Home Security Systerms?

[shannyk]

When I remodeled this house, everyone was expecting me to out in a home security system, but I didn’t.

Honestly I don’t know if I like them, but I’m beginning to wonder if I should reconsider. I don’t want to live in fear, but I do want to be safe especially seeing as how I’m a single mom with 3 kids. I guess I’m more of a target than if I had a husband living here with me…

For what it’s worth, I am safety conscious, have all new windows and doors with good locks, have made sure no potential entry points are easily accessible via porches etc, stuff like that. I live in a suburban area and we do have our share of burglaries etc., but honestly it doesn’t worry me that much…maybe it should?

I grew up in Chicago and we were always safety conscious but never fearful, if that makes sense. I’ve walked the streets of Chicago at night, and lived near some pretty notorious housing projects, and honestly never felt in danger.

I really just don’t like the idea of living in fear and passing that on to my children, but I want to keep everyone safe too.

I see those home security commercials and they get me wondering…

So I’m wondering if people have them or not? If you do, do you like having it? Do you actually use it? (I’ve heard many people never turn them on when they should). Do you feel that in a real life situation it would actually help? And how expensive is it?

Thanks in advance

 

[Lil_M]

We had one growing up but it was connected to the barn not the house and there was a LOT of problems with it going off in thunderstorms, if a critter tripped a sensor, etc. I have heard that for a regular home just having a sticker from a security company displayed can be an effective deterrent. And I think most burglaries are a matter of opportunity- if you’ve taken care that there is no easy access like unlocked doors and windows, leaving blinds open and no lights on when nobody’s home, I think that’s good prevention.

JMO. Unless I lived in a super nice home/neighbourhood which would be an obvious target for break-in, I don’t think it’s necessary.

 

[Mary_Gail_36]

I have one that came with the house we purchased, We took over the contract…what I like a great deal is that it has a smoke alarm that goes to a central station. God forbid a fire broke out, and we were incapacitated, the fire department would send help.

Years ago, in our first apartment, we had a smoke detector and it went off when I was making toast.

About 10 minutes later, the fire department showed up.

Stereotypical newlywed.

 

[rick43235]

We have a security system. I always turn it on when we leave the house and when we go to bed at night. Does it work? Recently, about 10 minutes after leaving my house, I got that nagging feeling…“Did I lock the front door?” Turned around and went home. The cops were there. Seems that I DID forget to lock the door, and the wind blew it open just enough to set off the alarm.

Does it really make you safer? I think so. If someone breaks in a VERY loud siren starts screaming. It is so uncomfortably loud that all but the most determined burgular would probably just leave. Plus, even though the police are probably several minutes away, you know that they will eventually get there.

If you watch for sales you can probably get a system installed for $100 or so. Monthly monitoring runs me slightly less than $30.

 

[rick43235]

Years ago, in our first apartment, we had a smoke detector and it went off when I was making toast.

About 10 minutes later, the fire department showed up.

That happened to me once too…only it was steam from the shower that set it off. I called the alarm company right away and the rep said, “Well, I’ll try to stop them.” Then, off in the distance…sirens. I was standing there, dripping wet, holding my breath trying to determine if they were coming my way. When it was obvious that they were turning into my street, I started scrambling, trying to get my pants on. I got to the front door just in time to stop a fireman from coming through it with an ax.

 

[shannyk]

That happened to me once too…only it was steam from the shower that set it off. I called the alarm company right away and the rep said, “Well, I’ll try to stop them.” Then, off in the distance…sirens. I was standing there, dripping wet, holding my breath trying to determine if they were coming my way. When it was obvious that they were turning into my street, I started scrambling, trying to get my pants on. I got to the front door just in time to stop a fireman from coming through it with an ax.

Oh my…see, that’s the kind of added drama I don’t need in my life!

Hmmmm…

JMO. Unless I lived in a super nice home/neighbourhood which would be an obvious target for break-in, I don’t think it’s necessary.

This is what I tend to think too

 

[happymommy]

We have one…it weighs about 45 pounds and barks like crazy if so much as a chipmunk comes in our yard

 

[BamaRider]

Heck we don’t even lock the doors unless we’re asleep or out of town. If I locked the doors and armed a alarm system every time I went out, my hand would be in my pockets all day. Annoying.

I have neighbors home during the day, if a truck pulls up and guys start hauling stuff outta my house, they’d check it out. If someone tries to break in and do me harm, I can take care of myself. See, Alabama is like Texas. Bad guys know good ole boys use Smith and Wesson as their alarm system. Just a one time fee, no monthly surcharges. Every bad guy knows any house he enters likely to be occupied by a good ole boy with a gun. They don’t break in occupied houses around here, it is very rare.

No jury in Alabama is gonna convict someone defending his home, doesn’t matter if the bad guy is armed or not.

I can’t remember a random break in happening around here, if it happens they didn’t believe you were home, and it was a mistake.

 

[shannyk]

Heck we don’t even lock the doors unless we’re asleep or out of town. If I locked the doors and armed a alarm system every time I went out, my hand would be in my pockets all day. Annoying.

I have neighbors home during the day, if a truck pulls up and guys start hauling stuff outta my house, they’d check it out. If someone tries to break in and do me harm, I can take care of myself. See, Alabama is like Texas. Bad guys know good ole boys use Smith and Wesson as their alarm system. Just a one time fee, no monthly surcharges. Every bad guy knows any house he enters likely to be occupied by a good ole boy with a gun. They don’t break in occupied houses around here, it is very rare.

No jury in Alabama is gonna convict someone defending his home, doesn’t matter if the bad guy is armed or not.

I can’t remember a random break in happening around here, if it happens they didn’t believe you were home, and it was a mistake.

See yeah, that’s the thing, I find it just to be one more annoying hassle having to remember to turn it on etc.

And, although we do have some burglaries around here as far as I can tell they are very scarcely when people are home, like once in a blues moon type thing and I haven’t seen any violence involved.

Bama you’re not suggesting I get a gun are you? 'Cause that ain’t happening EVER.:nope:

 

[msugeotech]

In Mississippi we now have the “Castle Doctrine” which allows you to use deadly force to defend your home - this also extends to your vehicle (to defend against carjacking, etc.) since the vehicle is considered an extension of your home. Our house does have a security system in place, but we don’t have it activated. We also have neighbors at home during the day, and like Bama’s neighbors, they wouldn’t hesitate to come over and check things out. Our neighbor rode over one day and questioned the guy working on our pool (before we filled it in). It’s good to have neighbors like that. Since we live in the sticks, someone breaking in our house would be long gone before anyone showed up, so I don’t see the point in spending the money. However, I can certainly understand you feeling safe by having one - and would probably get one in your situation.

 

[jwashu]

The new house we purchased last year had one installed and frankly we love it. My mother in law got broken into last week, she is having one installed today.

In regards to our house we turn it on when we leave and when we sleep. Until it gets late most of our doors are unlocked like Bama said. However once everyone is asleep or we aren’t there, I like having it.

I travel from time to time and I like the fact that we have it when my wife is there with the boys. I also like the panic buttons in case something happens.

My mother in law is installing one because if she had one last week, they wouldn’t have gotten as much as they did.

I would say get one, if you look for specials you can get one pretty cheap. We have Brinks but my MIL is getting ADT because she gets a discount. I believe both are about the same cost.

The OTHER thing that is good as a single mom is that as your kids get older it beeps when someone comes in and out of the door which helps us keep track of who is coming and going with kids flying in an out of the house in the summer.

Joe

 

[shannyk]

In Mississippi we now have the “Castle Doctrine” which allows you to use deadly force to defend your home - this also extends to your vehicle (to defend against carjacking, etc.) since the vehicle is considered an extension of your home. Our house does have a security system in place, but we don’t have it activated. We also have neighbors at home during the day, and like Bama’s neighbors, they wouldn’t hesitate to come over and check things out. Our neighbor rode over one day and questioned the guy working on our pool (before we filled it in). It’s good to have neighbors like that. Since we live in the sticks, someone breaking in our house would be long gone before anyone showed up, so I don’t see the point in spending the money. However, I can certainly understand you feeling safe by having one - and would probably get one in your situation.

See and the neighbor thing…I don’t really know mine at all. I bought and remodeled an OLD house that was a farmhouse and it’s now on the outskirts of a housing development, so no one is really close, like typical suburban blocked houses, but not really far either. I’m not sure if anyone notices me over here

 

[shannyk]

The OTHER thing that is good as a single mom is that as your kids get older it beeps when someone comes in and out of the door which helps us keep track of who is coming and going with kids flying in an out of the house in the summer.

This is good to know. I have an autistic son who wanders occasionally, and I already have those little door buzzer things on all the doors. They’re battery operated so I always worry the battery will die and he’ll get out with me not knowing. Thanks that’s something to consider.

 

[msugeotech]

If we were to ever activate ours, I would do it more for the fire alarms than for fear of someone breaking in. We’re just fortunate to live where we have good neighbors, and some are home during the day - either retired folks or working from home.

 

[Lucania]

JMO. Unless I lived in a super nice home/neighbourhood which would be an obvious target for break-in, I don’t think it’s necessary.

Super nice homes & neighborhoods aren’t always an obvious target. My Aunt’s home of 37 years was burglarized recently while she was not at home, thank God. She had a security system but it was not turned on:shrug: . Her home is in an older neighborhood, which when she bought it, was a nice middle class neighborhood, but now it has for the most part become run down. There are many break-ins in that area. I don’t think it matters about the type of neighborhood as much as the vulnerability of the home/owners. We figured that someone was watching my Aunt’s comings & goings(she is disabled & dosen’t drive herself) & got lucky that she did not have the security system on. She updated her system & keeps it on all the time now.

 

[Nanny_PK]

I have one. I live in an okay neighborhood. I usually only turn it on at night. I cannot use it during the day because my cat can trip the motion sensor (I plan on having the motion sensor removed) Until we figured out what was happening, though, my alarm went off and my alarm-monitoring company sent the police out. My friend’s husband had gone to the house with me since we were not aware the cat was tripping the alarm and the officer came into my home and kind of did a quick glance to ensure that there was not a problem.

Being a single woman it is a peace of mind that the alarm gives me. What I did, though, instead of going through one of the companies I went through a private installation company. I got a much better system than I would have through one of the companies – sensors on every window and door. The company only would have put a sensor on the doors. And then there’s a local monitoring company that I paid for a year’s monitoring. I think it was $200 for the year. I was lucky that a friend’s husband did the install so I got it for $500, but maybe with the economy the way it is you could negotiate the install.

 

[Mary_Gail_36]

I have one. I live in an okay neighborhood. I usually only turn it on at night. I cannot use it during the day because my cat can trip the motion sensor (I plan on having the motion sensor removed) Until we figured out what was happening, though, my alarm went off and my alarm-monitoring company sent the police out. My friend’s husband had gone to the house with me since we were not aware the cat was tripping the alarm and the officer came into my home and kind of did a quick glance to ensure that there was not a problem.

Being a single woman it is a peace of mind that the alarm gives me. What I did, though, instead of going through one of the companies I went through a private installation company. I got a much better system than I would have through one of the companies – sensors on every window and door. The company only would have put a sensor on the doors. And then there’s a local monitoring company that I paid for a year’s monitoring. I think it was $200 for the year. I was lucky that a friend’s husband did the install so I got it for $500, but maybe with the economy the way it is you could negotiate the install.

During the day, could you set it that the motion detectors are off…but the perimeter protections are on? So the kitty doesn’t trip the alarm, but is some one opens the door, it will go off.

 

[Nanny_PK]

During the day, could you set it that the motion detectors are off…but the perimeter protections are on? So the kitty doesn’t trip the alarm, but is some one opens the door, it will go off.

I can’t turn off the motion detector so I’m just going to have the actual sensor removed but all the doors/windows are still armed so if someone opens one of those it will go off.

 

[whatevergirl]

Hi shanny–many companies have a trial period…why don’t you test out one for like 30 days? To get the hang of it? If you like it, then sign a contract. It’s not that big of a deal, once you get the hang of using it. We have a surveillance camera that the owner of our home we are renting, hooked up when he lived here. Not sure what went on here, but it’s a little strange that he had so much security around the house and in it! :ehh:

 

[shannyk]

Hi shanny–many companies have a trial period…why don’t you test out one for like 30 days? To get the hang of it? If you like it, then sign a contract. It’s not that big of a deal, once you get the hang of using it. We have a surveillance camera that the owner of our home we are renting, hooked up when he lived here. Not sure what went on here, but it’s a little strange that he had so much security around the house and in it! :ehh:

Oh I didn’t think of a trial period…I’ll have to check that out. I’m just worried that those savvy sales dudes will suck me in and I’ll regret it.

That is odd about the surveillance cameras…makes you wonder what he had going on?