# Searching for home security options



## bikerider138 (Oct 30, 2010)

I am looking for home security options. I recently had a prowler on my property one night and since then I have been researching home security companies. However, in my search I have not been able to find a decent company. I have searched and talked to ADT and Frontpoint Security on the phone. The reviews of these two and all the other major companies like them are horrible. I am open to other options/set ups. I have never had a home security system before, so I am not the most knowledgeable in that department. I also plan on putting up cameras with a dvr, separate from the home security system. What can you guys recommend? Or who/what have you had good experience with? Thanks. 

Ps: I am wondering if there is a home security system (for example: motion sensors inside the home, arm/disarm panel, glass break sensors) I can piece together and then subscribe for a service that monitors the systems activity?


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## Canarywood1 (May 5, 2012)

Here's a link, you can evaluate the newer diy systems, and they get pretty high marks.

https://www.reviews.com/home-security-systems/diy/

Forgot to say the Adobe system price is now $279.00


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## Dave Sal (Dec 20, 2012)

You can get a Nest outdoor security camera and an infrared motion detector system. I have both. The motion detector sensor is mounted to a fence and scans the area by my deck which is just outside the kitchen door. 
https://www.amazon.com/HA-434RTL-Dr...rd_wg=AMM2A&psc=1&refRID=BVCGC0KGPD1M3VB3F8WM
When motion is detected an alarm sounds inside on the receiver. Multiple sensors can be used (up to four) on one receiver. 
I have two Nest outdoor cameras, one mounted under the soffit on the west side of the house by the main side entrance, and a second one that I purchased a couple weeks ago that will be mounted under the front soffit of the detached garage. These Nest cameras can be set up to send you an alert to a smart phone or your computer, and you can listen to audio from the camera as well as speak to someone in camera range. The images are recorded all the time to the cloud, but are not saved unless you have a Nest subscription. I have the one that charges $5 per month for five days of recordings. The second camera is supposed to offer a 50% subscription discount but I haven't set that up yet, but assume it will be $2.50 per month for five days. You can go back five days and review or save clips permanently to your computer and probably to your phone, but I've only done it on the computer. The outdoor cameras are around $175 each but they seem to work well. I've had my first one for just over a year. They also have night vision capabilities. 
https://www.amazon.com/Nest-Securit...525529294&sr=1-3&keywords=nest+outdoor+camera


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## Gregsoldtruck79 (Dec 21, 2017)

In 2017 I installed a Swann HD 8 channel/HD DVD recorder with 7 cameras mounted under our homes exterior level soffits, with one in our attached garage and I love it. What prompted me in doing what I never wanted to do, was the theft from my neighbors driveway in broad daylight ...of his trailer.There is a TON of security equipment options out here. So it is not as much about which brand name products you will be buying, but HOW you want your property/home/lives protected by motion detection/video equipment. 

Home "security" is really a misnomer. There is no such thing as ones home being totally secure from the bad guys. In my state, seldom a week goes by that someone does not do a home "invasion" and they just kick the whole exterior door in. Cameras, detectors, locks...all ignored.

I did not opt for a monitoring service type system because I have maybe what is a "warped" view of their services. They operate on the principle that once their system in a home is breached, they get the alarm and call the LEO, once they verify from the owner it is not a false trip. This means a window had been opened, a door opened, or someone is already in the home. 

To me, ANY of these triggered events is too late for me. Because the bad guy(s) is already coming through the window or they are in my home. I do NOT want to be notified once a bad guy is IN my home. I do not want to confront a bad guy IN my home. I want to try to keep them OUTSIDE of my home or just go away. 

So a person needs to really survey the weak points of their home/property that is subject to unwanted people entering them. Then, hopefully by using various equipment they will deter the bad guys. So, depending on the "intensity" of a system, one can put as little as $300.00 in a system or in the $5-10K range. 

So after MUCH thought about how I wanted to do "security" on our home, I ended up with my external mounted cameras. All while knowing that my cameras will not stop or deter really bad people. But as least, when they step on my yards or get close to our windows or doors, my infrared /motion sensored flood lights I installed by each camera will light up their face, which will then be recorded on my system's HD one terabyte HD recorder. If nothing else, the police will have a video recording of who killed us, with my system. 

I am just hoping the lights/cameras will help deter any people that are not really BAD yet, to move along to an easier target. In the daytime, all of my cameras are running "live" and can easily be seen by anyone walking towards our home. And I hope that my extra screws I put in our exterior doors hinges, the extra metal reinforcement plates that combine the strength of our dead bolt/ hand set knob locks, will at least slow down a "kick in" of our doors. 

Good Luck on your project. All JMO


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## Guap0_ (Dec 2, 2017)

IMO, electronic security is secondary to mechanical security. Start with double cylinder dead bolts on all the doors. Then look at something like ring.com


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## chandler48 (Jun 5, 2017)

It may be secondary, but a Mossberg 500A in 12 gauge will deter crime, thus it is a pretty good security system. Sorry, we live in the mountains, and electronic security systems aren't used here much.


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## georgemcq (Feb 19, 2018)

A big bad dog.


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## Guap0_ (Dec 2, 2017)

> A big bad dog.


Actually, that's better than a gun for the simple reason that the dog is home when you aren't. Also, no one carries a gun from room to room when the are home. On the other hand, I knew of one case where the thief made friends with the dog first. As I said in post #5, double cylinder dead bolts come before any of it.

Other tips: When you leave your house, always leave the bathroom light on & close all interior doors. There is no limit to the time one can stay in the bathroom. From the outside a thief can't be 100% sure. Even if a thief decides to enter & is reasonably sure that no one is home, every time that he or she opens an interior door, the thief's heart skips a beat.


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## Dave Sal (Dec 20, 2012)

Guap0_ said:


> From the outside a thief can't be 100% sure. Even if a thief decides to enter & is reasonably sure that no one is home, every time that he or she opens an interior door, the thief's heart skips a beat.


I think this may be accurate, for the most part, if the thief in question is a simple burglar, one who has no desire to confront the occupants and wants to get in and out undetected. 

However, I seriously doubt that any criminal who is bold enough to do a home invasion would care one bit if someone is in the bathroom. These predators don't have any empathy and fear. In fact, they might get a thrill knowing someone is in the bathroom with their pants down, sort of helpless, or in the shower. 

I'm with chandler48 on his shotgun recommendation. I'd prefer a Remington 870 myself, but that's just because of nostalgia from carrying one for decades. 

Having a dog is not a bad idea simply for the early warning barking factor, but I wouldn't bet my life on a dog defending it's home, as I've seen quite a few security videos of dogs either cowering in the presence of home invaders or befriending them.


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## Canarywood1 (May 5, 2012)

Dave Sal said:


> I think this may be accurate, for the most part, if the thief in question is a simple burglar, one who has no desire to confront the occupants and wants to get in and out undetected.
> 
> However, I seriously doubt that any criminal who is bold enough to do a home invasion would care one bit if someone is in the bathroom. These predators don't have any empathy and fear. In fact, they might get a thrill knowing someone is in the bathroom with their pants down, sort of helpless, or in the shower.
> 
> ...





That may be true for a dog from a kennel, but a dog properly trained for the job i think would be a different story.


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## Gregsoldtruck79 (Dec 21, 2017)

I tried to train our big dog to act aggressively to strangers coming around our home and let us know when they did...never worked out well for me though. The dog was probably a little light on the courage department.


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## Guap0_ (Dec 2, 2017)

> I think this may be accurate, for the most part, if the thief in question is a simple burglar, one who has no desire to confront the occupants and wants to get in and out undetected.


 


> However, I seriously doubt that any criminal who is bold enough to do a home invasion would care one bit if someone is in the bathroom.





> I'm with chandler48 on his shotgun recommendation


A burglary is when no one is home. A home invasion is when someone is there. A shotgun doesn't protect against a burglary. No one is there to use the gun. It's worthless. The gun may even be stolen. They are two completely different scenarios & there is no comparison. Apples & oranges.


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## chandler48 (Jun 5, 2017)

> As I said in post #5, double cylinder dead bolts come before any of it.


They can create a death trap unless a key is left in the inside cylinder. NEVER use double cylinder bolts. If you aren't home, all they get is "stuff". It is replaceable for the most part. Protect yourself and your family if you are home.


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## Gregsoldtruck79 (Dec 21, 2017)

Dead on right Chandler .

When I was talking to my best friend a month ago about home security that lives 80 miles away, he told me he had put double cyl. deadbolts on his two exterior doors, because they both had side flanker windows on the lock side of them.

When I told him that in the case of fire and being in a panic from something, it will be hard to even think of where the key is located and that he and his wife could be trapped. He had not even thought about this scenario, but he still will not change out the DCDB's to single ones.


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## Guap0_ (Dec 2, 2017)

> NEVER use double cylinder bolts.


Maybe not for people who live in a daze. Did anyone see my keys? However, if there is glass in the door, a flip lock is worthless. My keys are always w/ me 24/7.


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## Gregsoldtruck79 (Dec 21, 2017)

Guap0_ said:


> Maybe not for people who live in a daze. Did anyone see my keys? However, if there is glass in the door, a flip lock is worthless. My keys are always w/ me 24/7.



Mr. G, you are the exception to the key rule in my opinion. 

I am going to stand firm on this one, as the safety issue is too strong for me to agree with your position here. 

Most cities fire codes will state a special device shall not be needed, to gain egress out of a home during a fire.

If someone is bad enough to break a door window, the double cylinder dead bolt most likely will not stop them. They will just take out a larger window and go through it. If a person is so worried about the exterior door glass being broken, change the door or get a decorative metal security screen for it. 

To me, nothing can be worse than increasing ones chances of getting trapped in a burning home. And no one needs to say the person can go jump out a window if they cannot find the key, as most people go unconscious first from smoke inhalation ...and then they burn to a crisp. All horrible to even imagine, when comparing escaping a fire in the home against the worry of a door window being punched out. JMO


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## Guap0_ (Dec 2, 2017)

> If someone is bad enough to break a door window, the double cylinder dead bolt most likely will not stop them. They will just take out a larger window and go through it. If a person is so worried about the exterior door glass being broken, change the door or get a decorative metal security screen for it.


Replacing the entrance door that has glass in it with a solid wood or fiber glass door is a perfect solution although most people won't spend the money. I just can't see telling people who don't have enough concentration to keep track of their keys, to keep a gun in the house. If they can't handle a set of keys, they can't handle a gun either, IMO.


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## Dave Sal (Dec 20, 2012)

Guap0_ said:


> A burglary is when no one is home. A home invasion is when someone is there. A shotgun doesn't protect against a burglary. No one is there to use the gun. It's worthless. The gun may even be stolen. They are two completely different scenarios & there is no comparison. Apples & oranges.


Been an LEO for almost 30 years. Thanks for explaining this to me. :whistling2:


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## Drachenfire (Jun 6, 2017)

You can make your home almost burglar proof. That would require you living in a bunker with a heavy gauge steel plate door and no windows .

The trick is to make your home hard enough to break in that a crook will seek an easier target. In addition to cameras and alarms the following will help reduce you becoming a statistic.

Get to Know Your Neighbors – By getting to know your neighbors you all become familiar with each other’s faces, knowing names, and recognizing vehicles. This makes it more likely when something is out of place at your house, it will be noticed. Call the police for any suspicious activity in your neighborhood and encourage your neighbors to do the same. If someone is casing the neighborhood and a cop shows up to question them, it lets them know people are watching and reporting. They will often leave in search of a less vigilant neighborhood. 

Disguise the fact that you’re gone – Have timers for your lights but be sure you get the ones than can be programmed to turn on and off at random times. Park your car where it normally is parked. In other words if you normally park in the drive way do not lock your car in the garage when you are out of town, it is a sure sign no one is home. Have your mail stopped. A stuffed mailbox is a dead giveaway for thieves. If it is snowing, be sure to arrange for someone to shovel your sidewalk or driveway. In the spring and summer, arrange to have your lawn mowed. When you are out of town, have a trusted neighbor or friend check in on your house periodically. If you are going out of town by vehicle, ask your neighbor to park one of their cars in your driveway.

Lighting – Install motion sensor lights around your home preferably high enough that they cannot be easily tampered with. Burglars are like cockroaches they tend to shy away from a well-lit houses. There are also products that you can connect to your smart phone or Wi-Fi that allow you to turn on and off your lights from anywhere. This is handy if you were on a long vacation and didn’t want to leave a few lights on the whole day.

Double Check Your Locks - Make sure your windows and doors are actually locked appropriately. Also insure devices that prevent your windows from fully sliding up are engaged, Always close your blinds and curtains when you’re not home or at night. If thieves can’t see into your house, they can’t see your valuables. 

Front doors should be heavy wood or steel clad. There are even some doors that are steel core sandwiched between wood which makes bashing or cutting a hole in the door near impossible under normal circumstances. The screws on the strike plate and door hinges should be replaced. Chances are the door is using three quarter inch screws which are barely biting into the trim around the frame. This makes kicking in a door rather simple. By replacing the short screws with three-inch screws the door will be secured to the stud of the door frame making it substantially harder to kick in. The area where the holes are drilled for the lock and bolt mechanism become inherently weak. To negate this you will want install a slipcover that is fastened into place underneath or around the lock hardware. This additional metal content protects the weakened area between holes. Bypass the cheap covers which are often made of soft brass. A better alternative would be stainless steel.

Environment – Plan your landscaping so windows and doors are never hidde by trees or shrubbery. These can be used by crooks to as cover when they are breaking in. You also do not want shrubbery near an entry door where a nefarious person could lay in wait for an unsuspecting homeowner coming home at night.

Understand none of these ideas will guarantee your home will not be a target (nothing can). However most criminals are looking for an easy target where they can get in and out quickly and preferably without being seen. Make this as hard as possible for them and you reduce your chances of being a target.


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## Bob Sanders (Nov 10, 2013)

Guap0_ said:


> IMO, electronic security is secondary to mechanical security.* Start with double cylinder dead bolts on all the doors. *Then look at something like ring.com


Maybe it's different in other areas but here it is against the fire code to use double cylinder dead bolts on an exit door.


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## Guap0_ (Dec 2, 2017)

> Maybe it's different in other areas but here it is against the fire code to use double cylinder dead bolts on an exit door.


I don't doubt that there are laws like that to protect sleep walkers, day dreamers, LSD users & other dazed & confused home owners. A flip lock is okay if there is no glass in the door.


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## Nik333 (Mar 1, 2015)

Guap0_ said:


> I don't doubt that there are laws like that to protect sleep walkers, day dreamers, LSD users & other dazed & confused home owners. A flip lock is okay if there is no glass in the door.


And kids! Not to forget elderly, & disabled ( incl. blind).

I was a sleepwalking kid. When the CO monitor went off at 1:45am last month, I cracked the window & went back to sleep. Crazy dangerous. There's no way I could count the beeps. And there are many people who are like me. People do all kinds of weird things in their partial sleep. That's not adding on alcohol.


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## Guap0_ (Dec 2, 2017)

If you just go back to sleep in an emergency, it doesn't matter what lock is there.


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## raylo32 (Nov 25, 2006)

I also use a double cylinder lock on my lower level back door of my 3 level TH because it has glass panes. Key is kept nearby easily in reach for exit... plus if there is anyone visiting or if you had kids/elderly you could just leave the key in the cylinder. Plus the bedrooms are on the 3rd floor and there are 2 other exits. I know... probably not code, but this is just too much of a vulnerability to ignore.


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## Gregsoldtruck79 (Dec 21, 2017)

raylo32 said:


> I also use a double cylinder lock on my lower level back door of my 3 level TH because it has glass panes. Key is kept nearby easily in reach for exit... plus if there is anyone visiting or if you had kids/elderly you could just leave the key in the cylinder. Plus the bedrooms are on the 3rd floor and there are 2 other exits. I know... probably not code, but this is just too much of a vulnerability to ignore.


With all due respect Ray, I see your position and understand totally. But if the key is left dangling in the double cylinder dead bolt lock, there goes the security once the perps hand breaks the window pane and reaches in to find it and unlocks it. 

And hanging keys ? How many of us out here have grabbed a hanging key just to use for the moment needed, all while telling ourselves to put it right back when coming back in the house...and it does not happen. We find the key still in our pants pocket the next morning. 

So I guess I will remain being the trd in the punch bowl on this thread. I would rather see something like in the pic installed over the door windows and a single cylinder dead bolt used, than having someone's life depend on finding a key to a double cylinder deadbolt .....just to be able to exit the home in case of fire. JMO though


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## KPDMinc (Nov 7, 2016)

I just purchased a 'HOME8' system. comes with a base unit, two cameras, two window sensors, a motion sensor, siren and two remotes (other packages are available). All capable of running through wifi to your smart phone. no service contract, and is up gradable with a whole slew of add-ons. I get a notification when any of the sensors are triggered. Totally programmable too. I really like it!

And its wireless, except for the 120v plug in items. took me about a half hour to install the whole system.


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