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Home Security?
I would like to hear about home security. Our neighbors were burglarized yesterday, while they were out walking the dog. Broke in through a basement window, crowbar to the basement door.
We have bars on the basement windows and deadbolt locks on all the exterior doors and garage door. However, the front and back doors are glass. As far as anything of value, there are just a couple of computers, numerous bicycles of variable worth, no jewelry of any note, a few pistols in a small beside safe (which isn't bolted to anything, it is more of a kid-safety thing), an old TV, and a few old cameras. I don't think we have much; but I'd still be sorry to lose it. I've been thinking about one of those systems with four surveillance cameras connected to a DVR, with wireless obviously being easier to install. Anyone have one? I also guess I should put locked chains through the bikes hanging in the garage and basement.
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1989 3.2 Carrera coupe; 1988 Westy Vanagon, Zetec; 1986 E28 M30; 1994 W124; 2004 S211 What? Uh . . . “he” and “him”? |
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Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Texas
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![]() perhaps some patio art... ![]() Rika |
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Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Capistrano Beach, Ca.
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L.J. Recovering Porsche-holic Gave up trying to stay clean Stabilized on a Pelican I.V. drip |
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The Unsettler
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My house is fully alarmed.
Sensors for the doors and windows with motion detector inside. Doors by the control pad are on a delay. Other doors, like my glass patio doors and windows set off the alarm immediately. It's so loud that you can't take more than 10 seconds of it blaring before you get ringing ears. I've been looking at cameras for a while. Always tempted by the wireless because they are easy to install. But not really, you still need to power them which means you are still pulling cable so might as well pull the video feed cable as well. Easiest is if you have an attic and can just run everything up and make your connections there. EDIT: Alarm systems are useless if you don't get in the habit of setting them. Rule in my house is even if you are going next door for 5 minutes set it. It becomes routine and at least if the rare event occurs and you come back to a tripped alarm you know to stay out of the house.
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"I want my two dollars" "Goodbye and thanks for the fish" "Proud Member and Supporter of the YWL" "Brandon Won" Last edited by stomachmonkey; 05-09-2014 at 06:41 AM.. |
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On the camera systems - one camera could cover the side door, garage door, and the "alley" between garage and house that is the natural path to the back door. Another camera could cover the front door - I could put it inside, point out through the door glass or the flanking sidelights. And a third could cover the back door. There are power points convenient-ish to all three locations. The cameras supposedly work at night using IR emitters, but I could install motion activated lights at those locations too.
Just browsing, I see systems like these - a 4 camera wireless DVR system costs about $600. A 4 camera wired DVR system is $300-400. http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=&sku=984979&gclid=CPzu9OuKn74CFcdefgodn4YAaA&Q=&is=REG&A=details http://defender-usa.com/product/Sentinel_Wireless_4_CH_500GB_DVR.eng-205.html
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1989 3.2 Carrera coupe; 1988 Westy Vanagon, Zetec; 1986 E28 M30; 1994 W124; 2004 S211 What? Uh . . . “he” and “him”? Last edited by jyl; 05-09-2014 at 06:52 AM.. |
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Did you get the memo?
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Wichita, KS
Posts: 32,319
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Just make sure cameras are conspicuous. You want them to help PREVENT the crime, not just record the evidence. Maybe add some alarm company signs and stickers?
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There is an alarm company sign on the house, left over from the prior owner.
There are "dummy" cameras available too. I suppose I could put a lock on the tall gate that you have to go through to get to the back yard, but it would make it a pain for daily living.
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1989 3.2 Carrera coupe; 1988 Westy Vanagon, Zetec; 1986 E28 M30; 1994 W124; 2004 S211 What? Uh . . . “he” and “him”? |
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Get off my lawn!
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I have video cameras that are easy to see. Every window and every door even the garage doors are monitored. I can turn the system on or off with my cell phone and I can check the status of the system with my cell phone. It is monitored by a company that is pretty quick to call me. I get a call in seconds when I test the system.
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Glen 49 Year member of the Porsche Club of America 1985 911 Carrera; 2017 Macan 1986 El Camino with Fuel Injected 350 Crate Engine My Motto: I will never be too old to have a happy childhood! |
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Banned
Join Date: Feb 2008
Posts: 18,646
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Make sure you drag him inside your house before you call the local law enforcement agency.
My neighbor bought the Costco set. The only down side was not being able to make out cars from the street. Last edited by Arizona_928; 05-09-2014 at 07:20 AM.. |
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Get off my lawn!
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My local alarm company is using a national provider. The house was wired for the system when the house was built. All the new company did was run the Cat-5 cable from my router to the cameras and the old door and window stitches are used. The cell phone part is "free" or just part of the package.
I can monitor the video feed anywhere I have cell or wi-fi connections. It is nice to leave and be able to verify that the dang garage door is really down. I sometimes leave the house early on weekends and the wife is home still in bed. I will PM some more specifics.
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Glen 49 Year member of the Porsche Club of America 1985 911 Carrera; 2017 Macan 1986 El Camino with Fuel Injected 350 Crate Engine My Motto: I will never be too old to have a happy childhood! |
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Join Date: Nov 2007
Posts: 6,274
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Made sure deadbolts have the 1" long bolts and buy the heavy duty model. Also replace screws in hinges & strike plates with ones long enough to penetrate the studs behind the jam trim.
These are couple of things that will help strength the locks. |
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Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: So. Cal.
Posts: 9,103
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I have the standard system with door & window sensors and motion detectors. I also have a driveway alarm (mostly for our convenience to know when someone arrives) and signs saying the place is monitored. I don't use a service to notify me because we live in an area where the Sheriff probably wouldn't get there in time. Also, the neighbors around keep a decent eye on people coming & going. I had it installed during construction, and have to admit it's mostly just a deterrent. I also have wiring for cameras, which I haven't gotten around to installing. I think in most instances the outside presence of cameras and signs would offer the most prevention. If an alarm would notify you & maybe neighbors, I think inside motion detectors would be good enough since they will probably break a door or window anyway for entry whether you have sensors installed on them or not.
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Marv Evans '69 911E |
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Cogito Ergo Sum
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One thing on cameras, I am going to do some and get power over Ethernet cameras, so only one wire to run still.
Timely thread, we need to get our alarm going again, it's installed but not operational or monitored. |
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Cogito Ergo Sum
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And on the garage door, get the lift master MyQ setup, I can check and open or close the garage door from my phone. ![]() |
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Slippery Slope Victim
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Brooklyn, NY USA
Posts: 4,385
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I've got central station alarm with all the fancy gadgets, 8 cameras with a DVR that i can monitor from work/smartphone. Good lighting in the back and sides some on motion detectors. I think the most important thing I did was installing steel (wood look) doors with 2 deadbolts and a security storm door, with tamperproof screws. I had my fabrication shop make SS door buck reinforcements that the dead bolts pass through for kick in resistance. My garage door is a steel HD unit with a solenoid controlled lock.
You can't make a house totally break in proof but you can make it the least vulnerable. Hopefully theives will bypass your home.
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Mike˛ 1985 M491 |
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Control Group
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What Mike says. You never stop them, best you can hope for is they go down the street.
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She was the kindest person I ever met |
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Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Kenbridge VA
Posts: 4,269
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We have one that we self monitor. Don't over look motion detectors, I use those to track contractors movement through the house.
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Peppy 2011 BMW 335d 1988 Targa 3.4 ![]() 2001 Jetta TDI dead 1982 Chevette Diesel SOLD ![]() |
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Did you get the memo?
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Wichita, KS
Posts: 32,319
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The problem is, many attractive home features are also vulnerable. Nice front door sidelight = easy to bust out for deadbolt access. Nice sliding or patio door = easy to break for quick access. My grandparents house was broken into years ago when a burglar tossed a patio chair through a sliding glass door when they were away. I'm hoping that my combo of excellent lighting front and back plus a dog out back is adequate. Dog is typically cited as the #1 deterrent by former thieves.
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Join Date: Jun 2000
Location: bottom left corner of the world
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Great advice above.
Sadly, with methamphetamine users around the place, rational thinking goes out the window. These guys want money (or something to sell quickly) now. So don't leave the Porsche parked out the front. In a fu**wit's mind they are worth a million dollars and you have the money. Probably good to not be the best house in the street either. So it could just be a bad luck thing if it's you who gets chosen to be robbed. So a few plan B's in place are a good idea. Things like a fire extinguisher by the door. A fire extinguisher is a great weapon and your chances of surviving the court aftermath is better if you do someone over in self defense with a fire extinguisher other than a gun. So good luck everyone and don't be a victim. |
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