Should I get a burglar alarm installed?
February 19, 2010 5:30 PM Subscribe
Should I get a residential burglar alarm in my SF loft?
I'm considering getting a basic residential burglar alarm for my rental loft in SF, for two reasons:
1) I live on the first floor of my complex, and my unit is accessible via a window facing the street. This was confirmed by the fact that someone broke into my place in August of 2008 while I was sleeping and robbed me. I woke up and had to scare them out, and it was about as fun as it sounds.
2) I've recently made a sizable purchase of (stealable) material goods, which in essence doubles the value of my total personal assets. I do have renter's insurance, but I will likely have to modify my policy to account for the higher asset value.
I've received a quote from a well-known alarm company, and the installation & monthly costs are within an acceptable range for me. I also do not have any pets that could accidentally cause a false alarm.
I would have already gone ahead and done the installation, but I've since heard that residential alarm companies are essentially a farce, staffed by cubicle farms of unmotivated and questionably intelligent people responsible for calling the police on your behalf if an alarm is set off. I don't doubt the observation, but I do find it hard to believe that hundreds of thousands of homes, apartments and businesses are completely wasting their money on commercial alarm systems.
Living in a rental loft, I have limited other options: I cannot install bars on my window (building owner will not allow it for aesthetic concerns, despite my break-in), I'm not sure if I would be allowed to modify my entry door by installing a stronger deadbolt, my building does not have any security personnel, and the building itself only has a fire alarm.
I'm primarily looking for peace of mind and a deterrent for potential burglars. I understand that placing a sticker in the window can sometimes have the same effect, but I don't want anyone calling my bluff, nor do I want to advertise that I actually have items worth stealing by putting a toothless warning on my window.
I also understand that there are wireless security systems available that I can install and monitor myself, with the ability to call or email me when an alarm is detected. Unfortunately, I'm not always going to be available to be notified: I might be in a meeting, away from home, or otherwise unreachable, and I prefer the idea that someone else has alarm response as a job responsibility, 24 hours a day.
In my case, do the pros of an alarm outweigh the cons?
I'm considering getting a basic residential burglar alarm for my rental loft in SF, for two reasons:
1) I live on the first floor of my complex, and my unit is accessible via a window facing the street. This was confirmed by the fact that someone broke into my place in August of 2008 while I was sleeping and robbed me. I woke up and had to scare them out, and it was about as fun as it sounds.
2) I've recently made a sizable purchase of (stealable) material goods, which in essence doubles the value of my total personal assets. I do have renter's insurance, but I will likely have to modify my policy to account for the higher asset value.
I've received a quote from a well-known alarm company, and the installation & monthly costs are within an acceptable range for me. I also do not have any pets that could accidentally cause a false alarm.
I would have already gone ahead and done the installation, but I've since heard that residential alarm companies are essentially a farce, staffed by cubicle farms of unmotivated and questionably intelligent people responsible for calling the police on your behalf if an alarm is set off. I don't doubt the observation, but I do find it hard to believe that hundreds of thousands of homes, apartments and businesses are completely wasting their money on commercial alarm systems.
Living in a rental loft, I have limited other options: I cannot install bars on my window (building owner will not allow it for aesthetic concerns, despite my break-in), I'm not sure if I would be allowed to modify my entry door by installing a stronger deadbolt, my building does not have any security personnel, and the building itself only has a fire alarm.
I'm primarily looking for peace of mind and a deterrent for potential burglars. I understand that placing a sticker in the window can sometimes have the same effect, but I don't want anyone calling my bluff, nor do I want to advertise that I actually have items worth stealing by putting a toothless warning on my window.
I also understand that there are wireless security systems available that I can install and monitor myself, with the ability to call or email me when an alarm is detected. Unfortunately, I'm not always going to be available to be notified: I might be in a meeting, away from home, or otherwise unreachable, and I prefer the idea that someone else has alarm response as a job responsibility, 24 hours a day.
In my case, do the pros of an alarm outweigh the cons?
oh, and re. your comment about the cube farm operators: i looked on yelp to find the company we decided to go with. it's a local company with local operators. definitely look on yelp for reviews.
posted by apostrophe at 7:16 PM on February 19, 2010
posted by apostrophe at 7:16 PM on February 19, 2010
sorry, LAST COMMENT. my homeowner's insurance went down a bit when i got the alarm (as your renter's insurance might). it helps offset the cost of the monitoring service.
posted by apostrophe at 7:17 PM on February 19, 2010
posted by apostrophe at 7:17 PM on February 19, 2010
You might also want to look into window security film. Its a plastic sheet you put on the inside of the window that makes it really difficult to smash through.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vYdVK3BqPfk <-Demo of 3M stuff.
posted by Pink Fuzzy Bunny at 10:42 PM on February 19, 2010
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vYdVK3BqPfk <-Demo of 3M stuff.
posted by Pink Fuzzy Bunny at 10:42 PM on February 19, 2010
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by apostrophe at 7:15 PM on February 19, 2010