Home alarm system

[TheFied]

We have ADT at the house. It is tied to our home phone system. We have never had anyone break in but it makes the wife feel more comfortable especially if I am out of town.

Recently was at a friend's house and he has ADT or maybe someone else and he said that they have a radio in their garage that it is tied to rather than the home phone (they don't have a home phone, cell phones only). He told me that if someone tried to break into their house and tried to cut the phone line that it wouldn't work.

I joked and said that he had watched too much "24" and that a burglar is not going to cut the phone lines to break into our houses. We don't have a $MM Picasso print in the study.

He disagreed and said it happens all the time and I dropped it.

But it got me wondering -> how common is it for burglars to cut the phone lines? My gut tells me not often at all. But thought I would see what you guys thought.

 

[robr]

A cop could probably give you a better answer, but criminals certainly do cut the phone lines.
We have several close neighborhoods in San Antonio that have formed a Google Group to keep everyone informed about crime, lost pets, etc. It has really opened my eyes about criminals. They really aren't looking for heirlooms. Rather, they mostly just want electronics and jewelry to sell quickly.
Lately, they have been knocking on front doors. If nobody answers, they kick in the back door. They are in/out in minutes- usually before the police can get there.
I also have an ADT system (hardwired). Please let me know if you get any information on a wireless system. I'd consider that and maybe one with video (i.e., nanny cam) capabilities.
I am having my doors reinforced until we remodel with sturdier doors. Its simply putting in longer screws to strengthen the door hardware, and a metal plate that reinforces the door frame. I'm also going to put name/contact info on all the electronics. The police said to put it where it is clearly visible to the thief, and they 'may' move on.

 

[TheFied]

I believe it is $10 more per month for the radio / non-phone version. That is why I turned it down and I have a home phone system.

When we set it to "away" we also have a motion detector in the living room in case they somehow get inside without triggering the system.

 

[kmac30]

i have a phoneless system. i don't know about radio, but pretty sure mine is like a cell phone (guess it could be the same thing). i don't have a home phone either, so this was easiest. not sure of the costs, but it wasn't much. i also got a discount on ADT thru my insurance company (USAA).

while we're on ADT, does anyone know how long it takes for them to register a break in? We have window break sensors that go off when the house is set to "stay" or "away". when it hailed in May, a window broke and the alarm went off. I ran and disarmed, but was a little surprised no one called. It happens pretty quick in the commercials, not so much in real life.

 

[Seattle Husker]

What's the value of paying the monthly fee for a home alarm system? I've read some studies that found simply having the appearance of an alarm is an equally effective deterrant. Simply having the home alarm system signs, the connection points on the doors and windows, and other additional locks on windows and doors if often all that's needed to get the burglars to bypass your house and head to another house.

Was it Freakanomics or some similar type book that basically proved actively monitored home alarms were essentially useless?

 

[l00p]

Mine, like others have fire or heat detection. It is proven that you have a much, MUCH better chance of saving your house and lives in the house with this detection. By the time a neighbor sees smoke or fire coming out of your roof it is too late.

I have mine for peace of mind mostly for fire. Sure the theft deterrent is a good thing but I find the fire prevention or extra security is worth it.

If a thief cuts the phone line your alarm will still go off and very loudly. It just won't make the call to ADT who then calls you and then dispatches the cops if they don't get ahold of you or your contact numbers. Have a meeting with your neighbors who should have your contact info and know your whereabouts if you are out of town anyway.

Let them know that anytime your alarm sounds to call the cops. If they want they can call you to inform you but yes, call the cops. Also look for any suspect vehicles, people walking out of your house or suspicious people not usually around. Basically, things cops will want to know. This is a good back up in case somebody cuts the phone lines. The cops may even get a call faster than with ADT.

 

[TheFied]

I have a heat detector in my attic as well and that is set to call the Fire Dept in case it gets too hot up there. I get an insurance break on that plus the theft part.

If the person's post is right that just the appearance of one is a deterrent then that means having a cell/radio backup is basically meaningless?

 

[brntorng]

I saw data once that suggested the appearance of a system was 90% as effective as a live system. Why break into a marked residence when other homes have no appearance of a system? That's the primary deterrent. The chances that the police would get to your home while a burglary was in progress as the result of a call from the alarm is near zero. A loud local alarm and informed neighbors is just as effective since a burglar is going to assume the police have been contacted, even if they cut the phone line since wireless is a readily available alternative. That's why they don't spend much time and/or have a lookout. Since you can have an unmonitored system call your cell phone and then you can call the fire department or the police, I'm not sure there's a ton of value to a professionally monitored system except the initial cost is lower and you don't have to worry about maintenance. In the end, I think firms like Brinks and ADT are selling and maintaining security systems on the installment plan. Providing a monitoring service (which costs them very little) is their justification for the monthly payment which really is paying for the system and maintenance. If you're planning to be in a home for a relatively short time, this approach may be more cost-effective than installing your own system and having it dial your cell phone.

 

[YoLaDu]

Don't most break-ins occur in poorer neighborhoods anyway? Most are ripping off houses in neighborhoods they already live in. Familiarity i would imagine.

I don't imagine most "burgulars" are smart or sophisticated enough to look at cutting phonelines. It's not like some movie caper where they stake out a target for a month. Most just look for a door with a weak lock to bust open or easy access to a window.

I could be totally wrong about all this.. just my gut talking.

 

[TheFied]

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[ballrific]

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[TheFied]

I read Freakonomics and I don't remember it in there. Not saying it isn't right.

 

[Lost_In_Ohio]

Never understood the whole alarm system thing. To me, if someone's going to break into your house, they don't give a damn if some loud *** sounding noise is going off or if the cops will be there in ten minutes. They are in-and-out within those ten minutes to being with, so I see the whole thing as useless. But then again, maybe that's just my upbringing and the fact that I sleep above a loaded 12 gauge.

 

[01 grad]

I stopped paying to have mine monitored a few years ago. I agree that sound is enough of a detterent and burglar will assume authorities are being contacted and be gone just as fast. I mainly have alarm for nighttime peace - somebody breaks in while I'm home, I will hear alarm and have a few extra seconds to grab shotgun.

My office is monitored becuse I'm not there through night. If I traveled or was away from house at night I probably would pay to have it monitored.

 

[l00p]

Actually there is quite a difference in the fire detection with not much of a chance of meltdown or malfunction. The sensor should be put in a location to get the heat/smoke quickly, if installed properly. To me it is worth the price of admission alone. I like that if and only if I ever have a fire, the odds heavily favor me saving my stuff and dog than not having it. I cannot put a price tag on that. Hell, forget the stuff, just the dog.

Now that I think of it, I need to get some stickers to notify emergency services of a pet inside.

I have great neighbors who all keep an eye out for one another. I am lucky like that. Many that I know don't know much about the people who live more than a house away.

If there was a cheaper or effective fire protection or warning system I would drop my ADT service in a heartbeat and go with just the siren and neighbors calls.

 

[Ignatius]

If you're thinking about dropping the monitoring you could also consider adding an internet module to your ADT panel if it isn't too old. It'll send you text messages on events you preset, ie alarm is activated/disabled, fire alarm goes off, etc. Costs about $150 and doesn't require any monthly fees...

 

[Dogbert]

Ignatius,
Where do you get this equipment? I've looked and haven't found any.

 

[Ignatius]

Here's the description from Honeywell's site (they own ADT):

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[brntorng]

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[l00p]

That is awesome info, Ignatius. Thanks. As long as I can get fire notification, not that I ever want it, I don't need the monitoring. I can then donate the money from the monitoring service to an animal shelter or something like that.

 

[Ignatius]

Yeah, it's pretty cool, Honeywell also makes a similar module that will hook into your thermostat, so you can not only program it, but also control it online from anywhere. There's some other cool things you can do, like if (God forbid) you should ever have a fire, your security system will kill the thermostat so that your A/C isn't helping it burn...

 

[zzzz]

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