Home security system DIY or go with the pros

[TonkaJoe]

Wasn't overly sure where to put this, but I feel it ties into building your home/shop since most of us try and stay one step ahead of criminals these days. I recently had a really nice Hikvision 8ch NVR system installed which has just recently been used in a police investigation in my neighborhood.. but I'm looking to step it up to make one final all around system by alarming my home as well. We've had a number of break ins in the area and guys seem to be wanting mostly tools,jewlery,guns.. anything that can be used to help fuel a drug addiction. A known drug dealer has been frequenting the area also and I've been told he carrys a hand gun.. I have firearms myself along with excellent neighbours but I work shifts so I'm not always able to keep an eye out for these thugs. If any of you guys have a system let me know what I should look for or avoid, any system recommendations for a medium size single floor house with the following access points:
1 man door garage (exterior) w/deadbolt
1 man door garage (interior)
1 sliding garage window
1 sliding patio door
1 front door w/deadbolt
X6 sliding upstairs windows
X1 front room window (x3 solid panes)
X5 basement windows (with bars)

-Definitely something with a loud alarm
-text alert or call once alarm is tripped
-monitor and control from my cellphone 24/7
-glass break sensors?
-maybe motion for the shop?

Anyways let me know what you guys have and what you like or dislike!



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[drivesitfar]

Tonka: did you do a search to see if there were other threads started before you started yours? i'd be curious what has already been said along with what is new cause you can see your property on your smart phone now if you have the right set up.

do you have a dog or two or any interest in having one? any interest in building one of those TINY HOUSES and renting it to a nice honest kid that might be home a lot that is also handy with a gun or self defense skills?

i'll be watching this thread to see what others say and if i can add anything i find or some links i will.

it's sad that we have to spend time, money and our time thinking about IDIOTS, but we do and that is just the world we live in.

good luck and thanks for starting this thread even though there might be others already that i didn't see.

cheers

 

[denis4x4]

I went from a hard wired security system to one using wifi. I have two houses on the property plus a large workshop. Based on your post, you have different priorities than I do. My system is designed to monitor the heating system and to make sure there is a daily walk through by the caretakers. I can monitor everything with an iPhone or iPad. However, I run the risk of power outages. We're using this system to monitor the houses while we're traveling. Everything we're using is off the shelf technology. I did have the system install by professional. Police and fire monitoring runs about $800 per year.

 

[Backyard Imports]

We had a professional install the system on our house and it is monitored. When the installer was here I asked him about adding sensors to the shop (everything is wireless) and he said that they are not allowed to. I asked him about installing a separate system on the shop and was, again, told that they don't do outbuildings.

Not wanting to pay to separate monitoring fees, I found an alarm system that I could install myself and hooks to a landline. It will dial pre-programmed numbers when set off and will then play a pre-recorded message when the numbers called are answered. I set it up to call my cell and my wife's cell. And if those aren't answered it will then call my neighbor and my nephew (who live 5 minutes away).

The system is expandable and has several different types of sensors that you can get. It is very easy to install and upgradable. I currently have switches on all of the doors as well as multiple motion sensors. I also added sensors in my "barn" so that it is covered as well.

It is not the highest end system out there but the price is very good. Combined with my camera system, motion lights, and good locks I feel comfortable when I am away.

This is what I got ---> https://www.fortresssecuritystore.c...security-alarm-system-kit-with-auto-dial.html

 

[TonkaJoe]

Tonka: did you do a search to see if there were other threads started before you started yours? i'd be curious what has already been said along with what is new cause you can see your property on your smart phone now if you have the right set up.

do you have a dog or two or any interest in having one? any interest in building one of those TINY HOUSES and renting it to a nice honest kid that might be home a lot that is also handy with a gun or self defense skills?

i'll be watching this thread to see what others say and if i can add anything i find or some links i will.

it's sad that we have to spend time, money and our time thinking about IDIOTS, but we do and that is just the world we live in.

good luck and thanks for starting this thread even though there might be others already that i didn't see.

cheers

I did have a look on here, found a couple of threads which touched base on the topic, along with another forum and some good old google. It answered some of my questions but I'm always interested to hear from the individuals who have had systems installed and in use for several years.. any warranty issues or hiccups? Happy with the system or any dislikes, pros/cons etc.
I had a pup which passed away awhile ago so I'm not looking to replace him anytime soon, although its definitely been mentioned in regards to this. Tiny homes are pretty cool! But no need for that, I'm a good shot (even though I'm in Canada) and our law enforcement frowns upon self defence lol.

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[TonkaJoe]

We had a professional install the system on our house and it is monitored. When the installer was here I asked him about adding sensors to the shop (everything is wireless) and he said that they are not allowed to. I asked him about installing a separate system on the shop and was, again, told that they don't do outbuildings.

Not wanting to pay to separate monitoring fees, I found an alarm system that I could install myself and hooks to a landline. It will dial pre-programmed numbers when set off and will then play a pre-recorded message when the numbers called are answered. I set it up to call my cell and my wife's cell. And if those aren't answered it will then call my neighbor and my nephew (who live 5 minutes away).

The system is expandable and has several different types of sensors that you can get. It is very easy to install and upgradable. I currently have switches on all of the doors as well as multiple motion sensors. I also added sensors in my "barn" so that it is covered as well.

It is not the highest end system out there but the price is very good. Combined with my camera system, motion lights, and good locks I feel comfortable when I am away.

This is what I got ---> https://www.fortresssecuritystore.c...security-alarm-system-kit-with-auto-dial.html

I find it really odd that they wouldn't simply (expand) your current system to include an outbuilding?! That seems to me like they simply wanted more money. Your system is more along the lines of what I'm looking at from what I read in the link. That covers most of the bases from what I can tell. Do you have battery back-up on this system for if you have a power outage? I think that would be a handy little feature for most.

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[Backyard Imports]

The installer said that it was just the companies policy and it wasn't because it couldn't be done. He said that it had to do with false alarms. I don't know if that is the truth or not but..?

The system does have a battery back-up built into it. I don't remember how long it lasts once it loses A/C but I am sure that it was a few days or I wouldn't have bought it.

 

[ddawg16]

The issue with 'monitored' systems, about all they are good for is to let you know 'when' you got broke into. The neighbor across the street from my in-laws...got broke into early afternoon. My FIL called the police when he saw the guy coming out of the back yard. His phone call got to the police 5 min before the alarm company....you know, the one that was 'monitoring'....

I have a really nice Lorex system. Besides alerts (sends me an email and a pic), it's recording. It also has alarm inputs you can wire to discrete alarm contacts.

I am a very big fan of wired cameras. Especially POE. I don't see the reason for wireless when you have to get at least AC power to the camera. Additionally, you're not going to get the resolution and update rate with wireless that you get with wired.....especially when using HD. And anything less than HD is a waste of money.

My Lorex system also gives me remote access for free. Came with a nice phone app....

As time permits (and equipment improves) I'm going to do a DIY security system tied to lights and doors.

I'm still playing around with motion settings on the cameras. One of the issues, you have a lot of 'natural' events that trigger a motion event. The cameras determine motion based on a change in the image. Motion sensors trigger off heat and motion. So, using one of those tied to a NVR (like my Lorex) would make for a more deterministic alarm event.

 

[chase237]

I've just installed a Honeywell Lyric, totally wireless. Similar to simplisafe except the signals to sensors are encrypted for added security. I am self monitoring at the moment. I still pay a monthly fee based on the size of the system. We have a big house so lots of sensors. If I get an alarm while I'm away I have the emergency phone number for the county sheriff in my phone and it's just the same as calling 911 from 1000 miles away.
I went with the Lyric because it is z-wave compatible for future tech gadgets like lighting, thermostat, and water leaks.
One criticism I have is that the wireless systems are not compartmentable. Meaning if I want to set the alarm to alarm stay and still have active motions in the garage or downstairs, not possible. At least that's the way it was explained to me.
All the sensors are recessed into the doors so no unsightly sensors hanging on doors. None of the windows are alarmed simply due to the size of the sensors but they are getting darn small, will eventually add them.
I had a couple pro's come out for estimates and was shocked at the cost. I've done everything for penny's on the dollar.
The folks at alarmgrid.com are very helpful with setup and activation. If I move I take everything with me.
Overall, would recommend.

 

[TonkaJoe]

The issue with 'monitored' systems, about all they are good for is to let you know 'when' you got broke into. The neighbor across the street from my in-laws...got broke into early afternoon. My FIL called the police when he saw the guy coming out of the back yard. His phone call got to the police 5 min before the alarm company....you know, the one that was 'monitoring'....

I have a really nice Lorex system. Besides alerts (sends me an email and a pic), it's recording. It also has alarm inputs you can wire to discrete alarm contacts.

I am a very big fan of wired cameras. Especially POE. I don't see the reason for wireless when you have to get at least AC power to the camera. Additionally, you're not going to get the resolution and update rate with wireless that you get with wired.....especially when using HD. And anything less than HD is a waste of money.

My Lorex system also gives me remote access for free. Came with a nice phone app....

As time permits (and equipment improves) I'm going to do a DIY security system tied to lights and doors.

I'm still playing around with motion settings on the cameras. One of the issues, you have a lot of 'natural' events that trigger a motion event. The cameras determine motion based on a change in the image. Motion sensors trigger off heat and motion. So, using one of those tied to a NVR (like my Lorex) would make for a more deterministic alarm event.

Thats pretty unfortunate with a monitored system... however I do agree with that statement as I've had a similar experience in the past where I was able to dial and have a paramedic on the way before the alert company did. I unsubscribed from the service the next day. My system is all POE, I have the IVMS app which is excellent, allowing me to view and replay 24/7 anywhere I go,
it also has real time alerts, motion detection etc. Very impressed with the day and night quality as well. I'd definitely recommend going POE over wireless to anyone in the market for cameras.

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[vavet]

I shy away from the loud siren. Most people ignore them and just assume they're false alarms. Also, wouldn't you prefer the police to be notified without the perps being aware they've been notified? If you're far away from civilization, perhaps it's worthy because you'll scare away the perps before they have time to ransack the house. If you're closer in to civilization and the cops can be there reasonably quickly, I'd prefer to have the cops there to catch the bad guys, even at the expense of them making a mess of the house.

 

[Conniptor]

I installed my own system and have had it monitored by AlarmRelay for 4yrs now, I highly recommend them. When we have accidentally set it off, they have always called for verification within 15sec. Once when a motion sensor falsed while we were both away, after calling the house and getting no answer, they called wife's cell as she was arriving home - they told her not to go in, police on their way. Within 5min she watched 4 cops park up the street and approach the house with guns drawn. After they verified no visible perimeter intrusion, they had her let them in and they searched the house. Was great to see such a serious response so quickly. Cops were there within 5min of the alarm 1st going off. I had to re-position the motion sensor so it wouldn't see headlights.

 

[scottmoyer]

I also have a Hikvision NVR with POE cameras. Not long after I installed mine, the logs were used to capture a teenager that broke into my neighbors house in the middle of the day. I am also trying to figure out the motion detection settings as my NVR only records on "events" and I get events every time a bug flies past the camera at night. I plan on extending the system more to cover more areas outside my home.

I also have an internal security system. The builder put it in when the house was built 14 years ago, but was replaced with a larger panel when the original was struck by lightning. I have a 16 zone system covering all windows and doors. I am also planning to replace this system with a new one that has more capability.

I have been told that you want want the home security system separate from the camera system. An all in one system is easy to set up, but also easy to disable all capability at one time. I also prefer wired. I am a network engineer and deal with wired vs wireless all day. Wireless is fine for web browsing, but I wouldn't use it for security. It's too easy to "capture" your signals and even manage your equipment remotely. The last thing you want is a technically savvy criminal disable your wireless system as he walks around stealing your stuff. Wifi uses frequency bands that can be manipulated.

Lastly, on your wired home security, they provide a backup battery in the event of a power outage. I recommend a UPS for the NVR, for the same reasons.

 

[ddawg16]

I forgot to add.....

The Ring doorbell is an excellent device to have. Even if you have other cameras.

Also....motion sensing lights at night....work well. As long as they are set up right. Get them too sensitive and you have too many false triggers and everyone just ignores them...kinda like car alarms in the mall parking lot.

But one of the best defenses to have? I nice big dog. I've NEVER taken a burglary report at a house with large dogs.

 

[TonkaJoe]

I shy away from the loud siren. Most people ignore them and just assume they're false alarms. Also, wouldn't you prefer the police to be notified without the perps being aware they've been notified? If you're far away from civilization, perhaps it's worthy because you'll scare away the perps before they have time to ransack the house. If you're closer in to civilization and the cops can be there reasonably quickly, I'd prefer to have the cops there to catch the bad guys, even at the expense of them making a mess of the house.

You make some good points, I should have sated that I do live just on the edge of town and have neighbors on either side of me. I have read both about silent alarms and the use of an audible alarm. I'd definitely like to catch them in the act but I do have cameras which will catch a face (unless covered). My cameras aren't very noticeable which helps as well. At the same time I'd like them to abandon ship the minute they get a door or window open hearing an audible alarm.. you have to remember they have no clue whether or not that system has called the police or a home owner etc, both silent or not. Its safe to say this is something I'm stuck on!

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[myredracer]

One way is to do the rough-in wiring yourself and let the alarm company do the rest.

When I built our house, I ran all the alarm wiring myself and had a security alarm company (Paladin) install all the magnetic sensors, motion sensors, glass break detectors, keypads and the monitoring panel. Every single door, overhead garage door (3) and open-able window has a sensor, every room on ground floor has a motion sensor plus a couple upstairs and a couple of rooms at the rear of the house on ground floor which have a lot of glass have glass break sensors (sense shattering glass). The inside door from garage/shop to house has a sensor. There's over 50 "zones" in total. The installer who did all the sensors and panel said even Fort Knox doesn't have as many sensors, lol... We saved a fortune by not having the alarm co. do the wiring. There is a type of 2 pair 22 ga. wire for alarm systems but can't remember the designation.

We have a couple of horns in the attic space and they are freakin' loud plus a couple of small speakers inside that go off. Having a separate zone for each window lets us bypass one if we want like in the summer when we want to have a window open for air flow. We have a heat recovery ventilator system and all windows and doors are always closed. We have a keypad at two entry doors. We also have an alarm co. sticker at all entry doors and some windows on the ground floor plus a couple of signs in the driveway. We're monitored and will get called at home first to see if it was the homeowner setting it off, then they go through a few phone numbers on a list we gave to them and if no answer then will call the police. I installed a complete commercial type fire alarm system and that is also monitored.

We're not in a high crime area but are on acreage in a rural area where it is easier to break into a house or remote buildings and not be seen or heard. There's been a few break-ins around us and the only problem we've ever had is someone stole a hundred or so 5 gallon pots in the front and another time a full can of gas in the driveway. We also have a suite + tenant that helps for when we are away on a weekend or vacation and a few times we've paid a friend of our son to babysit the house while away on vacation.

We prefer to have an audible alarm outside. Thieves can break in and be gone long before anyone gets there to check and is what the alarm co. advised. The inside alarm inside lets you know if you forgot to shut the system off when you got home or opened a door at night. One nice thing about a fully alarm house/garage is that any time a door or window is opened you hear the beep beep go off and if you are home alone or aren't expecting anyone you can go check.

I also installed wiring (co-ax & low voltage) for cameras all around the house (and attached garage) but have yet to complete the video monitoring system. The fake security cameras look pretty real but I'd add some real wiring (power * co-ax). When I was still working, part of my job as an EE was designing alarm systems in commercial buildings. I'm sure the technology has changed since then.

 

[TonkaJoe]

I forgot to add.....

The Ring doorbell is an excellent device to have. Even if you have other cameras.

Also....motion sensing lights at night....work well. As long as they are set up right. Get them too sensitive and you have too many false triggers and everyone just ignores them...kinda like car alarms in the mall parking lot.

But one of the best defenses to have? I nice big dog. I've NEVER taken a burglary report at a house with large dogs.

Ring doorbell? Is there a camera in it? Don't think I'm aware of this product.. care to elaborate? I have cameras at all my doors, my garage lights run on a Leviton 7 day programmable timer as well as my side door. ( which is a great product btw). I'd have to agree the big dog is likely the best all in one alarm system!

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[ddawg16]

Ring doorbell? Is there a camera in it? Don't think I'm aware of this product.. care to elaborate? I have cameras at all my doors, my garage lights run on a Leviton 7 day programmable timer as well as my side door. ( which is a great product btw). I'd have to agree the big dog is likely the best all in one alarm system!

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Yup....and it's a good one.

I got one for my inlaws and they love it. The family room is at the back of the house and my MIL is not getting around as well as she used to. She get a notification the moment someone walks up to the door, like the UPS guy. If she wants, she can have a conversation with him.

They are a little pricey....(around $200)...but are real easy to set up and great internet connectivity.

 

[TonkaJoe]

I installed my own system and have had it monitored by AlarmRelay for 4yrs now, I highly recommend them. When we have accidentally set it off, they have always called for verification within 15sec. Once when a motion sensor falsed while we were both away, after calling the house and getting no answer, they called wife's cell as she was arriving home - they told her not to go in, police on their way. Within 5min she watched 4 cops park up the street and approach the house with guns drawn. After they verified no visible perimeter intrusion, they had her let them in and they searched the house. Was great to see such a serious response so quickly. Cops were there within 5min of the alarm 1st going off. I had to re-position the motion sensor so it wouldn't see headlights.

Wow thats pretty impressive.. beats our police department!...we're lucky to have one officer in the area at night here.. they can at times be a 10 minute drive away.

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[TonkaJoe]

I also have a Hikvision NVR with POE cameras. Not long after I installed mine, the logs were used to capture a teenager that broke into my neighbors house in the middle of the day. I am also trying to figure out the motion detection settings as my NVR only records on "events" and I get events every time a bug flies past the camera at night. I plan on extending the system more to cover more areas outside my home.

I also have an internal security system. The builder put it in when the house was built 14 years ago, but was replaced with a larger panel when the original was struck by lightning. I have a 16 zone system covering all windows and doors. I am also planning to replace this system with a new one that has more capability.

I have been told that you want want the home security system separate from the camera system. An all in one system is easy to set up, but also easy to disable all capability at one time. I also prefer wired. I am a network engineer and deal with wired vs wireless all day. Wireless is fine for web browsing, but I wouldn't use it for security. It's too easy to "capture" your signals and even manage your equipment remotely. The last thing you want is a technically savvy criminal disable your wireless system as he walks around stealing your stuff. Wifi uses frequency bands that can be manipulated.

Lastly, on your wired home security, they provide a backup battery in the event of a power outage. I recommend a UPS for the NVR, for the same reasons.

I'm with you on that one.. one thing that system lacked was a good set of detailed instructions... I've been playing with the settings and have a decent grasp on it finally but am still learning some of the settings. The settings are going to be different for every application like lighting, access points etc. I have the same trouble with bugs and they forever set off alerts along with snow, rain etc. If you set the sensitivity lower you'll miss the important events like an actual person altogether I actually have my areas of concern set at 80. A great site for info on camera systems is IPcamtalk.com the site is also available on the Tapatalk app, nice guys and a ton of useful information..

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[bdamico]

DIY with professional equipment and monitoring at 1/4 the yearly cost. Geoarm.com

 

[TonkaJoe]

I've just installed a Honeywell Lyric, totally wireless. Similar to simplisafe except the signals to sensors are encrypted for added security. I am self monitoring at the moment. I still pay a monthly fee based on the size of the system. We have a big house so lots of sensors. If I get an alarm while I'm away I have the emergency phone number for the county sheriff in my phone and it's just the same as calling 911 from 1000 miles away.
I went with the Lyric because it is z-wave compatible for future tech gadgets like lighting, thermostat, and water leaks.
One criticism I have is that the wireless systems are not compartmentable. Meaning if I want to set the alarm to alarm stay and still have active motions in the garage or downstairs, not possible. At least that's the way it was explained to me.
All the sensors are recessed into the doors so no unsightly sensors hanging on doors. None of the windows are alarmed simply due to the size of the sensors but they are getting darn small, will eventually add them.
I had a couple pro's come out for estimates and was shocked at the cost. I've done everything for penny's on the dollar.
The folks at alarmgrid.com are very helpful with setup and activation. If I move I take everything with me.
Overall, would recommend.

I'll check into this one either way, it sounds pretty nice to me. I'd likely self monitor the system since I already do with my cameras so it's really not a big deal in my opinion. Would be nice to arm certain areas and have others unarmed if you're using them.. I guess we can't be too picky haha

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[aunsafe2015]

I haven't read this entire thread, but I did a monitored, wireless DIY system through alarm.com. I think the system is a GE Simon XT.

Simple to set up and has worked perfectly for almost 6 years now.

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[mldittmer]

3 years ago, I switched from ADT to a wireless system by Livewatch. Haven't looked back! Door sensors, and motion sensors for me, work the best. Didn't bother with the window glass breakage sensors, my thought is that if they are coming in, the motion sensor picks them up.

 

[ebamba]

I installed my own system and have had it monitored by AlarmRelay for 4yrs now, I highly recommend them. When we have accidentally set it off, they have always called for verification within 15sec. Once when a motion sensor falsed while we were both away, after calling the house and getting no answer, they called wife's cell as she was arriving home - they told her not to go in, police on their way. Within 5min she watched 4 cops park up the street and approach the house with guns drawn. After they verified no visible perimeter intrusion, they had her let them in and they searched the house. Was great to see such a serious response so quickly. Cops were there within 5min of the alarm 1st going off. I had to re-position the motion sensor so it wouldn't see headlights.

So you weren't assessed a fee from the PD for them responding and finding out that it was a false alarm?

 

[Dr Stan]

I recently purchased a wired 16 channel 8 camera video system to cover both the house & the shop after I read there was an increase in crimes against property in both the city & in the rural areas. Went with wired as it should give me clearer video. It will be a bit of a PITA to install the cameras in/on the shop, but make me more secure.

I'll add motion sensors & an alarm system later on, just to many irons in the fire.

 

[TonkaJoe]

3 years ago, I switched from ADT to a wireless system by Livewatch. Haven't looked back! Door sensors, and motion sensors for me, work the best. Didn't bother with the window glass breakage sensors, my thought is that if they are coming in, the motion sensor picks them up.

I had a quick look at that system and I was pretty surprised at those reviews, and there were a lot of them!. Sounds like a pretty solid little system, and it looked nice to boot.

 

[TonkaJoe]

Just to give a small update here for anyone interested: I've been in contact with the same person who sold me my camera system.. he's a retired police officer with over 12years experience dealing solely with burglaries ( he specializes in home security systems) this guy knows his stuff as he's seen it all. We discussed some of the things I wanted in a system and went over the layout of my home, he figured for all the hardware ( main keypad, remote monitoring "cellphone" ,audible siren, motion sensor in the garage, sensors on all doors and windows, ability to add to the system, and can be used for home automation) it will be a mix of "wired" and "hard wired" of what he said was a higher end system for about $400.00. I thought that was pretty good honestly, I was expecting at least $1,000. I think the one system he mentioned was from a company called Paradox security
(google it) and it seems very sound from what I've been reading. it should take a month or two before I finally get around to having it chosen and installed due to my work schedule, however I'll definitely be re-posting on here once I have it up and running for anyone else who is curious about getting a system. Please feel free to continue mentioning brands you have, or experiences with those brands and the service of monitored systems. Thanks to everyone for the great info so far, always appreciated!. Thought I'd also toss a little video in here I found last night while surfing YouTube.. pretty interesting info from someone who spent a lifetime breaking into homes!.

 

[vettex2]

Look into Simplisafe

http://simplisafe.com/

 

[Conniptor]

So you weren't assessed a fee from the PD for them responding and finding out that it was a false alarm?

No, I think around here you get one freebie. The police were not at all annoyed and they said it was great that the alarm monitor company told her not to go inside.

Also, I asked them what will they do if we set the alarm off and we accidentally tell the alarm company the "duress" code word when they call instead of the "all OK" code word - they said they will kick in the door and everyone will be on the ground in handcuffs before they even start figuring out who is who!

 

[theoldwizard1]

I have a really nice Lorex system. Besides alerts (sends me an email and a pic), it's recording. It also has alarm inputs you can wire to discrete alarm contacts.

Sounds good, but if you internet wire get cut, your dead.

What I don't understand is why no one is marketing a cell phone based system. Even if just send pre-programed text messages to a list people. That would be a good option for Lorex to add to their existing system as a back up.

 

[theoldwizard1]

IMHO, "pros" install a cheap wireless system to **** you into the monthly "monitoring" fee.

 

[ddawg16]

Sounds good, but if you internet wire get cut, your dead.

What I don't understand is why no one is marketing a cell phone based system. Even if just send pre-programed text messages to a list people. That would be a good option for Lorex to add to their existing system as a back up.

Oh, they do have them. But you are basically paying a monthly fee for another cell phone....because that is what the unit is acting like...

Here is an example

http://simplisafe.com/cellular-monitoring-feature

If you don't mind the cost....

 

[ebamba]

I don't want to hijack this thread, so if I need to I'll start a new thread. Let me know.
So I have a builder-installed alarm system (2007 technology), and is being monitored by an out-of-state company. Can I convert what I have to a self-monitored system?

 

[TonkaJoe]

I don't want to hijack this thread, so if I need to I'll start a new thread. Let me know.
So I have a builder-installed alarm system (2007 technology), and is being monitored by an out-of-state company. Can I convert what I have to a self-monitored system?

No worries, ask any questions you want.. lots of people here with the knowledge or experience to help you answer those questions or offer good advice!.

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[ddawg16]

I don't want to hijack this thread, so if I need to I'll start a new thread. Let me know.
So I have a builder-installed alarm system (2007 technology), and is being monitored by an out-of-state company. Can I convert what I have to a self-monitored system?

What Tonka said.....

It's a good question....

A better question is, do you want to use that hold hardware?

 

[ebamba]

What Tonka said.....

It's a good question....

A better question is, do you want to use that hold hardware?

Haven't been keeping up with home security systems, so I'm not aware of newer technology. My system is supposedly hard wired, at least when it comes to the window and door sensors. We had two motion sensors installed when the tech set up our system, but not sure if they are hard-wired or wireless. I wasn't home when they were installed.

Maybe I need to start looking to see what's new.

 

[theoldwizard1]

Oh, they do have them. But you are basically paying a monthly fee for another cell phone....because that is what the unit is acting like...

Here is an example

http://simplisafe.com/cellular-monitoring-feature

Built in cellular module instantly connects to our monitoring center - so you don't need a phone line.

I want the security system to send texts out to a list of people, not to their "monitoring service" !

If you don't mind the cost....

With Ting, that costs $6/month if no call/texts/data is used. 100 text messages cost $3 for that month. 1000 for $5.

 

[stroked93]

Simplisafe here complete with smoke alarms had a break in a few weeks ago alarm scared them off before police showed

 

[youwish2bme]

Another vote for LiveWatch, all my people doors are alarmed, specific doors in the house that are interior are alarmed, windows in key areas alarmed, smoke detectors, motion detectors, controls outside lights (really any zwave device) along with instant notification. They are an American company and tech support has been AWESOME when I needed it.

Cameras are another plus... cctvimports.com out of Louisiana helped me with my first camera system and my upgrade.

Security is only as good as you make it..

HITCH