Wireless Security System

pajoube · Nov 12, 2003

I have been thinking of this also for my garage that has the tractor and attachments which is located about 300 feet from the house.
Put in a photo system that is wired to a recorder. Place stickers on outside of garage and hook up security lights to the system that will light up if system is triggered.
My first consideration is to warn by the lights (during daytime someone is home) then have a recording of person or persons trying to enter.
PJ

Gary_in_Indiana · Nov 12, 2003

Dummy,

I've read a lot about the X-10 products. What has your experience been? How is the picture quality? Can you pick up license numbers or identify people from outside cameras? Thanks.

JazzDad · Nov 12, 2003

Dan (and others):

I've got my insurance agent's hat on now.

The dogs may be effective, but be careful that your insurance company doesn't like that particular breed. You could get your policy canceled, or have a "dog bite exclusion" attached to your policy.

And regarding auto-dialers; some municipalities do not let you auto-dial into the police or fire department. Check your local regulations.

dmccarty · Nov 12, 2003

JazzDad,

Your are right about the Dogs and Insurance.

I have one of those vicious attack killer German Sheppards that
some companies don't like. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif Course she is only vicious
to someone who is vicious first and deals with two small
children with much more patience than I seem to have. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

So far no problems and the companies that have given us
policies over the years have never asked about pets which
suprised me.

Good Point on your part...
Dan McCarty

Junkman · Nov 12, 2003

dmccarty.....
I only wish that the fire suppression systems were available 20 years ago when I built my house. I realize that the incidence of fire is rare, but where I live, the fire department is 20 minutes away and that is if they are sitting in the fire house. Being that it is a volunteer group, that isn't the usual case and they have to get to the station from their house. That can take up to 10 minutes to get a crew together. Thirty minutes later, they will arrive to watch my house burn to the ground. I live on the state line, and my only hope is that who ever is on the 911 board when the call comes in is that they will have the presence of mind to call Mutual Aid to the paid department in the next town in the next state. I know that they can get here quickly and will have the manpower to put out the fire.... or at least I hope so... If not, I will have lost my dogs, family pictures, and just about everything else that I value and insurance can't replace. I have fire extinguishers, the big type, in every room and at every door entrance. 4 of them in the garage. I hope to never need them, but if I do, I know that I am the only first line of defense against fire. I don't look at payback when considering something like safety. The chances that you are going to be involved in an accident are not that great, but you wear your seat belt, don't you? Many people don't, it is just the amount of risk that you care to take. I have a friend that has a multi million dollar house and no mortgage on it.... he doesn't have fire insurance because it is "too expensive". He can well afford it, but it isn't in his priorities. If it were to burn down, I don't think that he could afford to rebuild it at todays costs. A dollar per square foot isn't very much money for the peace of mind....... Just my opinion..... yours may and does vary.......

bebster · Nov 12, 2003

Here's an X-10 based product called Robo-Dog that might be helpful. It's innovative at the very least. RoboDog

dieselsmoke1 · Nov 12, 2003

In our case the insurance co will kick in about $100.00 annually, this will about cover the flat monitoring fee if you buy and install your own equipment. With our ins. co., don't think they give any discount if not monitored. Makes sense I guess, if no one home and a fire starts. The house I grew up in burned at 2:00 pm, no one home all day. Never knew why. I do like the fact the phones would start ringing if it smelled smoke.

Looks like to get the equipment needed in our case would run about $900.00, a one time expense with monitoring covered by insurance discount. I would rather the service be local, but the two I checked with are in the $30.00 / mo. range with them providing a very basic system, you buy all extras at their price.

Hadn't thought about it much till a house about 2 miles away was burglurized during mid-day recently. I have no problem with the up front costs, just don't want to install something that's more trouble than it's worth with false alarms, etc.

Decisions, decisions........I'm happier thinking about tractors /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

Junkman · Nov 12, 2003

( I would rather the service be local, but the two I checked with are in the $30.00 / mo. range with them providing a very basic system, you buy all extras at their price.

Decisions, decisions........I'm happier thinking about tractors /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif )

Some of the monitoring services, if you negotiate with them directly and pay them 3 months in advance will give you a favorable rate. I know that the alarm companies that install and then have the monitoring done by a third party are paying about $5.00 - $8.00 per month and charging about $25.00 - $30.00 per month. I made a call to a friend in the business today to pick his brain on the current costs..... He did indicate that there are less choices in monitoring every year and the big guys are getting bigger by buying out the little fish and moving the operations........

dieselsmoke1 · Nov 12, 2003

( Would you happen to have a link to it on the Internet? It would be interesting reading. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif )

Here's the best site I found for the GE equipment..

rcaretti · Nov 12, 2003

I started a thread a few months ago after we had a break in. We ended up buying a hybrid wireless/wired system from a local company that was recommended to us from several friends. We went with a monitored system and the fire alarm as well.

We had gotten quotes from several companies and several did want a long term commitment. We've been happy with it so far, and haven't had any false alarms.

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