Home Security System - Need Info/Links

[tillboy2001]

Maybe you remember my other post about home security. Anyway, I'd like to look into a nice home secuirty system that can be self-installed and then monitored by ADT or someone else. I'm in the phone biz, but in an IT dept. so I'm very good at running cable, fishing walls, computers and figuring things out in general.

I'd like your input (good links) on quality security systems that can be easily purchased online or locally and then installed by myself.

Must haves:
- Quality hardware - not $75 'for a complete system' junk
- While I want quality, I'd like to keep the system around $400 or less
- Accept wired or wireless devices (motion sensors, etc)
- Be something that can be monitored by ADT or someone I pick after I install
- Battery backup for at least 24 hours
- Nice backlit keypad that's easy to use/understand
- Must be able to accept sensors for 8 windows, 3 motion sensors that ignore cats, sensors for 4 doors.

OPTIONAL features not required, but would be NICE to have:
- Touchpad for programming
- PC programmable (prefer ethernet, but RS232 at least)
- Email alerts when events occurs (I can provide a PC that's always on to send mail)
- Accept carbon monoxide sensors, smoke sensors, heat sensors, cameras

I've looked at several sites and found some of what I want, but not all of what I want...unless I'm just not understanding the info being presented. My plan would be to maybe hardwire some items that are easy to get to and do wireless on the rest (mainly windows?). This is just something I'm exploring. I find the main players like ADT to be cheap on the standard equipment they install. They want to really stick it to you if they install extra sensors, better keypads, etc. If I can get a nice package and install it myself, that would be preferable...but the key is it must be something that I can have monitored by someone like ADT. I'm pretty sure that's possible, assuming you don't install a piece of junk that they don't want to fool with or can't monitor for whatever reason. So that's why I prefer to stick with well known equipment makers like Honeywell, GE and so on.

Thanks Fire away with the links and your input if you have any.

 

[tillboy2001]

Well, I checked out a lot of web sites. I think the best/easiest thing for us is to go with a professional installed package with monitoring. We can get a fully loaded system from our local phone company with a nice touchpad for $699 and extra keypad installed and no contract. $27 per month for monitoring. The 699 can be spread out over 24 months (no interest) on our phone bill. I like the no contract deal. ADT wanted to force us into a minimum 3 yr contract and NO breaks on the install price. Screw that! My wife likes the package below...so I think it's pretty much a done deal.

Phone company packge:
http://www.cincinnatibell.com/residential/homesecurity/packages/?id=NPR0003&t=2

Features:
Fire Protection
Break-in Protection
Carbon Monoxide Detection
Water Leak Detection
Additional Break-in Protection for Larger Homes
Easily activate system from a Wireless Keychain device

Benefits:
No Contracts to Sign
Low Monthly Monitoring
Peace of Mind - 24 Hours a Day Monitoring
Reliable Protection
Alarms Answered in our Local Monitoring Station

Equipment Includes:
2 Keypads
Control Panel
1 Smoke Detector
Carbon Monoxide Detector
Water Detector
6 Window and Door Contacts
1 Motion Detector
Siren
Keyfob

 

[depasseg]

Have you looked at Smarthome.com? They have a bunch of alarm systems to choose from. You buy the hardware and install it yourself. They partnered with a company offering alarm monitoring for $8.95/month.

More info:


Good luck,
Greg http://www.smarthome.com/alarm.html

 

[tillboy2001]

I think I looked at that site. They don't have the Honeywell systems and from what I researched, I like that system best. The local phone company here installs Honeywell. The other thing is, for the price and piece of mind, I guess in my situation it's best to have them do it and get it over with. Plus my wife would rather do the professional install/monitor from the start anyway. You know how that goes. I figure I better just go ahead and do it this way so she doesn't fuss. Also, this eliminates any errors during the install. If something isn't working right, I can blame someone other than myself and get it fixed for free /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

 

[Jagmandave]

Well..........

ADT did the security and fire alarm setup for my company, I spent the next 3 years getting installation problems fixed. Eveything from broken wires to wires run wrong, to incorrect sensor placement to installing a camera upside down, so that water ran into the weephole instead of out! Can't tell you how many false alarms I responded to at 3 am from this wonder company, all due to their incompetance.........hope your situation goes better. I'd watch em like a hawk all thru the install.
Since we've gotten all the problems fixed, it works pretty good now.........

 

[Bird]

I assume you have checked with your local police department to see what kind of ordinances they have. For anyone who doesn't know it, a 96-98% false alarm rate is about the norm worldwide. As a result, many cities (most of them in my area) require a permit to have an alarm installed and there can be a hefty "fine" or "service charge" if the police or fire department responds to an alarm at a location that does not have a permit. I'm sure ordinances vary, but most that I've seen allow a certain number of false alarms each year at no cost, then charge for all responses to false alarms after that. So you many want to include those costs in your decision. Right now Dallas is considering going to "verified response" as some other cities already have; i.e., police only respond after the property owner or an alarm company representative has verified that it is not a false alarm. Naturally, the alarm companies fight such proposals; win in some cities, lose in others.

 

[tillboy2001]

Not sure about permits and so on for this area. The monitoring company in my case calls me first to see if it's a real alarm or an accident. If I don't answer though, they call the cops. I do phone work for a living and we had a customer that had employees accidentally dial 911 way too many times and the police wanted to start fining them if they kept it up. I'll be sure to watch carefully how it's installed. Since I'm in the phone install business, I know generally how it should go...just the running wire part and maybe some of the other obvious things. My house is an installer's dream to work in though...hehe Since I'm an installer (phone) myself, I had a few nice things put in when we built the house. Like 3 lights in the attic controlled by a switch downstairs (the light fixtures have electric outlets on them too for power tools, etc). Also have conduit that runs between the attic and basement. Basement covers the entire footprint of the house and it's all unfinished. Should be a breeze! /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[Bird]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( If I don't answer though, they call the cops. )</font>

And when the cops get there and find it was a false alarm, then what? That's the "usual" situation. False alarms are caused by many different things; bad installation is only one of them. But it does sound as if you've designed the house the way they all should be.

 

[tillboy2001]

If the cops show up, my wife's sweet old grandma that lives next door will talk them out of doing anything bad to us /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif I swear she can wear out a pair of pants and then take them back to the store and say they were defective and get her money back! LOL She get what she wants. She sure got a free hose with her new air compressor...because she said she wouldn't buy it if they didn't GIVE her a hose! This was at Home Depot even!

 

[MossRoad]

I've got somewhat of a conduit from basement to attic as well... it is called balloon construction with no insulation! /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif

While it is handy to run wires, it is also dangerous in fires and poor on heating. I've been slowly filling it in with fire blocks and insulation.

Running real conduits from basement to attic is something anyone with a home should consider. It is very handy as are the attic lights.