Need An Alarm - Which Is The Best?

[systematic]

Hi guys,

Please can you help me source an alarm please? I am struggling to choose between wired and wireless but what I am hoping to achieve is the following:

- If window or door is hit with force or smashed/broken into, the alarm sends sounds and a text alert is sent

- If the window or door is breached, the alarm sounds and alerts

- Something that can text multiple people

- Something that I can remote disable in the event of a false alarm

I appreciate your advice.

Thanks,

 

[SLIPSHOD & SLAPDASH]

I am having a spam sandwich for lunch  :innocent

 

[systematic]

? Whats that got to do with anything?

 

[kerching]

I only ever use TEXECOM.....end of!

 

[col]

bit like asking "which car is best?"

hard-wired or wireless is your first decision.

hard-wired will (should) have you lifting floorboards, running around the attic etc but the equipment is cheaper.

wireless quicker to fit but more expensive and need to renew batteries yearly or so.

wireless often still need cable running to either the keypad or bell box so not completely cable-free.

 

[Andy™]

visonic powermax will do pretty much everything you want

also some texecom alarms will

 

[Richard-the-Ninth]

I can only wish you good luck in your quest, but your plan is flawed.

Vibration sensors are a genuine pain, (good in theory)

In order to detect that they have been struck you need to turn the sensitivity up, this then means that anything striking the window will set it off. (most) Shock sensors now come with multiple counters for this very reason, but this advance is another downfall, if the potential burglar forces the window in one sharp blow, the sensor will not activate. (yes a proximity sensor will now activate)

The other problem is also made worse by the fact when they do false alarm it may be that it was not false, but gives the appearance of a false alarm but as it detects outside of the property you can't do anything.

You also have to consider that you have to run a cable to every window, i dare not count how many I have.

You would then think have radio shock sensors, (no cables) but these do require batteries to be changed on an as and when basis, it could be once a year or once every few years, but you have to buy 1 battery for every device for the remainder of the life of the alarm. Radio alarms sound good in principal but are even more of a pain, and being radio they are prone to RFi

I would suggest you install a hard wired alarm, you don't have to lift floorboards here there and every where, not if you give it some thought first.

As for which make of panel, that is up to you, ask 100 people who have installed an alarm which brand is best you will get 100 different answers, all I can suggest is you decide exactly what you want then buy a panel that can do that.

Bear in mind every device should be on its own circuit. (makes finding problems much easier)

 

[Bruspark]

All you need is for the alarm to go off if someone enters the property. The more sensors the more false alarm opportunities.

When the alarm texts you what are you planning on doing ? Do you want to send the relatives round into possible danger ? Think it all through and you may find you need a low false alarm design, a different spec and a pro monitoring centre who won't accept your DIY install

 

[Badger]

id go galaxy but then im biased towards honeywell galaxys.

 

[NozSpark]

TBH the best alarm that you can get is a dog,,, burglars apparently hate them

The next thing to consider is to remove anything in your front garden that gives cover and add plenty of high level lighting (out of reach of a man with a hammer)

 

[Manator]

I leave all my doors and windows open during the summer, my dogs do not like strangers.

The only time we were ever burgled was when we were away and our dogs were not at home.

The best alarms to install are hard wired. Monitored, and professionally installed by a company that is covered by the correct insurances.

 

[Badger]

a dog is the best audible alarm and a camera is the best visual deffence lol

 

[Manator]

a dog is the best audible alarm and a camera is the best visual deffence lol

My dogs have very good eyesight :slap

 

[Richard-the-Ninth]

I don't agree about the dog.  (or the lights come to that matter)

I always suspected a dog was no use, trap it in one room, or you leave it in the kitchen so it can't wreck the house etc.

After watching a programme on TV I am sure a dog is no good.

The TV company put cameras in all the rooms of a house, they invited an ex burglar to break in, in the way he would have done.

He went up a drain pipe (not that far up) leant in a small opened window to open a bigger window, then climbed in. He heard the dog, found the kitchen, opened the fridge found some pre packed meat, gave it to the dog, and the dog was his new best friend, he then went round the house taking things, found the car keys, took the car, oh, and he took the dog.

The owners were showed the video footage of the burglar and the lady was clearly upset, even though she knew it was "set up"

But neither the bloke or the lady could believe what happened with the dog.

I reserve the right to be slightly wrong.

Also, a dog can only be in one place at one time, an alarm is many places at the same time.

 

[Andy™]

I don't agree about the dog.  (or the lights come to that matter)

I always suspected a dog was no use, trap it in one room, or you leave it in the kitchen so it can't wreck the house etc.

After watching a programme on TV I am sure a dog is no good.

The TV company put cameras in all the rooms of a house, they invited an ex burglar to break in, in the way he would have done.

He went up a drain pipe (not that far up) leant in a small opened window to open a bigger window, then climbed in. He heard the dog, found the kitchen, opened the fridge found some pre packed meat, gave it to the dog, and the dog was his new best friend, he then went round the house taking things, found the car keys, took the car, oh, and he took the dog.

The owners were showed the video footage of the burglar and the lady was clearly upset, even though she knew it was "set up"

But neither the bloke or the lady could believe what happened with the dog.

I reserve the right to be slightly wrong.

Also, a dog can only be in one place at one time, an alarm is many places at the same time.

havent seen that one, but there was a short series on TV the other year, (sounds like the same one) that shown houses who thought they were secure, then invited someone to break in. they didnt always show exactly how they got in, but it was usually surprisingly easy

 

[Manator]

Breaking in is easy, my garden wall is 8ft tall and all three of my dogs jumped it chasing an intruder in our garden.

After 8pm my gun cabinet is left open for inspection purposes and is then locked when I go to bed!!

:yellow card

 

[SLIPSHOD & SLAPDASH]

I don't agree about the dog.  (or the lights come to that matter)

I always suspected a dog was no use, trap it in one room, or you leave it in the kitchen so it can't wreck the house etc.

After watching a programme on TV I am sure a dog is no good.

The TV company put cameras in all the rooms of a house, they invited an ex burglar to break in, in the way he would have done.

He went up a drain pipe (not that far up) leant in a small opened window to open a bigger window, then climbed in. He heard the dog, found the kitchen, opened the fridge found some pre packed meat, gave it to the dog, and the dog was his new best friend, he then went round the house taking things, found the car keys, took the car, oh, and he took the dog.

The owners were showed the video footage of the burglar and the lady was clearly upset, even though she knew it was "set up"

But neither the bloke or the lady could believe what happened with the dog.

I reserve the right to be slightly wrong.

Also, a dog can only be in one place at one time, an alarm is many places at the same time.

I remember that, i think  it was Beat the burglar with Dominic Littlewood.

 

[Richard-the-Ninth]

I remember that, i think  it was Beat the burglar with Dominic Littlewood.

I checked, and you are not wrong. :Applaud

The reason I don't think lights are much is simple.

When the external use PIR was first available it was used to switch on lights to deter burglars. The idea being that its dark, burglar comes into view, and the lights come on. The thinking was the burglar will think he has been seen / heard and the house owner has turned the lights on.

As the external use PIR is now so common burglars know its an "automatic light" and so it has lost its deterrent, If anything they now help the burglar to see what he is doing.

Putting up lights high to light a whole area (garden) is another hate of mine, since with even semi-detached houses the light under a soffit will light up the next door garden.

 

[Doc Hudson]

Gravel drives and paths make it harder for intruders to creep around quietly. Lights that are inside the house that come on when it is dusk give a better appearance of someone at home rather than external lights. However a lot of break-ins happen in daylight anyway so any lights inside or out are irrelevant. Background noise from TV's or radios can give a better impression of the property being occupied. But once again there are just as many incidents of people being broken in to while they are at home as well! I don't think any one single factor is the guaranteed solution. But a combination of several security measures can be reasonably effective. Either way I would not trust a totally wireless alarm system as a primary means of protection.

Doc H