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I use ADT but have never had anything other than infrared interior motion sensors and a panic alarm. Monitored. Everything is radio controlled but the central unit and the telephone link. ADT installed everything for free with a 24 month contract. It might be all of $30/mo. Window and door switches are messy and don't really do anything that motion sensors don't catch. There is no point of entry except on the roof and in a second floor window that isn't controlled.
I don't see why all this new complex stuff is even helpful.
EDIT:
Of course, I have a loaded short barrel shotgun handy in case someone fails to take the alarm seriously. Same for the office. Its in a file under "G" for gun.
I don't know what company charged your company $70,000 for an alarm system, but I have worked for large companies with alarm systems, and in my experience, you could alarm a small city of compaines for the figure you mention. Alarm systems are not expensive..
For $70 K, you could build a police sub-station in your company, complete with a coffee machine, and a donut counter........
Hospital Requirements for Fire Alarm systems are very specific... without a functioning fire alarm you either close your doors or initiate round the clock Fire Watch.
The system cost exactly 70k and that was in 1995... It includes a UL Fire System, Activated Fire/Smoke Doors and Security with lock down features, panics and HVAC tie-ins for Smoke Dampers.
Fifteen years later we are being left high and dry... they no longer have techs certified/qualified to service what they installed...
Hospital Requirements for Fire Alarm systems are very specific... without a functioning fire alarm you either close your doors or initiate round the clock Fire Watch.
The system cost exactly 70k and that was in 1995... It includes a UL Fire System, Activated Fire/Smoke Doors and Security with lock down features, panics and HVAC tie-ins for Smoke Dampers.
Fifteen years later we are being left high and dry... they no longer have techs certified/qualified to service what they installed...
I backed off on my previous statement as soon as I read the word hospital...
Whole different ball game that 99% of the business'
If anyone is currently looking at alarms, look up SimpliSafe and other alarms like it. You buy the equipment and hook it up yourself, it is all wireless. Most of the systems have cellular backup. Monitoring fees are around $15-20 per month.
My alarm has a panic keychain that is kept by the bed. We also have door/window contacts and motion detectors. You can turn the motion detectors off while the alarm is on if you are at home sleeping. Some companies have glass break sensors. There are NO CONTRACTS, and you can take everything down and take it with you if you move.
My recommendation for those who currently have an alarm... Don't put a sign in your yard that advertises what brand alarm you have. If you have ADT, get a SimpliSafe or Honeywell security sign. Having your sign out front only tells would be thieves how to look up your system and defeat it. If you have something they want bad enough, they will try it.
I always have to laugh at their advertisements. Usually it is a young woman with a child suggesting vulnerability. Their window or door is kicked in and some phoney baloney alarm goes off. One second later the phone rings and of course the victims have the presence of mind to answer the phone when they are in danger of being attacked????? Please.
They need to go for a .45 and not the phone. Cost of the .45 $500 Cost of the ammo: $50.00 Cost of the training: $75.00 Cost of stickers for your door that says your home is protected by a .45 Glock: $5.00. No monitors, no muss, no fuss. Someone breaks into your home, they run the risk of being shot dead.
Who would take the chance of breaking into a home where the signs say the home is protected by a .45? Skip that one and go to the house that has the alarm and cut the phone wires, the TV wires, and proceed to your booty.
While you are away, automatic lights on timers do well and house sitters for extended periods are well advised. It doesn't hurt to have a trained German Shepard either.
All of this is less expensive than some trumped up alarm company that pretends to be right on top of the situation by charging yearly fees and 3 year contracts, and a lot more reliable.
Short of this, if you live in that dangerous of a neighborhood, you would be well advised to move where you don't require "burgular alarms".
Several problems with this:
How many of the bad guys can read?
Of those who can read, how many take the time to read any signs in the windows before breaking in?
If they can and do read, advertising that you have a gun is like putting up a sign that says that you have a lot of jewlry, tools, or cash in the house. Guns are one of the easiest items for bad guys to sell and they are a high demand item. Not the best idea to announce that you have guns. That only says, come here fore a great haul, but bring some guns in case the owner is home because you may need to shoot him or her. If the bad guys can and do read and bring their guns, they will just shoot you as soon as they see you (which will almost always be before you realize that there is a break in, get your gun, take off the safety device, find the bad guy and make sure that they are a bad guy before you shoot them.).
I am not adverse to having guns for self protection, but advertising that fact is a bad idea.
A big dog seems to be the best idea. Besides you cannot snuggle up or play fetch with an alarm system. Not with a gun either, although I know some gun owners who probably try snuggling with their guns.
Can the bad guy cut my phone lines and render the system useless..?? Nope, that was in the old days. Today's systems have a cell phone in the alarm box, so cutting the phone line won't help his cause. Modern alarm systems have thought of everything you can come up with to defeat the system.
Alas, the bad guys always seem to find ways to stay ahead of the good guys. Do they make devices that jam cell phone signals? With my luck, my alarm system woudl get "all circuits are busy now" or if it was through AT&T, the call would just be dropped. However the alarm and call system is still too slow to do much good in many circumstances. If they are going to clean out your whole house, it may help, but if they are just going to break in and grab a few things, they will be gone long before the monitoring system accomplishes anything.
It's funny how everyone knows and has there own opinion about alarms systems, yet don't now a clue about a system. First off, if a company ask for your social and say free system, it's an authorized dealer. Basically what that is, is a company whomever that is purchases the "MONITORING" from a major company like ADT or Monotronics but uses and installs the equipment from contractors that has no overhead. They get paid from the fact that they made a sell to provide that company a unit. The Company pays them for it. Basically, since they don"t necessarity work for ADT, they are not responsible for anything that may take place. Plus when you sign the agreement that folks refuse to read these days, it will explain all that to you. So if anything is wrong broken, that company is not about to come out and fix it. They did their job by getting the sale. You have to call the company that monitors to fix a problem that they never installed or had anything to do with. Thus you have to pay more money. i know i will get that statement from the one who thinks all companys are the same and the same name of the company represent all. Why would a company have things like that? people who ask that doesn't understand outsourcing and business sense. Most companies that you see that make the world go round uses outsource. It's save time and money. For example, and this is for all those who think security should be free and not pay anything. You get what you pay or should i say don't pay for. If i go to a BMW, or a Mercedes dealer. They specialize in that brand of car. They price is a little high but i get service and warrenty for my purchase. plus if i'm not satisfied, i can always take it back and refund my money as long as i do it in the amount of time that i have, but we all know everyone wants something for nothing. So you go to Joe Blows used cars and buy the exact same car for a cheaper price at a buy here pay here. No warrenty, as is car. So you but it, you happy and now (not every time but most) something is wrong with the car. You try to take it back. Nope, sold! You can't blame Mercedes and BMW the company for you buying a bad car. You got what you paid for. So in the security business, it's the same. Oh and for the guy who wants to use a sticker that say .45 on their window. You one big talker because i guarentee you will NOT do that where i'm from because if you did, you will be either robbed, or dead in a month. Plus nowadays if you move to a so called safe or rich neighborhood, they are the ones getting robbed more than the hood area due to the fact that they have more nice stuff and people not as nosy.
Go local! I just had Alarm Man install 3 door contacts (wireless), 11 WIRELESS window contacts, a glass break sensor, and the keypad with wireless remote installed for $1,100. I own the system out right and elected to NOT have monitoring. Like someone else previously said, monitoring really is low on the list of things that deter burgulary. The loud siren that will go off immediately, sending the robbers fleeing, is all the "monitoring" that one needs. They will never know its not monitored. Heck, even if I did want monitoring, it was on $19.99/month with NO contract. ADT and Brinks are legal rackets, do not give them your $.
Go local! I just had Alarm Man install 3 door contacts (wireless), 11 WIRELESS window contacts, a glass break sensor, and the keypad with wireless remote installed for $1,100. I own the system out right and elected to NOT have monitoring. Like someone else previously said, monitoring really is low on the list of things that deter burgulary. The loud siren that will go off immediately, sending the robbers fleeing, is all the "monitoring" that one needs. They will never know its not monitored. Heck, even if I did want monitoring, it was on $19.99/month with NO contract. ADT and Brinks are legal rackets, do not give them your $.
I know its been months since you made this post freshjiv, but if you are still reading this thread, could you please share what brand of alarm system you purchased? PM me if need be...i am looking to make a purchase and signing up with an alarm company like ADT is not an option for me.
Thanks
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ADT trap for 3 year contract!!!
