Recommended House Alarms

jbondo

britishboy wrote: »

We bought a Visonic Powermax after several colleagues had one fitted by a local alarm fitter. We opted for additional pet friendly PIR’s, outbuilding protection etc and love it, highly recommend this alarm. We can set different zones so either the whole house is armed when we are out, or not arm the upstairs landing PIR at night so if we pop to the bathroom it doesn’t trigger at 2am when we are at home

So have it do that when we are home and it’s not armed, if anyone opens a shed or garage the alarm informs us

We love it

Do you mind me asking how much it cost you to get it installed etc? Is there an app for this too?

Most of the 'DIY' alarms seem straight forward to install. The only issue we see is installing the bell box which needs putting on the external wall. Apologies for the stupid question but I assume these are drilled into the wall etc?

Aylesbury_Duck

jkility wrote: »

Do you mind me asking how much it cost you to get it installed etc? Is there an app for this too?

Most of the 'DIY' alarms seem straight forward to install. The only issue we see is installing the bell box which needs putting on the external wall. Apologies for the stupid question but I assume these are drilled into the wall etc?

Yes, mine (a YALE DIY alarm) has a bell box which has two screw fixings for the outside wall. The bell box (and all the other sensors and devices) have an anti-tamper device in them, meaning that if they are prised from the wall or opened, the alarm sounds. When you install them, (or need to change batteries) you bypass them in turn whilst putting them up.

googler

I don't think there's any value in a system which detects intruders once they're inside. We have an internal sensor system with external bell box, that was in the house when we bought, but from personal experience of our alarm going off, and others amongst neighbours, sounding an external alarm is not worthwhile.

We'd rather see what's going on outside the house, so installed a 3-camera Arlo system to monitor movement on driveway and paths. It's a simple self-install, and when motion is detected, it will alert YOU, directly, via phone and/or e-mail alerts. You can then login and view what triggered the alert, and optionally live view through the cameras.

jbondo

I see what you're all saying but I'd rather have an alarm for the 'deterrent' which is indeed, sad!

CCTV was something I discussed with my partner and we agreed that it's something to consider but don't need it just yet. However the 2 systems (Alarm and CCTV) wouldn't necessarily need to be linked together because I'd get a notification on my phone to say the alarm has been activated and then able to look at the CCTV etc.

On that note, what CCTV systems would you recommend or even what CCTV/Alarm together would you recommend.

Typhoon2000

It’s worth checking any alarm you chose has a night set function, like arming only the down stairs or only doors and window.p, so you camp move around at night without having to switch it on and off,

EssexExile

If an alarm goes off all the time then neighbours will indeed ignore it. A good alarm well installed doesn't go off all the time.

benson1980

jkility wrote: »

I see what you're all saying but I'd rather have an alarm for the 'deterrent' which is indeed, sad!

CCTV was something I discussed with my partner and we agreed that it's something to consider but don't need it just yet. However the 2 systems (Alarm and CCTV) wouldn't necessarily need to be linked together because I'd get a notification on my phone to say the alarm has been activated and then able to look at the CCTV etc.

On that note, what CCTV systems would you recommend or even what CCTV/Alarm together would you recommend.

As said, the ERA system you've linked to above, we have found is good. I chose this over the Yale as the latter had awful reviews for the app, and app functionality was important to us. We haven't had any issues with it. The pet friendly sensors also work fine with dog and still detect human movement- again the Yale ones had some suspect reviews.

victor2

We had an old wired system replaced with a Visonic wireless one several years ago. Installed by a local company. It's been fine. Battery in the bell box lasts at least 3 years. Internal sensors and dor switches last one to two years. The system tells you when one needs replacing and I just do them all at that time. Costs around a tenner a year. I get the local company to replace the bell box battery when I feel it's due, as it needs a man to disable the tamper alarm and go up a ladder.

We have an alarm because nearly all the surrounding houses do. Immediate neighbours will take a look if the alarm goes off, others will just ignore it/complain to their OH about it.

Chatting to the chap that replace the last bell box battery about the effectiveness of un-monitored alarms and he said that serious theives will get in regardless and probably kill the alarm. Opportunists (which will be the vast majority of break ins), will choose a house with no obvious alarm, or in the absence of that, just do a quick smash and grab and leg it when the alarm goes off.

jbondo

benson1980 wrote: »

As said, the ERA system you've linked to above, we have found is good. I chose this over the Yale as the latter had awful reviews for the app, and app functionality was important to us. We haven't had any issues with it. The pet friendly sensors also work fine with dog and still detect human movement- again the Yale ones had some suspect reviews.

Cheers for that - The same reasons why I'm planning to go with the ERA system.

benson1980

jkility wrote: »

Cheers for that - The same reasons why I'm planning to go with the ERA system.

No problem. Do you need the keypad? We just use our phone most of the time but there's obviously the fobs as well...the keypad seemed a little pointless