Burglar alarms

[granretire]

Has anyone any advice on choosing a suitable system? I have been wondering about Yale HSA6410 from Screwfix or HSA6610 from Yale. I have 2 entry points to the house (front door and garage) and need to be able to activate/deactivate the system at either entry point. Which? reckon Yale are the best for diy. I have no great desire to be able to use a smart phone app but I do possess a smartphone.
Help and guidence would be appreciated.

[vrdiver]

Before selecting your system, I'd have a chat with your insurance company to see what their requirements are. They may offer a reduction in premium if you meet certain standards or system specification (and if one insurance company does, then it's likely that others will as well).

Just a thought to add to your deliberations

VRD

[stewamax]

Insurance companies typically offer only a small discount on House Contents policies for having alarms, but insist that the alarms are installed and maintained by professionals. There is also a monthly charge for active remote monitoring of alarms.
The bigger problem may simply be that insurers may not quote at all if you don't have a professionally maintained and monitored alarm.

[Dod101]

The OP did not mention his insurance company.

I would not give too much thought to that unless it is a requirement of the insurers that an alarm is fitted (and then it will need to be fitted and maintained by a professional). Neither would I ask for a discount if an alarm is fitted because a) the insurers will require it to be professionally fitted and maintained and b) it will need to be activated every time the OP leaves the house unoccupied. If not, the insurers will probably decline a claim. For the modest discount offered that is simply a burden anyone can do without.

Sorry cannot help with a DIY alarm. I inherited one from ADT which works fine.

Dod

[ReformedCharacter]

Insurance companies typically offer only a small discount on House Contents policies for having alarms, but insist that the alarms are installed and maintained by professionals. There is also a monthly charge for active remote monitoring of alarms.
The bigger problem may simply be that insurers may not quote at all if you don't have a professionally maintained and monitored alarm.

That may be true but I'm not absolutely sure, when I renewed my contents insurance last I was asked if I had an alarm system fitted and whether it was 'home fitted' or 'professionally fitted'. It is listed on the documentation as 'home fitted' but whether it made my insurance cheaper is another matter and I don't know. My alarm system is actually a 'professional' one (Scantronics) but not monitored. It was a bit of a job to fit and program but has worked very well for the past few years.

RC

[Maroochydore]

Just to add to the confusion, my insurer will not give a discount unless the alarm is monitored.

[pendas]

We have a Yale alarm which is now several years old.

I think it's normal to specify on installation only one entry/exit route to provide a delay before the alarm is triggered. To overcome this if we wish to use an alternative door we have a portable keypad which can take with us and can be used to set and disarm the alarm from outside.

One problem we now have is that the bell box is battery operated and I placed it high up on the gable end. The batteries last around two years and I'll be 73 when they next need replacing and my time going up ladders is probably over.

The portable keypad didn't come as part of the kit and had to be purchased separately.

(It may well be possible to program a entry/exit delay to more than one door, but you increase the risk of an intruder having time to gain entry and smash the internal control box before the alarm is triggered. With a portable keypad as the sole method of setting the system the control box could be hidden)

[Dod101]

For what it is worth I have an ADT system as I said, and it has two separate exits/entrances, one to the garage and the other to the front door, without anything to carry around; I just decide which is the more convenient. Keep it simple.

Dod

[tjh290633]

We have Securenett, which is a monitored system and soon to be upgraded. Dummy alarm box on the wall outside.

TJH

[sg31]

Before paying for a monitored system I would try to find out if anyone will respond and the expected response times. In many areas the police put a very low priority on alarm activations so you can be sure they won't respond. Theives will know the details in their location and won't be deterred by the alarm.

Some companies use security guard companies as responders, they will turn up but if the average response time is excessive it isn't worth paying for.

Have an alarm fitted by all means but just be aware they aren't always much use. I have one fitted but it isn't monitored, we live in the country, police will not respond and the local security responders are based 25 miles away. I fitted the alarm as it might mean theives will go for somewhere without an alarm.

Good locks, security lights and a dog are probably more of a deterrent than an alarm.

I would seriously consider whether you should mention the alarm to your insurers even if you go for a monitored system. The will give you a small discount but they WILL turn any claims down if the alarm isn't set. It isn't worth the risk in my view.

[pendas]

Further to sg31's comments, I live on an estate and alarms going off is a daily occurrence and is largely ignored not only by the police but by neighbours as most of them are false alarms.

Our system does dial up to three numbers until it gets a response. By the time someone gets there it will no doubt be after the event but at least they can secure the house again if there's been a forced entry.

[stewamax]

My alarm is not 'professionally' monitored. Instead, it sends me a text message and - if I am not at home - I ring my neighbours; I have their phone numbers on my mobile and they are all supporters of Neighbourhood Watch.
The police will not come in response just to an alarm sounding but usually will do so if there is independent 'human' corroboration ("Hello police: these chaps have forced a window and one has just climbed in.....")

[granretire]

Thanks one and all for your responses. I am not interested in the small discount insurers give. My main purpose for having an alarm fitted is that most of the neighbours have one, so my house is an obvious choice for the local burglar.

[Dod101]

Thanks one and all for your responses. I am not interested in the small discount insurers give. My main purpose for having an alarm fitted is that most of the neighbours have one, so my house is an obvious choice for the local burglar.

That being the case, I would buy a couple of alarm 'boxes' and place them in two separate but obvious positions. Save yourself the trouble of actually installing an alarm system.

Dod

[quelquod]

Thanks one and all for your responses. I am not interested in the small discount insurers give. My main purpose for having an alarm fitted is that most of the neighbours have one, so my house is an obvious choice for the local burglar.

That being the case, I would buy a couple of alarm 'boxes' and place them in two separate but obvious positions. Save yourself the trouble of actually installing an alarm system.

Dod

I don’t agree (not that I’m especially an expert in burglar deterrence) because it’s generally pretty easy to tell a dummy box from the real thing especially one fitted by a locally-known company with their trade name on it, and I would always go for a wired bell box with leds to indicate activity of some sort.

[AndyPandy]

We have a Yale alarm which is now several years old.

I think it's normal to specify on installation only one entry/exit route to provide a delay before the alarm is triggered. To overcome this if we wish to use an alternative door we have a portable keypad which can take with us and can be used to set and disarm the alarm from outside.

One problem we now have is that the bell box is battery operated and I placed it high up on the gable end. The batteries last around two years and I'll be 73 when they next need replacing and my time going up ladders is probably over.

The portable keypad didn't come as part of the kit and had to be purchased separately.

(It may well be possible to program a entry/exit delay to more than one door, but you increase the risk of an intruder having time to gain entry and smash the internal control box before the alarm is triggered. With a portable keypad as the sole method of setting the system the control box could be hidden)

Everything Pendas says (apart from the age bit )

The portable keypad didn't come as part of the kit and had to be purchased separately.

This fooled me as it showed it on the box. Disappointed when I got it home...

Batteries are pretty good. Had it about 5 years and only changed the bell ones once (qv). PIRs and door monitors are all wireless but seem to last a long time, despite being Maplin's finest

We've supplemented it with LED PIR lights front, side and rear. no-one can approach in the dark from any angle.

As someone else said, what drove us to get one was that most neighbours already had one. Didn't want to be the patsy.