Home Security Recommendations

[MN Blue Skies]

As we prepare for a 3 month RV trip to the SW were thinking that a home security system for our home base might be a good idea. We're looking for input and recommendations (based on personal experience) for a home security system.

Ring looks like a popular option. Pros and Cons? A Daughter has Vivant which is pricier.

BTW we might not always want to self-monitor because there will be times when we will be out of range for 10 to 12 days.

TIA

 

[Skookum]

It's hard to go wrong with ADT.
As Ina says, If you can't make your own Security, then store-bought is fine.

 

[Gizmo100]

We have Ring cameras (5 of them around the hose and shop) and I like them. But you do have to have a good phone signal to check them. And you also need a good home internet for them to capture and record to the cloud.

Our house is setup with a simply safe alarm system. But we don't have a monitor service. We are home 99% of the time. If the alarm trips it will set off the siren and we are well armed. We also have a neighbor who would keep an eye on things and protect it as his own.

 

[Rene T]

I also have a Simpli Safe and like it a lot. And it’s less than $15.00 a month. I have 4 door sensors, 1 heat sensor in the living room, one smoke detector, one freeze and water detector in the basement and 1 outside alarm. I don’t have any sensors on any of my windows. Each door has a sticker showing I have the alarm system so that should change their mind and move on to my neighbors house.
The system is monitored by a dispatch company and they are fast. Several times we’ve forgotten to disable the alarm when entering the house and if we don’t go back to disarm it within a minute I think, the phone rings and they ask if everything is OK and what is our safe word. This safe word is set up when you install the system and only you and them know what it is. If you or a robber don’t give the correct safe word, they dispatch the police.

My freeze sensor monitors the temps in my basement all the time. While I’m in FL, I can call the company and ask them if it’s working and what is the temperature. Great piece of mind that my pipes won’t freeze.

 

[Ex-Calif]

I bought a Chinese brand of the ring cameras and loved them.

The doorbell would ring on my phone & you could have two way communications, each camera provided alerts and you could review the video on the phone. The only issue could be battery life as mine needed to be charged about once every4-6 weeks depending on how often they pinged.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07W8SGKBB/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07THVX38S/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

[Rene T]

One thing about the heat/ motion detector in our living room, it measures temperature not motion. Typically you mount it up high. It monitors body temperature out horizontally and anything below that horizontal line. That won’t work if you have a pet. What we had to do was mount it up about 5’ off the floor and rotate it 180 degrees. Now it’s monitoring anything above that horizontal line si my dog can walk around and not set off the alarm.

 

[UTTransplant]

We have a Ring security system that we monitor ourselves. Having lived in Utah, home of Vivant, I wouldn’t touch anything they provide with a ten foot pole. My system includes a doorbell and video cameras pointed at each potential way to get in my house. The doors, including garage doors, are alarmed. Their are also motion detectors we turn on when we aren’t home. The motion detectors have to be tuned to ignore the size of your pets, but that isn’t hard to do. We also have moisture sensor in the basement.

 

[Mark_K5LXP]

I think it depends on what your goal and expectation for this system is. Something you'd have for "monitoring" the home - heat, lights, maybe a camera here and there would be different I think than something for home invasion and asset protection.

The problem I see with intrusion detection is that it's after the fact. Despite how quickly an alarm company may contact authorities, by the time they may respond the damage is done and property compromised. I've had two neighbors broken into in the last 20 or so years where the alarm functioned properly but by the time the police responded the deed was done, one of them having lost an entire gun safe they had time to pry off the wall and haul out on a hand truck. In ABQ (see DonTom's post on crime here) the response to residential alarms is pitiful, having the lowest priority in their service call queue. Their response to property crime here is to go to a substation to fill out a report, then make an insurance claim. So the idea of having an alarm to protect property is a lost cause and not something I would bother with unless I enlisted the services of a security company. Money would be better spent on motion lights, better locks and securing valuables. Monitoring the home is another question, I have a couple Ring cameras and when those go off we can look and see what's going on. Those would easily be defeated by an average thief but that's not why I have them. The best security/fallback I have is neighbors that I can call from anywhere and have them check on the place, grab a package off the porch or do whatever. I get that's not a plan everyone can use but in the few times there's been trouble on my street the neighbors were first on the scene long before the cops. Not related to alarms directly but something I do when leaving the house for a while is to shut the water off at the street. Having had the joy of cleaning up after a busted wash machine hose even though it happened when we were home I don't want to think what would happen if that ran for hours or even days. There are alarm sensors and main shutoffs that can do this automatically but it's a simple and quick thing to do, and eliminates all doubt.

Mark B.
Albuquerque, NM

 

[UTTransplant]

Good comments Mark. The only thing in my system to keep a burglar out is the loud as F alarm. However I figure my cameras are pretty noticeable (on purpose!), and thieves don’t want their pictures taken. The whole idea is to convince them to go somewhere else instead. I do like to see who wanders around the house while I am gone, and I have conversations with neighbors through the doorbell. Nice to see what the weather is like too!

 

[markandkim]

Level 2, Blink
Level 1, Glock

 

[Oldgator73]

Level 2, Blink
Level 1, Glock

Glock won’t help much from a thousand miles away.

 

[Oldgator73]

I installed and maintained fire and security alarms for 20 years in the Air Force. I always thought is was a bit funny to have intrusion alarms on buildings that are inside a fenced property that is protected by armed guards 24/7. As for home intrusion alarm systems I think they are about as effective as car alarms. Ever notice how folks treat car alarms; they just think they are annoying. And why would you keep expensive stuff in your house? We have a lot of stuff but nothing worth breaking in for. Hell, I can’t find most our stuff so I’m sure a burglar would be frustrated. And if someone were to break in(well they wouldn’t have to break in since we rarely lock the door) and we are home all I would need to do is walk out of the bedroom naked. That would scare the poop out of them. IMHO security alarm companies make money off people’s fears. Just purchase an ADT sign and stick it in your front yard.

 

[Bobtop46]

Simplisafe

 

[Utclmjmpr]

For several years in SOCAL,, I owned a security franchise and was a home security designer... In my own home I installed two 180 DB sirens in a position that could not be reached,, and one outside facing the street, and filled the house with infra red sensors.. My take has always been to KEEP THE PERP OUT OF THE HOUSE FIRST.. Nothing works like like noise to do that..>>>Dan ( I found that once a house has been broken into,, and some one has rifled thru the wifes undies,, she will refuse to live in that house ever again.!! )

 

[John From Detroit]

This only works when you are home for at least part of the day but one BIG dog bowl.. Some dog Food, and an 2nd BIG bowl about half full of water. And of course a beware the dog sign.

No dog.. just the stuff that one needs if one has one.

 

[garyb1st]

We don't have any cameras, ring systems or similar. We have 2 motion detector security lights in the front of the house. None in the back. However our 8 foot high perimeter wall is a challenge for anyone without a ladder. The entrance to the backyard is padlocked from the inside. Neighbors on both sides have dogs.

For us, using light timers in the home and having a good friend who lives next door has worked, so far. Our mail is picked up regularly and flyers left on the door or entryway put in the trash which creates the appearance of a home that is not unoccupied.

 

[8Muddypaws]

We have ADT, every entrance and window has a sensor. There are smoke detectors, CO detectors and a water detector as well. The system can be armed/disarmed and completely managed from my iPhones or iPads. It's cellular and has battery backups. That protects the perimeter.

I also have WYZE cams in several rooms. These have motion detection, face recognition and can be armed either by schedule or manually through the app. Any time there's motion or sound detected I get a notification on my I-devices. The only thing I don't have is an audible external alarm. Had one before. It only irritated the neighbors. WAYZ records to FREE online storage and/or local media. Pretty good quality images.

 

[MN Blue Skies]

Thanks all. We have so much on our plates right now in preparation to head to the SW for 3 months. I told DH to just choose. He decided on SimpliSafe.

 

[Rene T]

You won’t be disappointed.

 

[garyb1st]

MN Blue Skies, focus on enjoying your time in the SW. The last thing I worry about when traveling is losing personal property. The only thing in the house I really care about is my piano. It weighs about 500 lbs so if they can figure out a way to take it, then good for them. Also, it can be replaced. Your time enjoying this beautiful country can not.