Home security systems

[Mark A]

Hi chaps,

We're in the process of renovating our house and the end is finally in sight. :mrgreen:

Before I put down a permanent chipboard subfloor upstairs I want to sort out the security as the house is quite secluded (nearest neighbour is a farmer about 1/4 mile away).

Our electrician has ran the necessary cables for an alarm system, but he's not a certified installer of the ADT-style setups (notify police if triggered); though I think he can do a basic burglar alarm. An alarm installer is due round some time over the next few days to quote; though I'd like some advice and feedback beforehand.

Through conversations and Googling while on a tea break I've learned the ADT-style systems which alert the police are a waste of money as the rapidity of the response time is at the discretion of both the alarm company's monitoring centre, and the police radio operator. Apparently discreet high-quality cameras are a better solution as there's a chance of recording evidence of the *******s in the act. With a monitored system, by the time the police eventually turn up the *******s will likely be long gone.

Does anyone have experience of alarm systems and security cameras, as well as an indication of installation costs?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Cheers,
Mark

 

[NazNomad]

I use IP Cameras here ... backed up with a baseball bat and a .410.

 

[Newbie_Neil]

Hi Mark,

You're right about the police response time, by the time that they arrive the burglars are long gone.

After repeated break-ins at my office, I looked at all external doors and vulnerable windows to see what could be done. I fitted roller shutters to the doors at the rear of the office and bars to the most vulnerable windows. Probably not the best solution for a house, but it did work and stopped the druggies trying to break in.

Neil

 

[Mark A]

Thanks for the replies so far.

Neil - the only real trouble round here is people stealing quad bikes from the local farmers. One had his two bikes stolen three times in 18 months. After the first theft he started to park them in a barn overnight with his tractors blocking his lane, but they still managed to get to them. I reckon they planned a route across his fields, bypassing the blocked lane completely. After that he had new gates and fences made, as well as an expensive CCTV system installed.

I don't think bars on the windows will go down very well! When I eventually get round to sorting out the garage I'm going to have bars or shutters on the windows, and a strong steel door made.

 

[MattRoberts]

In no expert, but I have just bought a network camera and am pretty impressed. Whilst a bit of a pig to set up initially, it works great and has very good night vision as well as normal. You can rig a bunch of them up and record to a NAS

 

[Phil Pascoe]

I haven't an alarm, but I pay about £90 p.a. for Smartwater, so everything I own worth over about £40 is invisibly marked and identifiable if found in at auction, car boot, on a gyppo site or anywhere. I have little signs on all doors and most windows stating that the stuff is used. Nothing is infallible but I remember my b.i.l. about twenty years ago when he lived on a lane with only six houses on it telling me his alarm system was rubbish - but his was the only house that had one and all he had to do was make next door more attractive. There is a lot of truth in that, especially if you are out of the way - yours won't be a drive by opportunist burglary, the place will have been cased. They will know whether you have a few kilowatts of security lighting, a dog, an alarm, Smartwater, old box frame windows, wheel locks and chains on your trailer etc. and weigh it up against the place down the road.

 

[MARK.B.]

I read somewhere there is a system that will ring several different numbers if activated but bugger if i can remember the name.

 

[NazNomad]

How about this doormat? :-D

 

[sunnybob]

Get a firearms certificate and then inform the police there are guns on the premises. The response time is very dramatically shortened when their alarm goes off.

 

[ColeyS1]

I read somewhere there is a system that will ring several different numbers if activated but pipper if i can remember the name.

I'd have thought most alarms will have the option to ring a number if the alarm sounds. I've got a pyronix alarm on the workshop, I think it needed an extra box of tricks to be able to dial out. Either enter a code to arm/disarm, or a key fob that just needs to touch the control panel. To date I've never had a false alarm with it- I've set it off several times by mistake myself, and can confirm it rings my mobile to let me know the alarm is sounding. If I didn't answer the alarm phonecall, it would ring the next number that was programmed.

Coley

Sent from my SM-G900F using Tapatalk

 

[sunnybob]

or a few of these...
https://img1.etsystatic.com/114/2/13252 ... 7_qczz.jpg

 

[AJB Temple]

Police response is pointless unless you keep guns on the premises as SB said. They take ages to respond If at all.
Remote call station monitoring can ring multiple numbers in turn.
If you have high value gear, also subscribe to a security call out service. They generally guarantee a response time and also act as key-holders.
Wireless alarm systems with a service contract are very flexible do not have unsightly wiring and are easy to add to.
Get a serious siren. Very high decibel power sirens will get attention when alarms bells will not.
Get remote control set and unset - this is essential in my view. Makes alarms far more likely to be used.
Get IT cameras with cloud recording. Cheap and effective. Having visible and hard to spot cameras covering teh same areas is good practice: isible cameras are a deterrent but easy to disable with paint gun or grease sprayed.
Use mobile SIM to contact alarm control centre - not land line.
Make sure call centre is activated if power fails.
Have drive gates, security lights etc.
Have internal lights on timers.
Get a big dog.
Even if you don't have a dog get a beware of the dog sign.

 

[Woodchips2]

We had an alarm system fitted in our last house after we'd had a burglary! We lived in a village about 20 minutes away from the police station and the installer advised not to waste our money connecting to the police because the burglars would be long gone by the time the police arrived. These days some police forces won't even attend burglaries as they consider them an insurance matter. We found the alarm a bit of a nuisance when we went away because spiders would trigger the alarm and just annoy the neighbours.

I think a dummy alarm box is a reasonable deterrent plus remembering to lock all the doors and windows. However if burglars are determined they will still get in so a the camera to gather evidence seems a good idea.

Regards Keith

 

[n0legs]

I know some will recommend wireless alarms and I'm not being awkward.
But,, A while ago I had the pleasure of visiting an alarm/security systems premises. There were no wireless sensors, door contacts, window break sensors and beam break sensors anywhere, all wired stuff.
Me being me, I asked why. Not reliable enough and too easy to beat was the answer.
My household and shed alarms are wired and I have CCTV for the shed and rear garden.

These people are very good for the equipment.
http://www.securitywarehouse.co.uk/catalog/index.php

And this link shows what's available for teledialers etc,
https://www.securitywarehouse.co.uk/cat ... 36_57.html

 

[sunnybob]

I have a friend who has the remote sensor in each room system.
He gave up on it as the sensors in a seldom used room lose contact with the main box, and the main box doesnt know that those rooms are no longer covered.

I also have a friend who has guns, and has a wired system to the police. he's lucky and has not been burgled, but once got himself locked out and had to break a small window to get back in. the police were already on their way before he could contact the station to tell them it was him.

But, to be completely fair to the coppers, they are so short staffed now that I was listening to the radio yesterday when they read out a letter from a devon constable who said that there were TWO officers in mobile patrol for the whole of mid devon. Thats a Lorra lorra ground to cover.

 

[AJB Temple]

Interesting no legs. My perspective on wireless v wired (having had both and a picture of the two in different houses) is that the burglar has no idea what he is dealing with until he is inside. In order for the remote monitoring station to be called, you need two sensors to be activated. If the alarm control box is not in the hall, the burglar cannot avoid setting off two sensors if he wishes to disable the system. If you use remote set and unset, and have the alarm system sirens sound quite quickly, then your deafening big deal mains powered and way out of reach siren sound as well if the alarm is not off within 10 seconds, the burglar knows he is at risk of having very limited time before someone arrives. The alarm has one its job whether it is disabled at that point of not. The monitoring station will ring and unless the correct (as opposed to I am being forced to give this) code or code combination is given, the call out procedure (which may include police notification if you pay for that) will happen come what may.

Wired systems are unsightly unless installed at first fix and the wires hidden.

My experience of professionally installed wireless systems with a maintenance contract, is that they are very reliable as long as the maintenance contract includes battery replacement. The system reports battery failures and sensors failures and identifies which sensor is the issue, but ad hoc battery replacement visits are annoying so really they all need doing at just inside the battery life internal. Decent systems will show any sensor failure so the issue of sensors failing in little used rooms does not occur in practice.

We have never had issues with spiders etc setting of the alarm. Obviously this may depend on your cleaning regime.

I'm a big believer in being very discreet (no flashy stuff out, no Festool boxes put out for the bin men to collect!) and good visual deterrents. The measures are cumulative - eventually someone else is more attractive. But you don't want have the place bristling with security as it signals there is something with stealing. Get good insurance!

 

[Keithie]

Interesting.

Has anyone reflected on the hackability of wireless?

 

[Jasper42]

I have cctv on the house, only house fitted in the area so hope anyone after some free kit will walk further down the road. If they want in they will get in it's all about making you house not look like an easy option. One area to be considered is the range on IR cameras, my cameras are very good by day but at night I would struggle to identify some one. I fitted mine in the eves to make running the wires easy, on reflection could of done with being lower. I replaced two of my cheaper cameras with some off my son (in the security trade) which were high quality, better than my cheap ones but not my much.

I'm a wired system fan but my son who fits some very high end system now feels wireless systems have there place. Although some of the systems he works on cost more than my house it worth.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

When you go on holiday, never, ever get a taxi to the station, harbour or airport. We've had scores of burglaries in our area over the years where a taxi driver just happened to mention in passing to a friend who just happened to be petty crook that the house would be empty for n days or weeks. Get a friend or family member to give you a lift.

 

[treeturner123]

Hi

We have an alarm system that allows the dog to roam (as long as she doesn't jump on the furniture in the living room) which is linked to a call centre. If 2 units are activated, the police will arrive. However, just as important it is a fire alarm system which sets an alarm off in the house AND at the call centre who then notify the fire brigade.

This was very effective when a chimney sweep came and set the thing off!!!

Phil