[eunicedlawson]

Hi, I am looking for a home security system and I am not sure which one to choose from. My main concern is the security of my mom and dad while we are home or I am away. One of my colleagues suggested me to buy Honeywell Residential Home Security System from Protectionplus which has been used by him for more than 8 months.
What company do you guys suggest?

 

[jimn]

As a home security system ever prevented some unknown threat? I worry far more that my elderly parents fall, have a stroke, heart attack etc. far bigger threat than any external factor.

 

[Nik333]

Eunicelawson- If you click on Search on the black bar, & enter Home Security System or CCTV, a lot of posts will pop up.:smile:

 

[Tom738]

A dog can also be a fairly good security system, depending on the parents.

 

[md2lgyk]

A dog can also be a fairly good security system, depending on the parents.

So can a pump 12-gauge shotgun. But seriously, as one earlier poster mentioned, I'd be more worried about elderly parents falling, or having a stroke or other medical emergency. There are a number of small devices that people wear around their neck and when they have an emergency, pushing a single button calls 911. They are much cheaper than a full-blown security system.

I've had four monitered security systems in varioius houses I've owned over the years, and have concluded they are a waste of money and more nuisance than they are worth. In more than 30 years of having a monitored system, we never, not even once, had a real alarm. All were accidental (and a lot of them when the kids were still at home). Where I live now, police, fire, or emergency services response time would be 45 minutes or more so a security system would be essentially useless. I do, by the way, have a pump 12-gauge shotgun, as well as several other weapons within easy reach. The wife knows how to use them all, and quite well.

 

[Tom738]

So can a pump 12-gauge shotgun. But seriously, as one earlier poster mentioned, I'd be more worried about elderly parents falling, or having a stroke or other medical emergency. There are a number of small devices that people wear around their neck and when they have an emergency, pushing a single button calls 911. They are much cheaper than a full-blown security system.

I've had four monitered security systems in varioius houses I've owned over the years, and have concluded they are a waste of money and more nuisance than they are worth. In more than 30 years of having a monitored system, we never, not even once, had a real alarm. All were accidental (and a lot of them when the kids were still at home). Where I live now, police, fire, or emergency services response time would be 45 minutes or more so a security system would be essentially useless. I do, by the way, have a pump 12-gauge shotgun, as well as several other weapons within easy reach. The wife knows how to use them all, and quite well.

Depending on the home, there are also various technologies that can be useful. For example, there are sensors you can bury under your driveway that will tell you when a car enters, and on some properties those can be a useful security device.

 

[Nik333]

Where are your mom and dad? Generally speaking. Is it a high crime area? I don't think it's unrealistic to worry that someone else might see them as vulnerable. I found cameras around the outside of the house to be a great deterrent even when off. A personally settable burglar alarm system doesn't work well if the people can't remember it is there. It depends on their cognitive health.

Falls are the biggest risk, I think. Would WiFi nanny cams that you can check on your phone work for you?

 

[lowelkasey]

Now a days, there is a great buzz regarding 'Do-It-Yourself '(DIY) home security systems. Many people want to have their house secured with some kind of security device but they are not able to pay the high cost of the purchase and installation of the security devices. For those people, DIY home security systems is the best choice.

 

[Tom738]

If you do install a system, you also want to consider who it will notify, and find out whether the local police are even likely to respond. Many places they don't respond, so the primary functions of the alarm are to (1) notify someone who can call and possibly can physically check the house, (2) make a lot of noise to scare away an idiot burglar, and (3) make a burglar try the next house.

 

[hassiepage]

An alarm monitoring system would be perfect at a house where they are looking out for protection from some kind of dangers. The one that I suggest is an intrusion or burglar alarm monitoring system which has got some kind of extra features unlike the normal ones. You can also link the camera with an app installed in your smartphone so that you can have an access to it when you are not at home too. I got the same set of systems at my house back in Toronto where my parents are staying alone, I got it purchased from FMC located at Canada.

 

[md2lgyk]

Now a days, there is a great buzz regarding 'Do-It-Yourself '(DIY) home security systems. Many people want to have their house secured with some kind of security device but they are not able to pay the high cost of the purchase and installation of the security devices. For those people, DIY home security systems is the best choice.

High cost of purchase and installation??? Since when??? None of my four or five systems in various homes cost me a cent. With a two- or three-year monitoring contract, the system and installation were free.

 

[Nik333]

She asked for company names :smile: If you are worried about liability, if you give several names, it isn't your responsibility who she chooses.

 

[Tom738]

High cost of purchase and installation??? Since when??? None of my four or five systems in various homes cost me a cent. With a two- or three-year monitoring contract, the system and installation were free.

Yes, you can either do a cheap DiY system and set it up, for example, to call you (or maybe a cheap monitoring company) or you can massively overpay for monitoring in order to get a fairly cheap alarm system installed.

Note: your insurance premium credit may be dependent on having a monitoring company for fire, for example; check with your insurer.

 

[Bob Sanders]

High cost of purchase and installation??? Since when??? None of my four or five systems in various homes cost me a cent. With a two- or three-year monitoring contract, the system and installation were free.

The install is free and the equipment is free, but the monitoring is not and that's where they make the money. It's like a cell phone contract... they don't make money on the phone, they just simply make it on the connection.

You will also be on the hook for any and all service calls, false alarms, etc.

It should be noted that if you have a system professionally installed they will change the installer code which allows access to the programming and they will not give it to you. You can make minor changes such as master and sub code alterations but you will be locked out of any of the main programming and setup features.

 

[Bob Sanders]

If you are handy you can purchase and install your own (professional grade) alarm system complete with personal panic buttons (great for seniors). It can run you $150 to $1000 or more depending on the complexity of the system.

Both hard wired and wireless systems are available to the consumer and both are quite reliable.

Some insurance companies do issue a reduction in premiums though when a pro install is done so that may be something you want to consider.

Honeywell and DSC probably give you the most flexibility for choices of monitoring.. both good systems too.

 

[md2lgyk]

The install is free and the equipment is free, but the monitoring is not and that's where they make the money. It's like a cell phone contract... they don't make money on the phone, they just simply make it on the connection.

Oh yeah, I'm well aware of how it works. It's pretty much the same as Gillette - they give you a free razor and sock it to you with the cost of replacement blades. Or computer printers. For most of them, the cost of a set of new ink cartridges is more than simply tossing the printer and buying a new one (which comes with a set of cartridges). But while there didn't used to be, there are now monitoring companies that charge as little as $15.99 a month and will monitor anybody's system. Considering the other costs associated with home ownership, that's chump change. But that doesn't change my opinion, based on my personal experience, that home security systems are more trouble than they're worth.

 

[John567]

My dog ​​is the main security system Additionally, I installed an alarm system that sends notifications to iPhone. The system has sensors on the windows, the doors, which makes the webcam recording. This is the smart home already. You can put a smart lock, which will alert when someone comes. Additionally, you can put the smart sockets, light control, all of this is controlled via siri. Do not necessarily buy all at once, it is a modular system, the choice of a large.

 

[Sports75]

Simplisafe has been great for us

 

[carldhoxie]

protection plus is of course a good choice