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criticalmass048

Home Security System advice needed

criticalmass048
15 years ago

We own a duplex, and live mainly upstairs (which is finished) while I slowly-but-surely work on the 1st floor. Therefore, nobody is really living on the first floor, and, frankly, the place is a wreck, between furniture, boxes, and construction materials.

The neighborhood, like that in most cities, is starting to decline. We're beginning to get very uneasy, and would like to get an alarm system.

I'd like to get some feedback on a professionally-installed system versus a purchased system. Which would be better for us, both now and in the long run when/if we begin to rent out either one or both floors? Wired or wireless? I think for now, we'd want to cover the main front door, the back door, and four windows around the first floor. Not too concerned about the upstairs.

I'm pretty handy when it comes to electronics, so if we're just doing a wireless system, I feel very capable of doing it myself. I'm just leary of the "free systems" that require you to sign a 5 year contract, and whose companies won't answer any questions until they sent a "technician" (salesperson) out to your home. I can see it now: "You know, you should really put a motion sensor in this toilet here. 7% of home invasions actually occur due to breaching the plumbing! So why don't we just sign you up for that too..."

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