View Full Version : Recommendation request - Home Security System



MadMonk
07-13-2012, 05:06 PM
Anyone have a home security company/system that they would recommend? I'd like one that is monitored.

windowphobe
07-13-2012, 06:17 PM
Guardian has been watching my premises for nine years. Response time in several tests has been well under a minute.

Jim Kyle
07-13-2012, 07:05 PM
+10 for Guardian

I switched from ADT to get better service at a lower cost. Last week we accidentally set the system to be fully armed instead of the "stay" setting that disables internal motion detectors. The first time I walked into the hall, it went off. By the time I reached the keypad to clear the noise, the phone was ringing as they called to check things out...

UncleCyrus
07-13-2012, 10:05 PM
I'll add my agreement to the posts above. Great service from Guardian.

If you are looking them up online, the one I am talking about is at http://www.guardianok.com/. There are several companies/sites out there with Guardian in the name but they are not related.

UncleCyrus
07-13-2012, 10:08 PM
Guardian has been watching my premises for nine years. Response time in several tests has been well under a minute.

Heh, were all of those tests intentional? Mine have all been closer to Jim's experience!

JayhawkTransplant
07-13-2012, 10:18 PM
I use TnT and really like them. I've also had several accidental set-offs, as well as one attempted break-in, and they are super quick. They are also very quick at calling your backups. They are good at coming out and doing a service call with not much notice.

I pay about $320/year for my service, and it can be done wirelessly (so I don't have to pay for a land line).

BBatesokc
07-13-2012, 11:18 PM
Used to have our alarm monitored, and was happy with the service. The couple of times it went off they called within a minute. Problem was, the two times it went off when we were not home - even though the alarm company called 911 immediately, it took police way too long before they dispatched anyone. Literally, I was able to drive home from across town before police were even sent.

One time when we went out of town it took them almost an hour before the police showed up (as confirmed by our video surveillance cameras). I called and inquired and they said loud alarm calls were not a priority.

We dropped the monitoring and saved the cash. If someone breaks in the audible alarm will go off and scare them, neighbors will notice, the system calls me instead of a monitoring company and I can connect to my cameras via my cell phone from anywhere in the world. If someone is there I will call police with confirmation (which does place a higher priority on the call).

The Samsung 8 camera system from Sam's is very good. It will even send you a text if the cameras detect motion.

If you want something installed, I recommend Strong 3AV.

WilliamTell
07-14-2012, 05:03 AM
Having home security alarms monitered is a waste of money, i really wonder why people get them.

Really think about it. Some one breaks into your house, your alarm goes off, after a predetermined amount of time the alarm calls the company, someone at the company reviews it, someone tries to call you, if they dont hear back from you on the main number they try to call the secondary number you gave them,.........then if they dont hear back from you on the multiple numbers you've given them they then call the police department and then a cop drives to your house with no lights or sirens on. Its a 10 minute process before the police are called and another 10-15 minute before a cop makes it to your house (if they arent responding to other crimes). When break ins happen they are over insanely quick esp if an alarm is triggered. Those guys are going to be in and out of there by the time the alarm company ever responds back to you.


Our house came with a builder installed alarm system that has sensors on all the windows and doors, we just arm it before we go to bed but dont pay to have it monitored for the above reason. When the alarm goes off it has a insanely loud siren (that alone scares off intruders) just like all the other ones and i have little debbie next to my bed (like the picture below) if it ever turns out to be a real breakin.


1908

Roadhawg
07-14-2012, 08:27 AM
1909 1910

BBatesokc
07-14-2012, 10:23 AM
1909 1910

But if you're not home (when most burglaries occur) the gun is simply stolen along with everything else. Neighbor down the street tried to rely on their Rott to provide inside security and they simply kicked in the back door and and shot the dog dead.

Roadhawg
07-14-2012, 10:31 AM
Then chances are they would shoot the person in the house too. They can't steal a gun if you're wearing it. I trust my dogs to deter a robbery more than I do a camera.

Maynard
07-14-2012, 10:32 AM
And, if you reside in Oklahoma City and your alarm has a external sounding device, don't forget to fill out the City's 'loud alarm' permit application and remit $27 for a new permit ($17 per anum thereafter).

Oh, and the City will impose a $65 fine for excessive police reponses, $107 for fire department.

Gotta love [pay] our City government!

JayhawkTransplant
07-14-2012, 12:02 PM
Having home security alarms monitered is a waste of money, i really wonder why people get them.

1908

I somewhat agree--my house also came with my alarm system installed, or else I probably wouldn't have gotten one. I travel a lot, though, so it's nice to know if someone had kicked in my front door, so I can call a friend to go check it out and try to re-secure the house in the event that I am out of town. Also, I have a work-at-home neighbor, and he is #2 on my alarm system's call list, so he could run over and possibly grab a license plate number or get a suspect description faster than the police.

Overall, for the price (especially after my homeowners insurance discount), I feel like it's worth it.

Maynard
07-14-2012, 12:22 PM
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Our house came with a builder installed alarm system that has sensors on all the windows and doors, we just arm it before we go to bed but dont pay to have it monitored for the above reason. When the alarm goes off it has a insanely loud siren (that alone scares off intruders) just like all the other ones and i have little debbie next to my bed (like the picture below) if it ever turns out to be a real breakin.


1908


"The police can't stop an intruder, mugger, or stalker from hurting you. They can pursue him only after he has hurt or killed you. Protecting yourself from harm is your responsibility, and you are far less likely to be hurt in a neighborhood of gun-owners than in one of disarmed citizens - even if you don't own a gun yourself."

-Harry Browne

MadMonk
07-14-2012, 01:05 PM
Thanks for the suggestions everyone. I'm mainly concerned with deterrence and alerting while I'm away from the home. I like the idea of the automatic call while I'm away, and I'm also interested in getting my own set-up for video recording. I don't consider the alarm to be my sole defense, but part of a larger, layered system - dog, weapon(s), concertina wire, anti-personnel mines (I kid, I kid!).

Roadhawg
07-14-2012, 01:35 PM
Thanks for the suggestions everyone. I'm mainly concerned with deterrence and alerting while I'm away from the home. I like the idea of the automatic call while I'm away, and I'm also interested in getting my own set-up for video recording. I don't consider the alarm to be my sole defense, but part of a larger, layered system - dog, weapon(s), concertina wire, anti-personnel mines (I kid, I kid!).


Hmmm didn't think of those... thanks lol

BBatesokc
07-14-2012, 03:18 PM
I use a couple of these as backup to the main system. The primary system uses cellular and this use a hardwired landline.

http://www.amazon.com/Security-Burglar-System-Dialer-standard/dp/B000SMM1DY/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_nC?ie=UTF8&coliid=I318T164TCRJYH&colid=65UJO3RI7VFC

windowphobe
07-14-2012, 06:48 PM
Heh, were all of those tests intentional?

Let's say, um, most of them. :)

t3hwookiee
07-17-2012, 03:11 PM
Another vote for Guardian! We've had them 4 years and have been very happy. I don't see it as a waste of money, because we save more on our homeowner's insurance than we pay out each month for the service. It's a no brainer to do it.
We have the cellular system, as we do not have a landline phone btw.

BBatesokc
07-17-2012, 07:29 PM
Another vote for Guardian! We've had them 4 years and have been very happy. I don't see it as a waste of money, because we save more on our homeowner's insurance than we pay out each month for the service. It's a no brainer to do it.
We have the cellular system, as we do not have a landline phone btw.

We get the same discount simply by having an alarm with a dialer (calls us, not the alarm service - saves a step and $$$$$).

WilliamTell
07-17-2012, 07:46 PM
Another vote for Guardian! We've had them 4 years and have been very happy. I don't see it as a waste of money, because we save more on our homeowner's insurance than we pay out each month for the service. It's a no brainer to do it.


Really?

We have state farm and the discount was only a fraction of the price of the monthly cost. Do you have a older home (or a paid off home)?


Thats why i said it wasnt worth the cost when we checked two years ago, but if you actually save money more power to you.

OKCTalker
07-18-2012, 01:23 PM
Having home security alarms monitored is a waste of money, i really wonder why people get them.

I've had central station-monitored security systems ever since I purchased my first home years ago. I keep their signs posted near the front door and gates leading to the back yard - that is the first of several deterrent layers of security. They must be effective because bad guys don't try to get in. I don't know how much I haven't lost as a result of alarm systems, but I do know that I won't be surprised by finding an intruder in the house. Anything they'll steal can be replaced, but my personal safety is the real purpose of the system.

I suppose that a spare tire is also a waste of money, but I've got one and I'll bet that almost everyone else does too.

BBatesokc
07-18-2012, 05:11 PM
I've had central station-monitored security systems ever since I purchased my first home years ago. I keep their signs posted near the front door and gates leading to the back yard - that is the first of several deterrent layers of security. They must be effective because bad guys don't try to get in. I don't know how much I haven't lost as a result of alarm systems, but I do know that I won't be surprised by finding an intruder in the house. Anything they'll steal can be replaced, but my personal safety is the real purpose of the system.

I suppose that a spare tire is also a waste of money, but I've got one and I'll bet that almost everyone else does too.

Not really a good comparison. A better would have been "I suppose having AAA in case I have a flat tire is a waste of money....." (and I'd agree it is a waste in that instance) Having a spare would cut out AAA (for that sole purpose) and save you a lot of money in the long run.

The criminal has no idea if your home alarm is monitored or not. All they know is that you at least want them to believe you have an alarm.

Not having your alarm monitored and instead having it direct dial you is actually (IMO) far more efficient.

Monitored Alarm Senario:
1. Burglar breaks in.
2. Alarm goes off (most likely he takes off running).
3. If he breaks in the front door he often gets no alarm and instead usually has 30-seconds to flee or grab what he wants before the alarm goes off.
4. Alarm company is called by alarm.
5. Alarm company calls your residence to see if its a real alarm.
6. Burglar ignores call but now knows the alarm is monitored and police have no yet been called.
7. Alarm company then places a call to primary contact.
8. Alarm company tries secondary contact.
9. If someone answers either call then the alarm company hangs up and calls police.
10. If nobody answers then the alarm company calls police.
11. Police get the call (now several minutes after the breaking occurred) and it goes out as a general broadcast and if nobody is busy they check it out. Could take up to an hour before a cop arrives.

My alarm system:
1. Burglar never has to break in as 4 of my outdoor cameras have motion zones and if the camera detects motion the system takes a photo and sends it to me via text message and calls me. I then call police directly and can tell them someone is breaking-in (escalates the call to a priority) and I begin heading home and call my armed neighbor.
2. If the burglar gets in without tripping the motion sensor, then the audio alarm sounds and I am sent a text message and a phone call.
3. I then call police while viewing my outside and inside cameras on my phone or iPad and relay information to them, while heading home myself and call my neighbor on the way.
Much faster, more efficient and saves money over time.

The system will also detect two types of fire related chemicals in the air and carbon monoxide.

Jon27
07-18-2012, 05:34 PM
I just switched to Alternative Systems. The owner Jacob was awesome, and he's a local company! Our builder used him to install the alarm, and other low voltage wiring. Very professional and knowledgeable. He's 19.95 a month, but we pay 24.95 to have cell back up. Have all doors, windows, smoke detectors, and attic monitored. They call within seconds of the alarm going off. I was paying $35 a month with Protection One, and like this much better.

http://www.alternativesystemsinc.net/

WilliamTell
07-18-2012, 05:35 PM
I called state farm today and to have my alarm monitored we get 100 dollars off, no where close to cover the the cost of having it monitored.

Easy180
09-30-2013, 07:10 PM
Any downside to going with monitored wireless security over a land line? About to pull the trigger on wireless and want to make sure I'm not missing something.

Jon27
09-30-2013, 08:32 PM
Any downside to going with monitored wireless security over a land line? About to pull the trigger on wireless and want to make sure I'm not missing something.

We use wireless exclusively on ours, and have for the last year and a half. No problems at all. They still call within seconds.

Mel
09-30-2013, 09:18 PM
Before all this fancy electronic alarm systems my dad, retired OCPD, said outside lights and a butt eating dog worked as a pretty good deterrent.

bluedogok
09-30-2013, 09:24 PM
Any downside to going with monitored wireless security over a land line? About to pull the trigger on wireless and want to make sure I'm not missing something.
We switched from Brinks to Vivint about 7 years ago because Brinks didn't have a wireless option. We had two break ins about 9 months apart, our neighborhood was hit hard two summers in a row. The first time they tripped the motion detector and only grabbed my laptop because it was sitting out. The second time we had got back to Austin late from Denver, my wife went in late and forgot to set the alarm. Our problem was panel location, you could see it from the front door which had a small view glass in it that allowed you to look inside and see the status light. They threw a brick through the kitchen window and when the alarm didn't go off they kicked in the front door and cleaned us out pretty good. We only had motion in the house in Austin, in our house here in Aurora we have door/window sensors on every one and glass break sensors as well.

We also have photocell outside lights front and rear.

GaryOKC6
10-01-2013, 07:51 AM
I just switched to Eales Electrinics and highly reccomend them. Theyare a LOCAL company that installs and monitor both home and commercial alarm systems. I had an alarm installed a few years ago at a "special price" from one of the big national chains. The system was relitively cheap but they locked me into a 3 year monitoring contract at over twice the price. I switched to Eales after the contract was over. they updated my "bare bones" system and their monitoring is the best around, both price and service. Call Tiffany at 773-3188. They are located at 8105 Glade Avenue. I wish I would have called them in the first place.

loveOKC
10-01-2013, 02:07 PM
AT&T just started offering its Digital Life service here in oklahoma. Its afull home security/home automation service that is monitored. https://my-digitallife.att.com/learn/?WT.srch=1&wtPaidSearchTerm=att+digital+life