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Well, we finally bought a house in N. Minneapolis . Just for peace of mind we are interested in putting in a security system. There are so many choices available though! I was wondering if anyone had any good tips, recommendations, or sites that might be helpful. I did call one company but of course they were trying really hard to sell their product and I felt pressured to buy when I was more looking for information, so I thought I might try here first.
For example, we were thinking of putting door/window sensors on all ground level doors/windows, as well as installing glass break sensors. Does that seem pretty comprehensive? We don't need anything too fancy but are willing to spend up to ~$1800 for installation and we want to keep the monthly fees less than $40-50.
Location: Mableton, GA USA (NW Atlanta suburb, 4 miles OTP)
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Originally Posted by karisma
Well, we finally bought a house in N. Minneapolis . Just for peace of mind we are interested in putting in a security system. There are so many choices available though! I was wondering if anyone had any good tips, recommendations, or sites that might be helpful. I did call one company but of course they were trying really hard to sell their product and I felt pressured to buy when I was more looking for information, so I thought I might try here first.
For example, we were thinking of putting door/window sensors on all ground level doors/windows, as well as installing glass break sensors. Does that seem pretty comprehensive? We don't need anything too fancy but are willing to spend up to ~$1800 for installation and we want to keep the monthly fees less than $40-50.
Any advice much appreciated!
I don't know what's available up there, but ADT often has deals down here where they'll provide a couple of wireless door sensors, wireless full-room motion sensors, and wireless remotes plus a decent voice-capable console for a ~$199 installation fee and $35/month monitoring.
Well, we finally bought a house in N. Minneapolis . Just for peace of mind we are interested in putting in a security system. There are so many choices available though! I was wondering if anyone had any good tips, recommendations, or sites that might be helpful. I did call one company but of course they were trying really hard to sell their product and I felt pressured to buy when I was more looking for information, so I thought I might try here first.
For example, we were thinking of putting door/window sensors on all ground level doors/windows, as well as installing glass break sensors. Does that seem pretty comprehensive? We don't need anything too fancy but are willing to spend up to ~$1800 for installation and we want to keep the monthly fees less than $40-50.
Any advice much appreciated!
Hey Karisma - congrats on your new home and welcome to the area - I apologize for actually responding to this as I don't know anything about security/alarm systems....I could ask a friend though and get back to you though.
Out of curiosity, what neighborhood/ area of North are you in?
Well, we finally bought a house in N. Minneapolis . Just for peace of mind we are interested in putting in a security system. There are so many choices available though! I was wondering if anyone had any good tips, recommendations, or sites that might be helpful. I did call one company but of course they were trying really hard to sell their product and I felt pressured to buy when I was more looking for information, so I thought I might try here first.
For example, we were thinking of putting door/window sensors on all ground level doors/windows, as well as installing glass break sensors. Does that seem pretty comprehensive? We don't need anything too fancy but are willing to spend up to ~$1800 for installation and we want to keep the monthly fees less than $40-50.
Any advice much appreciated!
We had motion sensors installed in the areas where the ADP tech thought would be the most likely spots for someone to break in. My daughter did the same thing on her home. We already had some sensors on the doors. It wasn't anywhere near $1,800.
I had Brinks for years and I just switched to Lloyd Security. I got tired of dealing with folks out-of-state when I needed something done and Lloyd was way less expensive on a monthly basis. I also don't like companies that come door-to-door - there are a lot of those in the area right now - and they have to have a permit from the City to sell door-to-door and they rarely do, and once the system is installed and you are signed up - they don't have any local reps in state to take care of you if you need something fixed.
Anyway - at Lloyd Security, Jill Lloyd is the owner and she used to work for Honeywell back in the day when Honeywell did all the security systems for the big shots in town. They did a great job on the install and I've got the place wired not only for burglary, but also fire and temperature monitoring. I really like fire and temp alarms as if I'm not home and a fire starts, someone may actually get here in time to get my dogs out and save the house. As for temperature monitoring - it's a sensor that triggers the alarm if the furnace shuts off and the temp is dropping close to a point where the pipes might freeze. When you've got an old house with radiators - this little alarm could save you a lot of trouble.
Lloyd Security is located in NE Minneapolis. I don't know if I can post a phone number or not as I don't want your post to be flagged as advertising - so I would suggest you try a google search or the phone book.
Couple of other tips on alarm systems:
If you have an attached garage, it's good to put a heat detector in there, because if a fire breaks out in there (consider cars, gas cans, lawn mowers, etc are often in the garage) it can take a while to spot and put your whole house in danger.
In older homes, it is more common for a fire to start in the attic - not sure why - I think it has something to do with wiring - so a heat sensor in the attic is something a lot of insurance companies recommend.
The difference between a heat sensor and a fire detector is the heat sensor senses heat, and is more resistant to false alarms from dust. Smoke detectors detect smoke and can be triggered by excessive dust - so they aren't as good to use in garages and attics. If you do have smoke detectors installed, plan on covering them with a shower cap if you do any major remodeling in the house as the dust will set them off.
To be on the safe side - putting a sensor on every window and door, especially on the main floor, is ideal. If you want to cut the costs down, you might want to just do the easiest to reach windows, covering the main rooms with other sensors such as glass break, and you could also install window pins if you have the old double-hung windows. I found really nice window pins at Walmart for about $2/each, but I have to admit - I never installed them as between the dogs and the alarm system - I've never had any problems.
Another neat toy is a video cam that takes 10 seconds of video if the motion detector is triggered. Costs a little more but seems pretty cool - we may upgrade at some point.
Oh - and don't always go by the price - my experience is the best deal on alarm systems doesn't always get you the best system - figure out what you'd like to have installed, and get the same bid from reputable providers, and factor in the monthly monitoring fee too. I think my monthly cost is $25 - I paid in full for the year though.
Hope this is helpful.
Last edited by Chewie; 05-23-2008 at 09:20 PM..
Reason: forgot the part about prices
Save your money and forget about the Alarm System.
However, do the following and it works wonders for protecting your home plus it's cheap to do:
1) Get several large dog dishes and put them around all your outside doors.
2) Purchase two 1/4" or 1/2" dog run cables and tie one end of each to a tree and the opposite ends run upto your door steps.
3) Buy some 'beware of dog' and 'home protected by alarm' signs and put them around your house so that it's visible from the street, alley, and sides from a distance.
4) Buy a few timers for your lights and stagger the times that the lights come on in your home.
5) Get to know a few of your neighbors and make a deal of; 'I'll look out for your home and you lookout for mine'. It works wonders.
Criminals like easy targets with as little fuss as possible and they hate dogs or the idea of getting bit by a dog. Heck, they'd rather be shot because it's a badge of honor to have a scar from a gunshot. However, dog bite scars get laughed at by their peers.
Last but not least. To report any strange behavior going on in your Minneapolis neighborhood do not dial 9-1-1. Only dial 9-1-1 for a heart attack, trouble breathing, etc., or when someone is actually in your home and is threatening you.
To call for a police squad; hit star (*) 67 to block your phone number, then dial 348-2345 (it's been awhile, but I believe this is still the non-emergency number to police and fire dispatch) to report what you are seeing and ask for a squad to check the area. When they ask your name say you'd like to remain anonymous..No matter how much they ask for your name, say no and you'd like to remain anonymous. This way your name isn't on the record of the call and should they catch someone doing something they shouldn't, your name will not come up under 'discovery' in the court process. By doing this, you get a squad to patrol your area and you stay out of the loop.
sta fwd got it about right. Me being in the security business for a number of years, it is my opinion that security alarms are nothing more than a gimmick. A professional or even experienced beginner can easily get around them and even to set them off, most are in and out within a few minutes anyway.
As far as your safety at night, if someone is breaking in at night, that means they know you are home and have more intentions then just stealing some dvds. The police will take a few mintues to get there and that is a very long few mintues when you are sitting there unarmed with someone breaking down your bedroom dorr because he/she wants to put a gun to your face and rob you of hard cash and valuables, and again, all in and out within a few.
The dog thing is great, the number one deterent is a dog. It will alert everyone, is cheap, friendly and a criminal can not bypass it without a big hassle. Even to just kill the dog would make a big scene and slow him down.
Timers are great but again, the random thief always tries to strike when people are not home, a random thief has most likely scoped out the area well in advance (thats where the reporting of suspicious people come into play). Having that security system may deter, or may not, you will never actually know. But advertising the thing does you no good, all it does it assist the criminal into assessing what system you have so he can get around it.
A great thing also is to install some motion lights outside and very noticable cameras, and if you can not afford real cameras then get fake ones, it is just a deterent. Those things alone will not make it worth the hassle.
Now you ask why is the alarm system not a hassle? Because they are predictable, almost everyone has something along the same lines, they are boring. Criminals know it, many have studied them and know that most likely that is the only security you have.
Start throwing up random things and a dog, they will think twice.
Save your money and forget about the Alarm System.
However, do the following and it works wonders for protecting your home plus it's cheap to do:
1) Get several large dog dishes and put them around all your outside doors.
2) Purchase two 1/4" or 1/2" dog run cables and tie one end of each to a tree and the opposite ends run upto your door steps.
3) Buy some 'beware of dog' and 'home protected by alarm' signs and put them around your house so that it's visible from the street, alley, and sides from a distance.
4) Buy a few timers for your lights and stagger the times that the lights come on in your home.
5) Get to know a few of your neighbors and make a deal of; 'I'll look out for your home and you lookout for mine'. It works wonders.
Criminals like easy targets with as little fuss as possible and they hate dogs or the idea of getting bit by a dog. Heck, they'd rather be shot because it's a badge of honor to have a scar from a gunshot. However, dog bite scars get laughed at by their peers.
Last but not least. To report any strange behavior going on in your Minneapolis neighborhood do not dial 9-1-1. Only dial 9-1-1 for a heart attack, trouble breathing, etc., or when someone is actually in your home and is threatening you.
To call for a police squad; hit star (*) 67 to block your phone number, then dial 348-2345 (it's been awhile, but I believe this is still the non-emergency number to police and fire dispatch) to report what you are seeing and ask for a squad to check the area. When they ask your name say you'd like to remain anonymous..No matter how much they ask for your name, say no and you'd like to remain anonymous. This way your name isn't on the record of the call and should they catch someone doing something they shouldn't, your name will not come up under 'discovery' in the court process. By doing this, you get a squad to patrol your area and you stay out of the loop.
Good luck.
Dan
A couple comments on this, first if you HAVE a dog, do NOT put up a beware of dog sign. By doing that you are admitting that your dog is dangerous and if your dog would do anything to say a neighbor child, you are on the hook for a lawsuit-it has happened, sad to say.
If you call the non-emergency police line they will tell you to hang up and call 911, that is how they dispatch police cars. It sounds reasonable to not call 911 for suspicious behavior but they DO want you to call 911 if you need a police car dispatched for what ever reason.
When you dial 9-1-1 everything you told them including your name, address, and phone number is *public information*. That information will also be available to the person you called on should it ever go to court (discovery), or once the investigation is completed - Minnesota Data Practices.
9-1-1 should only be used in life threatening emergencies, meaning; your life or someone elses is in immediate danger.
As for the 9-1-1 dispatchers / telecommunicators and police wanting you to call 9-1-1, it makes their lives easier because of all the information they are collecting, but it *could* also be putting yours in danger. Ask them and they will deny that they have to (by law) give that information out, but they do..
For the Dakota Communications Center (DCC-Empire)..They've actually asked (in the media) that you keep both the non-emergency telephone number and the 9-1-1 posted next to your phones for calling.
Both the Minneapolis Emergency Communications Center (MECC), and Dakota County will not refuse a non-emergency phone number call in.
Has anyone ever watched the Discovery Channel's It Takes a Thief? (I don't know if it's still running) That was always enlightening -- given the tips are coming from ex-burglars...and they've just broken into your home to show you how NOT safe it really is.
Anyhow, this thread is really interesting to me, being we're in the process of purchasing our very own N. Mpls home! (Thanks for bringing it up Karisma!) I noticed that majority of the homes we viewed had systems already...coincidentally, the one we purchased does not. Sounds like common sense strategies just might do the trick??
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. Just for peace of mind we are interested in putting in a security system. There are so many choices available though! I was wondering if anyone had any good tips, recommendations, or sites that might be helpful. I did call one company but of course they were trying really hard to sell their product and I felt pressured to buy when I was more looking for information, so I thought I might try here first. 
Lloyd Security
