctor at the sleep disorder center has recommended a security system. She says this will help calm her fears. Anyone have any thoughts on good/bad systems? We live in an unbelievably safe area so I don't think we need this, just doing it to help her (and will help lower home insurance a bit). I'd love to hear your reviews if you hav a system!!

Thanks!!!

 

[aero99]

I had the same problem. We bought one from smarthome.com and installed it ourselves (not hard since its wireless). It is a standard alarm system with window/door monitors and a motion sensor. Also, you can choose to have it chime everytime a door is opened. They do monitoring too for 8.95/month but we did not add that. The chime is enough for me most nights, although if my husband is away on a business trip I set the alarm.

Melissa

 

[mickeyluv'r]

I'm not being flip here, but my advice is to consider getting a dog instead. I really find alarms to be a huge hassle. I question their ability to deter intruders. A friend of mine had an alarm going in her townhouse for nearly 24hours, and nobody in the neighborhood reacted (Technically it was a monoxide detector with alow battery while she was away, but it sounded just like a house alarm, and was just as loud, if not louder than most.) I was really surprised that the neighbors tolerated the shrill sound without calling someone, but they did.
Another person I know has an ADT alarm that makes a loud sound outside her house everytime she engages it. I wouldn't tolerate living next to her! I am rather surprised her alarm doesn't violate local noise ordinances.

I think most dogs would give their lives to defend their owners, and your daughter would learn a lot from having one. Researchers have repeatedly found that petting an animal helps quite a bit with bouts of anxiety. Instead of focusing internally, your daughter will also have an external interest to focus on.

I'd also be concerned that getting an alarm wouldn't negate your daughter's fears.

In any event, having dogs has really helped us to feel secure. I don't know that they are less expensive than a mechancial alarm system, but they've given us many priceless memories!

 

[goofyforlife]

My installed Monotronics system was a waste of money.

Our landlord came in unannounced (unwelcome) once and set off the system.
I was called but the police never went to the house for almost an hour. SO my landlord was long gone and they called it a false alarm. The system does not reset on it's own. It was a Siemens sytem.

If it were a real burgular, they could have re-entered the home and no 2nd alarm would have gone off and no-one would have responded. Police only looked at the outside of the house and I had to call the neighbor to find out what was going on.

Walmart has tiny alarms to install on doors/windows for about $10. Cheap system but enough noise to scare an intruder off. If you wanted to try this to see if your daughter sleeps better, a very economical solution without getting stuck in a contract.

P.S. I now have two dogs; one is huge. You can hear them both bark when we come home at night. If I wear a burgular, I would think twice if I heard them.

 

[Chicago526]

I was about to say, "big dog, sharp teeth"

But pet ownership isn't something to be taken lightly, if you arent' ready for the cost, responsibility, and work related to getting a dog, it isn't worth it. Plus, some dogs, even breeds known for "guard dogs" can grow up to be cream puffs and will hide under the bed or behind the nearest human in cases of danger

In anycase, most home stores (Home Depot, Lowes etc) will have alarms you can install yourself and you don't have to pay Brinks or whoever to monitor it. Personally, I don't care if someone breaks in while I'm not at home (I mean I'd rather they didn't of course! ) but I'm scared someone will break in when I am at home, asleep, and don't wake up until it's too late. I want the biggest honkin' siren money can buy, even if it doesn't scare him away, I'll wake up and call 911 before he gets more than 3 steps into the house (not to meantion baracade the bedroom door).

 

[dizneefamily5]

Thank you all for your ideas! I have had several people suggest dogs and I am terribly allergic and have no interest AT ALL in owning an animal and would never, ever have one in the house. So, it's not really an option for us. I too much of a nest freak and havinga 4year old is enough for me I am going to look seriously into all of the suggestions given. I am hoping this works

 

[azgal81]

I agree with most of the posts. Monitering your alarm system is a waste of money normally it takes the police longer to respond to the alarm then a 911 call. I guess since alarms are set off by accident all the time they didn't really make that much of an effort.

I would buy one and secure my house myself with window chimes and door moniters or even have a security system installed but not monitor it every month. Make sure you get a wireless one though!

 

[kesha]

We live in a really safe place also. ( So we Thought). We had lived here for 29 years when we left for a couple days and our house was broke into. After that we did install a security system which I believe would of saved us a lot of heartache if we would of had it before the breakin. We also had 3 dogs at the time. But we live in a rural area where people do not pay a lot of attention to the neighbors dogs or their too far away to hear anything. We pay to have ours hooked to a monitoring system. I've found out that after you have lived somewhere for a long time you get to feel very secure. I know that we would of never guessed this would of happen to us. As far as the alarm going off and no one paying attention to it. I can say for sure that it will wake you up so maybe that is what your child needs so she can feel safe when she goes to sleep.

 

[HeatherFeather]

I have two BIG dogs AND an alarm system. I live in a small town, but DH is deployed a lot and it just makes me feel safer to have those things when I am home alone with DD 5. We got a very good deal from ADT through USAA. Not sure if you have any military affiliation, but if so, you could try that. Alarm and install was free and I just pay for monitoring. Oh...and unfortunately I know that they really DO come when the fire alarm goes off as I accidentally set it off and didn't get it turned off in time. Within two minutes the fire truck was rolling down my street. Luckily, the FD wasn't angry with me and just laughed about it.

 

[claudia]

I agree with most of the posts. Monitering your alarm system is a waste of money normally it takes the police longer to respond to the alarm then a 911 call. I guess since alarms are set off by accident all the time they didn't really make that much of an effort.
I would buy one and secure my house myself with window chimes and door moniters or even have a security system installed but not monitor it every month. Make sure you get a wireless one though![/QUOTE

I am trying to understand what the point of a security system would be if it is not monitored?
If you have your system monitored the benefit is that if the alarm goes off, your central monitoring station will call immediately. If you are home, they will ask you for your password (to make sure you are the homeowner) and then ask if everything is ok. If you set it off by mistake, the police are not called. If there is no answer to their phone call they will then call the police department to check the alarm out. I would think the reason that the police don't race over to your house is that since no one is home, then no one can get hurt. I don't think most people understand that an alarm system is there to protect YOU and you really need to have all monies and valuables stored in a safe...hopefully one bolted to your floor or installed in your wall. The other benefit for a monitored system is that your home is directly hooked up to your fire department, so if that alarm goes off the fire department will be there pronto. Great to have because it will wake everyone up if the fire starts in the night and great because if you are not there the alarm will notifiy the fire department. Another benefit is that you will also be provided with a 2 digit number that you enter either before or after your security code. This is an Ambush code. This will protect you, that God forbid someone comes up to you at you door and forces you in the home, you enter this code along with your normal code and your alarm system turns off as normal, but sends an ambush signal to central monitoring and the police will come running.
Something else to consider is that if your are working outside the home and you have older children coming home from school by themselves, there is the security of knowing that they are entering a safe home.....or if they needed it, an ambush alarm there for them.
Monitoring here costs us about $20 a month, and for the piece of mind it brings it is well worth it.
As far as the system goes, we use Lowitt Alarms, but I think all these companies are local. Any good security system here runs in the $2M+ range, but I think that varies by where you live. We're on Long Island.

 

[georgina]

After our house was broken into, several people recommended Guardian to me. They have some deals through AAA, and have local offices here in Pittsburgh. I haven't checked into it yet, but plan to before my next trip.