House Security

[LeftfieldTilt]

Depends what sort of dog it is though, my dogs a big german shepherd, so even if he didn't do anything to the burglar, the burglar is going to be pretty intimidated if they saw him when they have a peek through the window. So its more of a deterrant than anything.

Ditto we had a shepard that barked everytime that someone he didnt know walked down the drive it put the willies up of a lot of people who called - the local bible thumpers stopped calling as well

 

[SexyGreyFox]

Thanks for that, but they do seem a bit pricey. I have had a search on the net & I have found a complete system for my 2 bedroomed house and the total price is £298 of which includes:

Kit Components

1 - Powermax+ control panel
2 - Next MCW PIRs
2 - Door contacts
1 - Key fob
1 - Dummy box
1 - RJ11 Telephone Lead

http://www.home-monitoring-systems.co.uk/

You you say that this is quite a good deal m8 ???

I did buy mine about 3 years ago and I'm sure you can find the system cheaper.
All I can do is recommend it.
It even talks to you in a womans voice which freaks people out.
I remember a guy on here who had a Dad in the Police who did this type of thing all day and I'm sure he recommended Class 5 or above for alarm systems.
As you can see the Powermax is Class 5 and I think its all do do with quality and the jamming of signals etc.
I paid over £300 3 years ago just for the unit and a couple of contacts so I would say its a good price now. I didn't get on with the PIR's though but I don't like them on any system.
You seem to have an omission on your list which is an external alarm box.

 

[LeftfieldTilt]

If you are going wireless i definatly forking out a tad extra and get a class 6 my company wont use anything less and we get very few problems with them

 

[Sequoia]

....

I like to think that when the houses are being cased that the scumbag looks at my house and thinks "Too much trouble".

It's all a question of balancing effort and expense of a security system, against the determination and professionalism of those trying to gain access.

And you're right - unless you are the specific target of someone after something specific (and if you are, your security will probably have to be quite a lot more comprehensive, and expensive, than any home alarm system), making your place less attractive to the opportunist is a highly cost-effective method of improving home security, and the kind of obvious visible deterrents you've mentioned are exactly the kind of thing that makes that opportunist go someplace easier and less risky.

The first thing to do when designing any home security system is to take a good step back, and try to assess the security risks from the outside. Check out the strength of doors and windows, visibility from the street, whether passers-by can see your fancy new 50" plasma TV from the street, whether ladders are locked away or chained down, whether front door and windows are screened from clear visibility from the road (because if they are, an opportunist can work without being seen), consider adding trellace to back fences, consider unpleasant, thorny bushes for the border. You can't add broken glass to the top of your fence (without laying yourself open to prosecution), but you can put in nasty thorn bushes that would shred any intruder trying to get through them.

The most valuable single item in anti-intruder defense is the few pounds of grey stuff between your ears. So many people think that if they just stick an alarm up, it'll do the trick. The money MIGHT be better spent on shrubs, ladder chains, net curtains, anti-climb paint, clippers to trim back front foliage that gives an intruder something to hide behind, and so on.

But, dmpoole, it certainly looks like you've thought this through carefully.

 

[SexyGreyFox]

But, dmpoole, it certainly looks like you've thought this through carefully.

I'm old and wise and wore the t-shirt
I've seen so many friends houses who've been broken in to and they didn't have any security at all.

I swear this is true and my mate said you've got to come up to believe it.
He lives in an area called Colville in Stoke (very rough) and his bungalow has a very bright street lamp outside.
When I got there the burglars had taken the whole of the double glazed window frame of his front window and laid it on the front lawn while they were sleeping and then burgled the bungalow.

 

[bitslice]

-- oops ! --

.

 

[Andelusion]

Holy thread revival batman!

 

[bitslice]

Holy thread revival batman!

golly, you're right.
how did that happen !!!?

---edit--

ah, silly me, I was doing a search for something...
doh!
.

 

[Avalon]

n/m

 

[SexyGreyFox]

Why have Bitslice and Avalon deleted their posts?
Both of you had valid things to say in my email notification.

 

[bitslice]

Why have Bitslice and Avalon deleted their posts?
Both of you had valid things to say in my email notification.

lol, you noticed,
I guess you and Sequoia made the most useful points,
and the OP will have bought a system by now.

heh, I guess I'll wait for the next security thread, and try not to pick one started on the 21st Apr 2006


.

 

[robmiller]

Speaking of Sequoia, where's he been for the last month or so?

 

[AS_Platinum]

If you want to get a security firm to install your system please look elseware than ADT, thier Maint & Monitoring charges have a tendancy to climb over the years its installed. a lot of our takeover systems are from them. you are best looking at bell boxes on shops in the area you live in and ask for the shopkeepers opinion on the install etc

Or Initial and chubb for that matter.

You could look on the web for a Galaxy panal, the bay sometimes has some floating around, usually 60's or 500 series if you want a galaxy, DON'T get a 16+, if you see an 18 that would be ideal. But like LeftfieldTilt said, a Scantronic would be good, never had any problems with them apart from the older models (9600) with no fuses and someone leaving choccy block in the panel not taped up and me hitting the zone expansion outputs thus blowing up the panel.

Don't know what the new scanny's are like but galaxys have a very simple access control side to it called MAX, just installed in to my galaxy at home to enter the front door, as I'm a lazy git and can't be bothered to stick key in door!!

 

[pinkacidbootson]

I believe my dad bought a similar product 2 years ago, but i coudnt possibly comment on it as its still lying around in a box somewhere so much for security. Im just waiting for a burgalr to steal my PC

The alarm is now fitted and works fine my PC is safe!