Suggestions for choosing a good home alarm system.

richardjones · 02-06-2015 7:06am #1

I am a businessman who travels a lot. I want to set up a home alarm security system like one provided by cspalarms.ca at my home in Toronto. My main concern is the security of my wife and our 2 kids when I am away on my business trips. I want some suggestions on what to look for in a good security alarm system and which all are the best companies out there.

KoolKid · 02-06-2015 7:41am

From what you are saying central station monitoring should be included.
Get a few licenced companies out to do a full site survey and risk assessment. From there you will get a written quotation and system design proposal. This should cover everything in the system and any extras such as additional devices and what's covered under gaurantees and maintenance and monitoring charges.
Can you tell us some more on the type of system you have at the moment.?

altor · 03-06-2015 7:59pm

richardjones wrote: »

I am a businessman who travels a lot. I want to set up a home alarm security system like one provided by cspalarms.ca at my home in Toronto. My main concern is the security of my wife and our 2 kids when I am away on my business trips. I want some suggestions on what to look for in a good security alarm system and which all are the best companies out there.

All company's in Ireland must be registered plus install equipment to the EN50131 standard. If you check out the PSA website you will find local installers in your area which can provide you with a monitored system.

John Kelly of · 03-06-2015 8:12pm

Be carefull because some licensed installers seem genuine at first with flashy websites but on close examination you will find they are selling half arsed systems.

kub · 03-06-2015 9:04pm

John Kelly of wrote: »

Be carefull because some licensed installers seem genuine at first with flashy websites but on close examination you will find they are selling half arsed systems.

I am a licensed Installer and don't even have a web site, what does that make me?

KoolKid · 03-06-2015 9:18pm

Better than the ones he's referring to.:)

altor · 03-06-2015 10:09pm

kub wrote: »

I am a licensed Installer and don't even have a web site, what does that make me?

With your good name you dont need one tho

Sequence 365 · 03-06-2015 11:51pm

richardjones wrote: »

I am a businessman who travels a lot. I want to set up a home alarm security system like one provided by cspalarms.ca at my home in Toronto. My main concern is the security of my wife and our 2 kids when I am away on my business trips. I want some suggestions on what to look for in a good security alarm system and which all are the best companies out there.

I would recommend a perimeter alarm system all windows & doors , all openings alarmed and have some movement detectors internally as well. Have a keypad fitted in the master bedroom which would have a built in panic button. Have your alarm system connected to a monitoring station . If you were thinking of having a GSM modem installed make sure it is GSM blocker proof . Most are not but some are .

Get a registered company to give you a full System Design Proposl & Risk Assement .

Siemens or GSD equipment is very reliable & you also have no App charges . With the Siemens you can create maps of your property with the app .
We are using Siemens along time now and would recommend it to anybody

John Kelly of · 04-06-2015 7:11am

kub wrote: »

I am a licensed Installer and don't even have a web site, what does that make me?

A dinosaur?:)

roshje · 22-07-2015 11:16pm

Getting a home alarm system, have one quote for PIR motion sensors only, have another quote for window contacts and 2 PIR sensors all wireless by the way. Just wondering is one system better the the other?

altor · 22-07-2015 11:26pm

roshje wrote: »

Getting a home alarm system, have one quote for PIR motion sensors only, have another quote for window contacts and 2 PIR sensors all wireless by the way. Just wondering is one system better the the other?

The down side to the PIR only system is an intruder has to be in your home to activate the alarm. Most PIRs will be off at night also to allow you move around the home. Using PIRs will also restrict you having the alarm on and having the comfort of doing same.

With protecting the windows and doors an intruder has to gain entry by these so activating the alarm before entry. It does not restrict your movement as if you have a PIR or two installed these are off in part set.

Out of the two the windows and doors is what I would recommend.

roshje · 22-07-2015 11:35pm

altor wrote: »

The down side to the PIR only system is an intruder has to be in your home to activate the alarm. Most PIRs will be off at night also to allow you move around the home. Using PIRs will also restrict you having the alarm on and having the comfort of doing same.

With protecting the windows and doors an intruder has to gain entry by these so activating the alarm before entry. It does not restrict your movement as if you have a PIR or two installed these are off in part set.

Out of the two the windows and doors is what I would recommend.

Thanks for advice you made some good points. Cheers

altor · 22-07-2015 11:37pm

roshje wrote: »

Thanks for advice you made some good points. Cheers

Thats no problem, if you have any other questions please let us know.

KoolKid · 23-07-2015 7:43am

Plus 1 to all that's been said. IMO most that are selling pir systems are trying to get the job purley on price.

kub · 23-07-2015 7:48am

My only consideration would be the fact that you are only getting contacts fitted to your perimeter windows and doors, this will not detect an Intruder breaking glass etc to gain access without actually opening a window or door. Do you have any idea why that installer has not specified inertia shock sensors as well as contacts?

roshje · 23-07-2015 10:51pm

kub wrote: »

My only consideration would be the fact that you are only getting contacts fitted to your perimeter windows and doors, this will not detect an Intruder breaking glass etc to gain access without actually opening a window or door. Do you have any idea why that installer has not specified inertia shock sensors as well as contacts?

No but will ask him. Is that common now i.e. breaking the glass?

kub · 23-07-2015 10:59pm

roshje wrote: »

No but will ask him. Is that common now i.e. breaking the glass?

Well in all my years in this game ( 20+), I have never fitted contacts only to any doors or ground floor windows, same applies to vulnerable first floor windows etc.
I would urge you to seriously consider it as personally i really do not see the point in going to the expense of only fitting contacts to such windows when an intruder can just smash the glass anyway without activating the system, it is pointless in my own opinion.

roshje · 23-07-2015 11:36pm

kub wrote: »

Well in all my years in this game ( 20+), I have never fitted contacts only to any doors or ground floor windows, same applies to vulnerable first floor windows etc.
I would urge you to seriously consider it as personally i really do not see the point in going to the expense of only fitting contacts to such windows when an intruder can just smash the glass anyway without activating the system, it is pointless in my own opinion.

Ok cheers for that:)

roshje · 27-07-2015 7:46pm

Hi,
Just an update on inertia shock sensors, the installer said they give trouble i.e. they can go off with birds hitting windows(which does happen an odd time), hailstones, vibrations etc....etc. If i do go for them would one on every window do or each opening? Would i still need the contacts as well?
Cheers

KoolKid · 27-07-2015 9:27pm

To be honest I would say look for another installer. These sensors can be easily adjusted zone by zone. Almost every house alarm uses inertias. Do you hear every alarm activate every time we get a shower of hailstones. They can come with combined contact so its a very tidy job. It would depend on the size of the window frame as to whether you need a second or subsequent inertia devices.
Generally any more than 3 panels & I would add another.

kub · 27-07-2015 9:30pm

Oh dear one of those incompetent guys who I reckon has limited experience with shock sensors, op I don't mean to sound arrogant now but any installer worth his salt would like me recommend inertia shock sensors and yes you would need contacts as well, belt and braces if you know what I mean.
Have you decided to go with this installer? Just that coming out with comments like that is telling me a thing or two.

The quantity of shock sensors would depend on the size of your actual windows, for example bay windows with openings on both sides would require 2 shock sensors, usually normal sized windows where for example the opening is around the same size as the pane that does not open, then a single shock sensor with an integrated contact would suffice.

Stoner · 28-07-2015 11:33am

roshje wrote: »

Hi,
Just an update on inertia shock sensors, the installer said they give trouble i.e. they can go off with birds hitting windows(which does happen an odd time), hailstones, vibrations etc....etc. If i do go for them would one on every window do or each opening? Would i still need the contacts as well?
Cheers

they do give "trouble" alright, but its worth putting up with.

IMHO an alarm should not be installed so that it gives no "trouble" its not really trouble its doing its job.

If a bird hitting the glass and a someone scoping out your house and tapping a window to see if you have sensors on the windows registers as the same thing at your panel then I'd put up with it.

Apart from a front door with glass where genuine people knock on the door I see no reason to not have inertia sensors on the windows. The front door would usually have a PIR inside it to pick up someone bypassing the mag contact.

roshje · 28-07-2015 8:19pm

Thanks for all the feedback if it wasn't for ye(experts) us poor mortals would be up sxxt creek:D. Appreciate it.
I rang a few more companies today no one would touch inertia sensors all said they gave problems. So will have try a few more. Just one more thing need to choose between the HKC1070 or the Quantum. Not interested in the dialler part of the Quantum but just wondering is it a better alarm or is there any difference? Thanks

Evolution1 · 28-07-2015 8:53pm

roshje wrote: »

Thanks for all the feedback if it wasn't for ye(experts) us poor mortals would be up sxxt creek:D. Appreciate it.
I rang a few more companies today no one would touch inertia sensors all said they gave problems. So will have try a few more. Just one more thing need to choose between the HKC1070 or the Quantum. Not interested in the dialler part of the Quantum but just wondering is it a better alarm or is there any difference? Thanks

Go with the 10/70.

KoolKid · 28-07-2015 8:58pm

Between those 2 I would say the 1070 is the better panel.

altor · 29-07-2015 11:01pm

roshje wrote: »

Thanks for all the feedback if it wasn't for ye(experts) us poor mortals would be up sxxt creek:D. Appreciate it.
I rang a few more companies today no one would touch inertia sensors all said they gave problems. So will have try a few more. Just one more thing need to choose between the HKC1070 or the Quantum. Not interested in the dialler part of the Quantum but just wondering is it a better alarm or is there any difference? Thanks

For wire free both use the same type sensors.
With the 10/70 you would have the option to control outputs.
The 10/70 has a control panel and a separate keypad, with the Quantum they are all built into this control panel. You also have the option of adding a wire free keypad to both. It really just depends on what suits you needs as opposed to the type of control panel, both will suit in any wire free installation.

Suggestions for choosing a good home alarm system.

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