Alarm System for small home?
December 29, 2023 5:16 PM Subscribe
My friend's home was broken into and ransacked while he was out of town. He's very distressed. I live far away but was trying to think of things I could offer, and he accepted my offer to research alarm systems. Help me out?
The house is a very small one, two bedrooms and one bath. It has very ordinary doors and windows, nothing unusually large or decorative or specially secured or the like. He lives with his 8 year old child, a cat (who hid and was unharmed in the break in), and, soon, a dog as well. They live in a neighborhood where it might be expected something like this could happen again.
He doesn't have any smart gadgets, like a doorbell camera or the like, but as I started researching, it occurred to me that something that simple might give him a better sense of security.
But I'd love to hear others' experiences. How did you decide what you needed to feel secure in your home, especially after a break-in, or if you were especially anxious about one? How much did you spend? How difficult or easy to use is the system you decided on? (I have just remembered that my friend is supremely not tech-savvy, so something that is easy to install, easy to use, reliable, and easy to troubleshoot if something goes wrong, would be idea.)
Thank you all very much.
The house is a very small one, two bedrooms and one bath. It has very ordinary doors and windows, nothing unusually large or decorative or specially secured or the like. He lives with his 8 year old child, a cat (who hid and was unharmed in the break in), and, soon, a dog as well. They live in a neighborhood where it might be expected something like this could happen again.
He doesn't have any smart gadgets, like a doorbell camera or the like, but as I started researching, it occurred to me that something that simple might give him a better sense of security.
But I'd love to hear others' experiences. How did you decide what you needed to feel secure in your home, especially after a break-in, or if you were especially anxious about one? How much did you spend? How difficult or easy to use is the system you decided on? (I have just remembered that my friend is supremely not tech-savvy, so something that is easy to install, easy to use, reliable, and easy to troubleshoot if something goes wrong, would be idea.)
Thank you all very much.
I have a Ring security system. The base model of the system is on sale right now for $250.
I’ve been super happy with it. The sensors are easy to set up and I have one on every door and window of my house. The app and keypad are both easy to use.
One thing to know is that professional monitoring (i.e., the police come when the alarm goes off) has a monthly cost, $20 for Ring, and also requires a permit in some areas. I had to get a permit in my city, which was not difficult but was an extra step. On the bright side, I then got a small discount on my homeowner’s insurance for having a professionally monitored alarm system.
I also have a Ring video doorbell, which I looooove. Looking briefly at the website, it appears there are many different “kits,” some of which include the alarm system and doorbell, that are priced differently depending on the model of the doorbell and the numbers and types of included sensors.
posted by sevensnowflakes at 5:31 PM on December 29, 2023
I’ve been super happy with it. The sensors are easy to set up and I have one on every door and window of my house. The app and keypad are both easy to use.
One thing to know is that professional monitoring (i.e., the police come when the alarm goes off) has a monthly cost, $20 for Ring, and also requires a permit in some areas. I had to get a permit in my city, which was not difficult but was an extra step. On the bright side, I then got a small discount on my homeowner’s insurance for having a professionally monitored alarm system.
I also have a Ring video doorbell, which I looooove. Looking briefly at the website, it appears there are many different “kits,” some of which include the alarm system and doorbell, that are priced differently depending on the model of the doorbell and the numbers and types of included sensors.
posted by sevensnowflakes at 5:31 PM on December 29, 2023
I should also say that my Ring doorbell is not hardwired, so every couple of months I have to unscrew it and charge it. This is not a big deal, except the screws are a bit fiddly and small.
The alarm system keypad also requires very occasional charging. I just charged mine for the first time in over a year.
posted by sevensnowflakes at 5:35 PM on December 29, 2023
The alarm system keypad also requires very occasional charging. I just charged mine for the first time in over a year.
posted by sevensnowflakes at 5:35 PM on December 29, 2023
Response by poster: My friend is in Lincoln, Nebraska.
posted by Well I never at 5:48 PM on December 29, 2023
posted by Well I never at 5:48 PM on December 29, 2023
What’s the desired outcome that you hope that having the alarm will result in?
Will the police come running and apprehend the burglars? Will the sight of the alarm cause them to shy away? Will the camera footage lead to a speedy conviction?
Buy accordingly
posted by bug138 at 6:07 PM on December 29, 2023 [1 favorite]
Will the police come running and apprehend the burglars? Will the sight of the alarm cause them to shy away? Will the camera footage lead to a speedy conviction?
Buy accordingly
posted by bug138 at 6:07 PM on December 29, 2023 [1 favorite]
I used a SimpliSafe and it was fine and easy to setup.
The issue is that I do think most security systems are scams. Yes, you get immediate alerts but most of these breakins are fast and leave before the cops come. This is someone speaking with experience in a high crime rate city.
You’re best off with prevention tactics - which are the signs/stickers/“guard dog” signs. Or even installing a fence or enforced door and windows.
posted by pando11 at 6:36 PM on December 29, 2023 [3 favorites]
The issue is that I do think most security systems are scams. Yes, you get immediate alerts but most of these breakins are fast and leave before the cops come. This is someone speaking with experience in a high crime rate city.
You’re best off with prevention tactics - which are the signs/stickers/“guard dog” signs. Or even installing a fence or enforced door and windows.
posted by pando11 at 6:36 PM on December 29, 2023 [3 favorites]
SimpliSafe has been great for us, alarm wise. Wireless set up, you can add to it at any time. There's a basic fee and a monitored fee, we pay for monitoring. Where we live they are extremely responsive- calling or texting us the minute an alarm goes off and giving us a very short time in which to cancel before they call the appropriate agency (police or fire department). We like that their cameras have a physical shutter so that if they are not meant to be operating, they are not. Over the last three years they have been very easy to work with. Our first system from them came with a small vacation house we bought, and when we were unable to upgrade it they sent us an entirely new system for free.
We also have some passive things that help prevent people coming around- Mr. Beams motion sensor lights, gravel walkways (impossible to walk silently on gravel), and an old fashioned shop bell on our side gate that rings whenever it's opened.
posted by oneirodynia at 6:48 PM on December 29, 2023 [2 favorites]
We also have some passive things that help prevent people coming around- Mr. Beams motion sensor lights, gravel walkways (impossible to walk silently on gravel), and an old fashioned shop bell on our side gate that rings whenever it's opened.
posted by oneirodynia at 6:48 PM on December 29, 2023 [2 favorites]
Ditto for Ring. I got it for peace of mind after moving (somehow a standalone single family house was much, much scarier than living in an apartment). I liked the window and door sensors that, if armed, would alarm when opened. I also liked the movement sensors. These all logged events even when not in alerting mode, which were viewable from the app and helped me feel safe. I thought it was very straightforward and clear to set up. Iirc, all the sensors and the keypad came with good adhesives which I appreciated. Though if you wanted to have a sensor on every door & window in even a small house, iirc you have to buy extras.
My spouse did once forget the system was armed and set it off when leaving, which made a horribly loud noise and prompted the company to call me very quickly. If your friend gets one of these, I'd recommend choosing a passcode sentence that is not embarrassing to say to a stranger. "Yeah science!" is awkward to say at 5 am to a person who is just trying to do their job.
I only used it for a year before letting the subscription lapse (or I canceled it). We went through a few months of not having the system armed first, which was fine. But around here, people pretty much just break into cars.
I have kept my Nest doorbell and cameras though, which I put up at the same time as the Ring system on move-in. They were also easy to install and the doorbell is hardwired. I don't LOVE the limits of the subscription (it doesn't keep everything forever) but it's seemed easier than setting up my own system and I don't really need to have a record of everything. I guess.
So cost-wise, I paid $170 for the Ring system, $300 for 2 google security cams, & $230 for the nest doorbell and google home device. Goddamn. I was REALLY really nervous. Again, mostly because it was a new, more rural living situation and I felt isolated. Currently, the nest subscription is $80/year for two cameras.
posted by Baethan at 7:32 PM on December 29, 2023 [2 favorites]
My spouse did once forget the system was armed and set it off when leaving, which made a horribly loud noise and prompted the company to call me very quickly. If your friend gets one of these, I'd recommend choosing a passcode sentence that is not embarrassing to say to a stranger. "Yeah science!" is awkward to say at 5 am to a person who is just trying to do their job.
I only used it for a year before letting the subscription lapse (or I canceled it). We went through a few months of not having the system armed first, which was fine. But around here, people pretty much just break into cars.
I have kept my Nest doorbell and cameras though, which I put up at the same time as the Ring system on move-in. They were also easy to install and the doorbell is hardwired. I don't LOVE the limits of the subscription (it doesn't keep everything forever) but it's seemed easier than setting up my own system and I don't really need to have a record of everything. I guess.
So cost-wise, I paid $170 for the Ring system, $300 for 2 google security cams, & $230 for the nest doorbell and google home device. Goddamn. I was REALLY really nervous. Again, mostly because it was a new, more rural living situation and I felt isolated. Currently, the nest subscription is $80/year for two cameras.
posted by Baethan at 7:32 PM on December 29, 2023 [2 favorites]
There are lots of great suggestions above!
Everyone I know who has a Ring/Nest/etc. doorbell camera LOVES it. Most people I know don't have one but those who do appreciate being able to monitor things when not at home. Even without it being connected to a police alert, you can start to notice patterns of people coming by. Here are a few more tips that you and your friend have probably thought of but maybe someone else will want to read them, too.
I'd start by talking to the police officers who arrived on the scene to see about the point of entry and get their suggestions for enforcing doors, windows, etc. I'd also hear what they have to say about neighborhood crime patterns.
Connecting with neighbors is such a big thing: if he's not already familiar with them, he could bring a quick note of introduction (since so few people answer the door now!) and, if they open, chat about what happened. They all can look out for each other more, not in a Karen-esque surveillance mob but like putting any packages out of sight when they know someone is out of town. If your friend has a driveway and just one car, perhaps a neighbor can occasionally park in his driveway when away for more than a day or two. He can offer to do the same for them!
I'd have a few lights on timers. It sounds like he probably had a petsitter and will definitely need one with a dog and that can help if they're responsible. (Most are!) He could hire or invite a housesitter too or simply pay for the petsitter to stay longer or come more often.
I hope your friend feels safer with time. It's such a violation to have your home broken into and extra scary when there are children and pets who live there. The good news is that rarely do people break in when humans are obviously at home. So many people are struggling and this desperation can lead to desperate acts. I say this because it's very sad but also a sign that he was most certainly not targeted for who he is or his child but rather simply because of dire financial situations (and the things people will turn to cope even more in hard times like drugs and alcohol.) It's different but I'll share: three years ago my super old car was broken into and ranshacked on Thanksgiving Day in a "nicer" part of Baltimore. I assume it was because they were desperate, perhaps looking for drug money or weapons or drugs themselves, and it was there and didn't have the alarms the nicer and newer cars do. It was in a parking lot with an attendant but the attendant had been gone and there were no cameras; perhaps it was even an inside job. It absolutely sucked but I saw it was a pain in the ass rather than a personal attack. Again, much harder to do when it's your place of residence but I DID live in my car for a long time, albeit in nature. I had to learn to accept that break-ins are sadly part of life and sadly more common in certain areas. I learned ways to keep my car safer -- not my fault but I want to do what I can to prevent it in the future -- and I'm grateful for that.
You are a kind friend and I hope everything works out!
posted by smorgasbord at 7:57 PM on December 29, 2023 [2 favorites]
Everyone I know who has a Ring/Nest/etc. doorbell camera LOVES it. Most people I know don't have one but those who do appreciate being able to monitor things when not at home. Even without it being connected to a police alert, you can start to notice patterns of people coming by. Here are a few more tips that you and your friend have probably thought of but maybe someone else will want to read them, too.
I'd start by talking to the police officers who arrived on the scene to see about the point of entry and get their suggestions for enforcing doors, windows, etc. I'd also hear what they have to say about neighborhood crime patterns.
Connecting with neighbors is such a big thing: if he's not already familiar with them, he could bring a quick note of introduction (since so few people answer the door now!) and, if they open, chat about what happened. They all can look out for each other more, not in a Karen-esque surveillance mob but like putting any packages out of sight when they know someone is out of town. If your friend has a driveway and just one car, perhaps a neighbor can occasionally park in his driveway when away for more than a day or two. He can offer to do the same for them!
I'd have a few lights on timers. It sounds like he probably had a petsitter and will definitely need one with a dog and that can help if they're responsible. (Most are!) He could hire or invite a housesitter too or simply pay for the petsitter to stay longer or come more often.
I hope your friend feels safer with time. It's such a violation to have your home broken into and extra scary when there are children and pets who live there. The good news is that rarely do people break in when humans are obviously at home. So many people are struggling and this desperation can lead to desperate acts. I say this because it's very sad but also a sign that he was most certainly not targeted for who he is or his child but rather simply because of dire financial situations (and the things people will turn to cope even more in hard times like drugs and alcohol.) It's different but I'll share: three years ago my super old car was broken into and ranshacked on Thanksgiving Day in a "nicer" part of Baltimore. I assume it was because they were desperate, perhaps looking for drug money or weapons or drugs themselves, and it was there and didn't have the alarms the nicer and newer cars do. It was in a parking lot with an attendant but the attendant had been gone and there were no cameras; perhaps it was even an inside job. It absolutely sucked but I saw it was a pain in the ass rather than a personal attack. Again, much harder to do when it's your place of residence but I DID live in my car for a long time, albeit in nature. I had to learn to accept that break-ins are sadly part of life and sadly more common in certain areas. I learned ways to keep my car safer -- not my fault but I want to do what I can to prevent it in the future -- and I'm grateful for that.
You are a kind friend and I hope everything works out!
posted by smorgasbord at 7:57 PM on December 29, 2023 [2 favorites]
I got an alarm system after my house was broken into. It's a big bummer and super stressful, so my hugs to your friend.
Since then, I've always had conventional ADT-style security alarms. I pay $50/month for the service. They typically have sensors on the doors and windows and then one on the hallway with a keypad you use to turn it on and off. They can adjust it so animals don't set it off. You can set it when you are home or away, and it calls the police if there is a break-in. There are also panic alarms on it, and you can set it up for fire as well, if so desired.
I prefer this to the Ring doorbells/security cameras because I've always lived in lively neighborhoods, and I thought it would make me feel more paranoid and suspicious knowing every single person who wandered onto my porch every day. I have a Ring security camera now short-term for specific reasons and the app constantly pings me about every suspicious person anyone sees in the neighborhood. It doesn't make me feel great about my neighbors, and really my concern is keeping my house secure, not spying on people. Also, I see a lot of videos shared of people committing crimes who will never be caught and prosecuted, so it's sort of not the most helpful in that way? It's better in my mind to focus on the securing the house and having it call the police if someone breaks in.
posted by Toddles at 8:28 PM on December 29, 2023 [1 favorite]
Since then, I've always had conventional ADT-style security alarms. I pay $50/month for the service. They typically have sensors on the doors and windows and then one on the hallway with a keypad you use to turn it on and off. They can adjust it so animals don't set it off. You can set it when you are home or away, and it calls the police if there is a break-in. There are also panic alarms on it, and you can set it up for fire as well, if so desired.
I prefer this to the Ring doorbells/security cameras because I've always lived in lively neighborhoods, and I thought it would make me feel more paranoid and suspicious knowing every single person who wandered onto my porch every day. I have a Ring security camera now short-term for specific reasons and the app constantly pings me about every suspicious person anyone sees in the neighborhood. It doesn't make me feel great about my neighbors, and really my concern is keeping my house secure, not spying on people. Also, I see a lot of videos shared of people committing crimes who will never be caught and prosecuted, so it's sort of not the most helpful in that way? It's better in my mind to focus on the securing the house and having it call the police if someone breaks in.
posted by Toddles at 8:28 PM on December 29, 2023 [1 favorite]
Yes I have been broken into several times. But then, I'm 62.
I don't rely on a camera system because I don't think they will really care.
BTW, all my break ins were by teenagers, in my neighborhood who were able to watch my comings and goings. Different cities. I move a lot.
Right now what I have and LOVE is driveway alarms and motion sensor lights.
I can turn the driveway alarms off from the main unit that plugs in. I keep it outside because when it goes off I want the burglar to hear it and know that everyone hears it. Then, I have patios with screen doors at each door. How easy would it be to cut the screen? Very easy, but the driveway alarms will be going off all the while they are fiddling with the screen door. The main unit alarm plugs in (I keep it in a screened patio). The actual driveway alarms take batteries and can go anywhere. Very, very easy to set up.
Then you know how they say keep your home well lit? I don't think so anymore. I turned off all my outdoor lights and got several solar powered motion activated flood lights. So if you approach my house from any direction the alarms go off and the floodlights come on. I feel very secure with this set up.
I have fake cameras and signs saying I have cameras but I am too lazy to set that up and I feel secure with my set up. Also, I spread the news with the teenagers that I have cameras. That upload to the cloud. I'm not telling anyone about the lights and alarms because I want that to be a surprise.
I have a dog. I think that helps. But I do worry about him when I'm gone. That's why I probably will set up my video cameras in case he is stolen, maybe I could identify the kidnapper and get him back. I'm not worried about him being hurt, just kidnapped. He is chipped. I will probably someday set him up with a tracking device.
I have guns, a stun gun, bear spray, a baseball bat in a holder by the door. We have had home invasions and murders where I live now. A very rural area. Thus the arsenal.
posted by cda at 10:04 PM on December 29, 2023
I don't rely on a camera system because I don't think they will really care.
BTW, all my break ins were by teenagers, in my neighborhood who were able to watch my comings and goings. Different cities. I move a lot.
Right now what I have and LOVE is driveway alarms and motion sensor lights.
I can turn the driveway alarms off from the main unit that plugs in. I keep it outside because when it goes off I want the burglar to hear it and know that everyone hears it. Then, I have patios with screen doors at each door. How easy would it be to cut the screen? Very easy, but the driveway alarms will be going off all the while they are fiddling with the screen door. The main unit alarm plugs in (I keep it in a screened patio). The actual driveway alarms take batteries and can go anywhere. Very, very easy to set up.
Then you know how they say keep your home well lit? I don't think so anymore. I turned off all my outdoor lights and got several solar powered motion activated flood lights. So if you approach my house from any direction the alarms go off and the floodlights come on. I feel very secure with this set up.
I have fake cameras and signs saying I have cameras but I am too lazy to set that up and I feel secure with my set up. Also, I spread the news with the teenagers that I have cameras. That upload to the cloud. I'm not telling anyone about the lights and alarms because I want that to be a surprise.
I have a dog. I think that helps. But I do worry about him when I'm gone. That's why I probably will set up my video cameras in case he is stolen, maybe I could identify the kidnapper and get him back. I'm not worried about him being hurt, just kidnapped. He is chipped. I will probably someday set him up with a tracking device.
I have guns, a stun gun, bear spray, a baseball bat in a holder by the door. We have had home invasions and murders where I live now. A very rural area. Thus the arsenal.
posted by cda at 10:04 PM on December 29, 2023
I have a Ring security camera now short-term for specific reasons and the app constantly pings me about every suspicious person anyone sees in the neighborhood.
The key to making a camera system work for you is taking the time to adjust the settings on the camera and in the app. For example, in the app you can change the radius for the neighborhood alerts mentioned above (or turn them off entirely), while still getting alerts when your camera detects motion. Similarly, you can adjust the motion trigger distance so it's not capturing every person walking past your house or every car driving down the street, but will still start recording if someone comes up to your house.
We have a Ring doorbell with a camera and another camera in the backyard. Personally, I'm not sure the cameras alone really help much - one night it captured someone walking along the side of our house and all that did was make me feel weirded out, wondering why that person was walking past our door toward our backyard gate. Cameras definitely won't help with catching a bad guy after the fact, because the cops don't put that much effort into burglaries in my experience. But my partner likes being able to see when packages are delivered or who is at the door without having to answer it, so if that's something your friend would find comforting, it's definitely useful for knowing what's going on around your house at any given moment. We have the motion trigger distance set to be pretty close, so it's not going off all the time in our busy city neighborhood.
For alarms, we have SimpliSafe and I think it's really easy to set up and use. We have sensors on all exterior doors, plus the windows that are easily accessible. It can get expensive to put sensors on all the windows depending on how many you have at ground level; we're lucky to only have a couple that could be reached without a ladder or something to stand on. But once you've purchased the sensors, you're done, and you just pay the monthly fee for monitoring. The base station and keypad have been trivially easy to set up and maintain in my experience. You don't have to use the app if you're not super tech savvy - we mostly just use the keypad to arm and disarm. It's nice to be able to set temporary codes for petsitters and neighbors when needed, which we can then disable when not being used.
We also have a motion sensor light in our backyard, and most of our house lights are Hue bulbs that are on a set schedule so they are always turning on and off whether we are home or not. I agree with many here that those are some really easy, low-tech ways to prevent your house looking like a good target.
I've had an apartment burgled (while I was home sleeping, even) and it is very jarring. They left a window open and my cat got out, too, but she didn't go far and came back. I did find that after a few weeks the really strong anxiety had waned and after a few months I barely thought about it anymore. I hope your friend is feeling better about it soon.
posted by misskaz at 5:57 AM on December 30, 2023 [1 favorite]
The key to making a camera system work for you is taking the time to adjust the settings on the camera and in the app. For example, in the app you can change the radius for the neighborhood alerts mentioned above (or turn them off entirely), while still getting alerts when your camera detects motion. Similarly, you can adjust the motion trigger distance so it's not capturing every person walking past your house or every car driving down the street, but will still start recording if someone comes up to your house.
We have a Ring doorbell with a camera and another camera in the backyard. Personally, I'm not sure the cameras alone really help much - one night it captured someone walking along the side of our house and all that did was make me feel weirded out, wondering why that person was walking past our door toward our backyard gate. Cameras definitely won't help with catching a bad guy after the fact, because the cops don't put that much effort into burglaries in my experience. But my partner likes being able to see when packages are delivered or who is at the door without having to answer it, so if that's something your friend would find comforting, it's definitely useful for knowing what's going on around your house at any given moment. We have the motion trigger distance set to be pretty close, so it's not going off all the time in our busy city neighborhood.
For alarms, we have SimpliSafe and I think it's really easy to set up and use. We have sensors on all exterior doors, plus the windows that are easily accessible. It can get expensive to put sensors on all the windows depending on how many you have at ground level; we're lucky to only have a couple that could be reached without a ladder or something to stand on. But once you've purchased the sensors, you're done, and you just pay the monthly fee for monitoring. The base station and keypad have been trivially easy to set up and maintain in my experience. You don't have to use the app if you're not super tech savvy - we mostly just use the keypad to arm and disarm. It's nice to be able to set temporary codes for petsitters and neighbors when needed, which we can then disable when not being used.
We also have a motion sensor light in our backyard, and most of our house lights are Hue bulbs that are on a set schedule so they are always turning on and off whether we are home or not. I agree with many here that those are some really easy, low-tech ways to prevent your house looking like a good target.
I've had an apartment burgled (while I was home sleeping, even) and it is very jarring. They left a window open and my cat got out, too, but she didn't go far and came back. I did find that after a few weeks the really strong anxiety had waned and after a few months I barely thought about it anymore. I hope your friend is feeling better about it soon.
posted by misskaz at 5:57 AM on December 30, 2023 [1 favorite]
I'm so sorry for your friend. We have a professionally installed system, and when the installer told me about the motion sensors for inside the house, I had to ask him to turn that part of the system off. We have animals who would have set the alarms off.
We also have outside lights that are on a motion-sensor. If I were considering burglarizing a home, the lights going on would certainly deter me and send me looking for a softer, darker target. I hope your friend feels more secure soon.
posted by citygirl at 7:27 AM on December 30, 2023
We also have outside lights that are on a motion-sensor. If I were considering burglarizing a home, the lights going on would certainly deter me and send me looking for a softer, darker target. I hope your friend feels more secure soon.
posted by citygirl at 7:27 AM on December 30, 2023
« Older Looking for a Specific Pesto Recipe | Best Advice for being an exchange student and host... Newer »
You are not logged in, either login or create an account to post comments
posted by smorgasbord at 5:19 PM on December 29, 2023 [1 favorite]