I am remodelling a house and would like to add an alarm system, nothing fancy. It doesn’t seem like it would be difficult to run the wires and then call an alarm company to set up the panel and contacts. Running the wire would probably be the most time consuming part but I could do that myself and save a few bucks. What wire should I buy and what size holes should I drill at the windows for the contacts? It seems like it would be easy enough!!
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check with the local alarm company you are thinking of having monitor the system.
"most" of the time, the system is inexpensive and you probably won't save a ton of money running the wire for them.
A lot of the companies take a large loss on the install and make up the money on the contract for monitoring.
I don't agree with their business practices but then I'm not in their industry either.
If you damage one single wire doing the installl, they will bill you far more in trouble shooting than you are ever going to save on the install.
You want a working system, right?
Also, there are wireless units that do not require time consuming routing for existing homes.
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Piffin, the problem I have with the wireless systems is that almost all are not supervised, meaning you have no idea when a part of the system is down without extensive testing. Hardwired, OTOH, are generally supervised. Major difference.
Monitoring is the key issue. And a choice. I'm unaware of any central stations willing to accept a non-alarm company connection, too many problems. Not that all alarm companies are great either. Given the police response time in most locations I question the value of central station monitoring.
Not that I didn't sell it when I owned an alarm company, extremely lucrative. And monitoring was the only thing I sold when I left Colorado with a pile of cash.
timc, you either want to DIY the whole system which is really uncomplicated, or hire a company. If you DIY, don't plan on central station monitoring. Then you either rely on making a large amount of noise (the far most important aspect of any residential system) or add a phone dialer to notify you or a neighbor of the problem. PAHS Designer/Builder- Bury it!
While you can buy unsupervised wireless systems, it is not necessary to do so. An unsupervised wireless would not be allowed in a UL listed installation and there a a bunch of good wireless equipment manufacturers.Nobody gets in to see the wizard...not nobody...not no how!
Here is one company that does DIY monitoring.http://www.smarthome.com/alarm.html?int_cid=rp0-0004Don't know anything else about them, but that they are UL listed.And as cheap as they are you can have a pro install in pay for it in a couple of years.I am working on a home with a GE Wireless and I THINK that it is supervied.I only have a code and not sure what all of the options are. But I was installing door casing and had to remove the magnet (trasmitter on the door) and then reinstall it. Found that I could not arm the system with the magnet off (or not close enough).And one time, after shutting off some circuits, the panel was "dead" and thought I needed to do something to activate it and hit a test button. It reported that it was on battery (I missed on the breakers when I reset them) and also a bunch of zones that where working that I did not even know anything about..
.
A-holes. Hey every group has to have one. And I have been elected to be the one. I should make that my tagline.
Every alarm system I have been involved in ran on simple "bell wire". Four conductor solid strand like your phone. In my own house the company knocked off a few hundred bucks and gave me the wire. There is absolutely no reason why you can't do this. Label all the wires at the panel site so when buddy wants to liven up the system he knows where the wire is coming from.
AS far as the window holes, check with the alarm company you will be hiring to complete the install.
Have a good day
Cliffy
Edited 1/29/2008 10:58 am ET by cliffy
First off, you can do it yourself, it just ain't rocket surgery but you will just lack some experience.
Do a Google "diy security" and you will come up with a lot of sites to visit. There are forums, advice and places to buy the equipment, priced as good as you will find anywhere.
I have spent almost 50 years in the electronic and system occupation, much of it in the security end and the last 14 years managing a security department for a large multicampus environment with the latest security system designs. That being said, I have never had a security system in my house, but if you feel you want one, here is what I think.
Put a few people detectors in pathways that any burglar will always take, and hook up to a panel and a LOUD siren. Put the siren in a visible location and also put stickers or signs proclaiming that you have an alarm system in use.
The chances of catching a bad guy with an alarm system is nil, you can't directly dial the police up anymore, and most alarms are false so the police don't really like them.
Truth be told, a $5 warning sticker is just about as effective as most low cost alarms. Inexpensive monitored systems are easily defeated by cutting the phone lines and thieves are usually gone by the time neighbors get mad at the siren noise and call the police.
You can DIY the whole system and get monitoring if you want. Like someone said, do a search.
If you are going to have monitoring, be sure to include the smoke detectors, and be sure to tell your home insurance company about what you have. You should get a discount.
Here is one site,
http://www.homesecuritystore.com/index.html
Hi Bryan.
Iv'e DIY installed 3 hardwired systems, 2 Napco's and one sold by Radio shack.
Monitoring is a personal choice.
I'm not a big fan of monitored systems, around these parts the cops almost never come.
Visual deterrents:
1) Advertise, post a few signs indicating your home is wired for security. Make shore they can be seen from the street.
2) Place your key pads so they can be seen from outside a door or window (possible entry point.)
But your 2 best friends are NOISE and LIGHT.
Preferably LOUD noise and FLASHING lights.
Most home break in's are dopers and kids, and most of them will disappear as soon as all that racket starts.
Best wishes
Bill
Really the advantage to monitoring is about fire, not break ins. That is where the insurance discount comes from. Which is why I said to be sure and include the smoke detectors in the system.
sorry about that, i went back and re-read.
That's all the experience I have.
Bill
I probably should have explained at the start, I am fixing this house up in a pretty decent neighbourhood and although an alarm system is kind of a luxury and not really in the budget the house will sit empty for a period during sale/escrow and I would sleep better if there was some kind of 'inexpensive but effective deterent' for that period, even something I could take to the next job. Obviously I don't want to commit to a service contract since I hope to sell the place.
Thanks again
There you go.
A buddy here was in exactly that situation. Spent ~$200 on hardware (contacts on all the first floor windows/doors plus interior protection) for a hardwire local system. Made selling the house much easier, particularly when noted that the panel had a built-in dialer if the next owner wanted monitoring. Excellent ROI, and made insuring much easier.
And a thankyou to y'all who pointed out my somewhat out-of-date info. I heard promises for well over a decade that supervised wireless was on the way. Never saw a system that had decently functioning supervision.
Supervision, end-of-line resistor method is simple/effective, allows the panel to tell the operator exactly what's going on and give options. Including bypassing trouble zones, crucial for automatic re-arming.PAHS Designer/Builder- Bury it!