intruder alarm recommendations please

Grimbal

can anyone recommend an (make/model) intruder alarm? Probably not linked up to a 3rd party monitoring place, so just a stand-alone. Ideally, with 2 separate PIN pads (one for front & back doors).

I have no idea what to look for !

Myser

You need to provide more details:

How big is the house?

How many main access doors are there?

Do you mind having wiring installed to all the sensors?

As a first line of defence, have you upgraded the locks on your doors to insurance standard or better.

You could also have an auto-dialler fitted to the alarm which calls your mobile/relative/friend when the alarm goes off.

Grimbal

Wooo! see I told you I had no idea! We're getting the extension done at the moment, so have an opportunity to get the alarm system done at the same time:



How big is the house? detatched. Large ground floor (big kitchen +utility, large lounge, WC, separate dining room, study). 3 dbl bedrooms, 1 ensuite, 1 family bathroom upstairs

How many main access doors are there? 2 - front door & door from garage into utility. These are the places I'd like the keypads to go. There are in addition bifold doors across the back of the house

Do you mind having wiring installed to all the sensors? No, as it can be chased in during the building work (hopefully)

As a first line of defence, have you upgraded the locks on your doors to insurance standard or better. We will be doing this as part of the refurbishment process

You could also have an auto-dialler fitted to the alarm which calls your mobile/relative/friend when the alarm goes off. Wow, didn't know about that - it sounds a very sensible idea - does this require a contract ?

reggie_lampert

I'm interested in getting an alarm too.

Are wire free as reliable as wired?

Apart from entrances and ground floor rooms should you have sensors in each bedroom or would just the halls/landings suffice?

I've been looking at the Yale wire free Premium Alarm Kit HSA6400 as it looks easy to install plus it phones you if the alarm is triggered.

SailorSam

I bought mine from this place, they have a good selection at good price and easy to fit.
Response Alarms and Wireless Burglar Intruder Alarms - Response Electronics Ltd

Myser

Much clearer with the detail now!

Since you are having work done anyway, the best option is wired sensors. The wireless systems can malfunction and cause false triggering.

Two keypads isn't a problem - most people have one upstairs and one downstairs. The one upstairs for part-arming the system at night (i.e. the downstairs zone only). This allows you to walk around upstairs to use the loo etc. without triggering the alarm.

In terms of sensors:

Contact sensors on the external doors.

PIRs in rooms that are likely to be easily accessible or have high-value items in them.

You can have glass-break detectors/vibration detectors fitted on windows and outside doors but they are prone to false triggering especially if they are not calibrated correctly.

Who will be fitting your alarm? If it is a company, make sure they are NSI registered.

The big popular brands are: Honeywell, Texecom and Menvier/Cooper.

Telephone line auto-diallers aren't very expensive and there are no contract charges. Just the cost of the telephone call to dial the numbers. If there is no answer on the first number, it will try the next and so on.

Grimbal

Many thanks for your reply.

Given that we'll also want to part-arm at night, but have 2 doors routinely in use, does that mean we'll actually need 3 PIN pads?!
The building companyhave agreed to install, but we buy, the system. I just need to identify which one

Myser

Most good alarm panels will allow you to have multiple keypads. You will need to ensure that the person your building company uses is competant enough to configure multiple zones and keypads.

Some alarm panels have a keypad built-in so, you would only need two additional ones.

As a start, have a look at some of the systems on this website:

http://www.alertelectrical.com/cat/2/complete-burglar-alarm-systems-and-kits

Auto-diallers start from around £50 and go upwards:

http://www.alertelectrical.com/cat/28/burglar-alarm-communicators

You may want to consider combining your smoke detection with the alarm system too.

muckybutt

As wired panels go I would use Securit 800L panel, now made by Honeywell http://www.security.honeywell.com/uk/intruder/documents/800L_datasheet.pdf

I used to work for the local council and we installed literally 1000's of them, they are incerdibly easy to use, you can have upto 6 key pads if required, part set function so you can arm the downstairs at night ( as you can with most panels ), will accept auto diallers.

As far as wireless systems you get what you pay for, the cheapo response and yale alarms imho are not very good at all, far better to invest in one like the Infinite Prime alarm systems http://www.espuk.com/products.aspx?range=1 far better than standard off the shelf stuff and comes with a whole load of different sensors and additions ( had one of these as well but personally would always choose wired system over a wireless system ).

sparky1983

If you are to get it installed by a company make sure they are NSI approved or SSAIB approved. They both have to install to the same standards and are routinely inspected.

800L's were good 15 years ago but if thats what you want to put in your house then fine!

DONT get an electrician to fit it as generally you will get the cheapest kit available from your local electrical wholesaler and they will not fit it to regs. Half of the electrician installs we take over have no tampers and could be disabled within seconds by an intruder.

Yale wireless kits you might aswell advertise to a burglar that you dont give a monkeys about your house security. For a start half the boxes you see are dummies, a futher 25 % bought the kit and couldnt set it up so just have the box.

Best bet is get a professional surveyor in from 3 local companies and tell you where to put the wires etc because once youve finished your project you will limited to wireless and even then part of it should be wired like keypads and external bell or otherwise you will have to choose a crap wireless system where external bells run on batteries and can hardly be heard over a busy road.

mk2_dee

i am an alarm installer by trade and i would recommend a galaxy g2 range by honeywell. this is by far the best panel on the market and has all the options you want.

multiple keypays
optional part set and night set
supports wired and wireless detectors door contacts and vibration sensors
also has a bulit in digi which texts your mobile giving you the time date and which zone has been triggered ie pir living room.

by the time you buy a cheap alarm panel and the buy a auto dialer your into the same money as these panels which is about £100-120 delivered