Alternatives to ADT for Wired Alarm System
Lynne
4 years ago
last modified: 4 years ago
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wysmama
4 years agoLynne
4 years agoRelated Discussions
Home security alarm options
Comments (1)Audible alarms are one option. Another is a cellular connection to the monitoring company. Even the big boys (Brinks, ADT, etc.) sell cellular backups on their alarm systems. Frankly, your best bet on home security is a local shop that partners with a national monitoring outfit. They'll be more willing to meet your needs and you'll probably find them price-competitive or better....See MoreHome security alarm system
Comments (18)More on my insurance situation to which I referred above. My landlord requires that I have tenant's insurance on the house contents, and, as I mentioned, the company carrying my auto insurance back in '06 did not offer coverage for under $25,000., and my contents were less than $10,000. ... plus, when we investigated the situation, they didn't like some of the plumbing and wiring system, according to the independent agency that represented them ... so I told them that I would not be renewing my auto insurance with the former company, either. Later I got a request for payment from the earlier company and tried unsuccessfully to contact them to say that I'd cancelled. Later I got a registered letter telling me that they were no longer covering my auto insurance ... and that I owed them $137.00 for the coverage which I'd had prior to their cancellation. I told them that I'd told the agent that I would not be renewing, and they said that that notification had to be in writing .. and I said that their agent had not informed me that such a cancellation was required. I told them that, as I'd had a situation where my vehicle had been hit by another in the meantime, that I'd be making a claim. They said that, since I was covered by another company, that they would not recognize such a claim. So I told them that they wanted my money for coverage that I'd said that I no longer needed ... but were refusing to make a payout relative to such coverage. Since then, I have received a number of calls from a collection agency, then there's a quiet period, then there's another group trying to collect. Recently when I answer the phone, there's a short pause, then a canned voice says, "Please hold while I transfer you", then there's a pause, and a machine instructs me that if I know my account number, to please give it, and asks for my phone number. I say that they didn't identify their company, that I'm not aware of any account with them and they must have a bad memory, for they knew my phone number when they called me a couple of minutes ago ... and that I have a hard time remembering it, as I never call home, insofar as the only residents here when I'm gone is the occasional mouse. The other day when I answered, I got to speak to a warm body, and when I told her my story, she said that I needed to pay, and could I pay if they reduced the fee by 20% (which they seldom do for accounts under $200.), and I told her that I don't give credit card numbers over the phone, so she offered to have me transfer via a certain bank, but I wasn't enthusiastic about that propoal. When I said that I might die in the meantime ... she said that she guessed that I'd just have to put up with the ongoing calls. I didn't ask her whether they had an idea of where they'd phone after I'd died ... I guess that can wait for the next time that I get to speak to a warm body. However ... they usually call in the mid-morning, and a couple of days ago when the phone rang about that time, I almost didn't nswer ... and it was my daughter calling from AZ ... and it was about 6:40 a.m. her time ... so we had a nice visit ... and I decided that I'll be answering the phone in future. I've heard that ancient people get rather stubborn ... do you think that there might be any truth to that rumour ... ... or could it be just another of those urban (well, in this case, "rural") legends? I hope that you all have a really great post-holiday weekend. For retired folks ... every day's weekend. I you don't have a retirement plan in place, maybe it's time to get moving on one ... the longer you leave it, the steeper the hill that your invested dollars must climb. ole joyful...See MoreNeed Advice on Home Alarm
Comments (5)Home alarms usually use a combination of perimeter sensors (doors and windows) and interior (motion detonators) and sometimes things like glass break sensors. The alarm can be set to arm everything (AWAY, as you would if you were going AWAY from home) or just the perimeter (STAY, so only the doors opening would trigger it but not people walking around inside). The initial alarm is usually some beeping heard inside the house (emanating from the control panels usually). If you don't reset it, then the monitoring center will call the police and possibly trigger a louder alarm. Unless you have deer inside your house, it should not be a problem. Put the wiring in now, it's much easier even if you don't really want the alarm. He most likely has to be putting in smoke/CO detectors prewired anyhow, I'd connect these to the arm as well. Most alarm companies will be glad to come out and talk to you and give estimates. The install cost at this stage isn't really that high and might be subsidized if you sign up for the monitoring (it's sort of like buying cell phones). One feature I have that I really like is that the monitoring company I use subscribes to alarm.com. That gives me the ability to see when the alarms trip (or even if the doors are opened) on my iPhone and set or disable the alarms remotely ....See MoreHome security alarm?
Comments (34)I have to disagree (sorry!) with the thought that alarms don't help. Years ago in our first home, we had a break-in. I came in to the downstairs garage, started up the steps and saw the door open. Very wrong as we had a cat and the upstairs was always closed off from the down. Went outside the house, looked up at the back (kitchen french door) and saw it had been broken. Ran for my car and got out of there. Called the police from a friend's house. Chances are I startled the intruders, which could have been disastrous as they took two of our handguns. They were more than likely in the process of going through gifts under our Christmas tree when I drove up. It was awful. Our bedroom, especially, was ransacked. We had an alarm put in within the week. Some time later someone again got into the house. We had not put alarms on upper windows as you could not access them. Well yes you could, if one stood on another's shoulders and pulled themself up to the window. We had acerage then and while we were in the county limits, we were remote. We are much more rural now, but not so remote. Anyhoo, once they stepped out of the bedroom door, the motion detector got them. If I remember correctly, they didn't get anything that time, they were in too big of a hurry to get out. We live in a smaller, rural town now with a very low crime rate. We still have an alarm. My husband occasionally travels with his job, there are days that we are both at work, etc. etc. etc. ADT also has the wireless. One important thing is to keep your system updated. Having the fire alarm tied in is wonderful - I thought of that after we got our dog. We've only set the alarm off once since we've lived in this house (14 years) and the police were there very quickly - even after my husband told the alarm company it was our fault (he had left for work, I'd hit "stay" on the alarm and he came back and opened a basement door). Embarrassing, but the police were great and said that's what they were there for. We've never had a sign in our yard, it's in a closet. Ha! Our insurance company does not require us to have an alarm, but we were given a discount on installation cost. It is not fool-proof, but I do feel it is a deterent. My little 10 lb. dog is a good "alarm", but she couldn't do much damage. We do also have handguns. tina...See MoreMDLN
4 years agoBT
4 years agoLynne
4 years agoTechnospeak Corporation
4 years agoLynne
4 years agolast modified: 4 years agoTechnospeak Corporation
4 years agocpartist
4 years agoPinebaron
4 years agolast modified: 4 years agoSemper Fi Home Guy - Brokered By eXp Realty
4 years agoPinebaron
4 years agoUser
4 years ago
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