Home security question

Does the house already have a security system installed? If so, shop around for monitoring services. You shouldn't pay more than about $20 a month for monitoring only. You should also insist on a month-to-month contract.

If you're starting from scratch with no system installed, you'll be offered a free system and installation for a much higher monthly charge with a three year contract. It's very similar to buying a new cell phone. In either case, shop around. Prices will vary widely. Be sure to include wired smoke and CO detectors in your specs.

BTW, the most effective security system of all is light--lots of it--all around the outside of your house.

It already has a system installed. Any recs on monitoring services?

The light thing is a good point.

Vivint has nice technology; but be careful about their sales people...they are the worst.

FTR, we have Vivint and we like it.

i would avoid vivint and adt - you will be locked in to long term contract (up to 5 years) and overpay. for $20, you can pay a local company to monitor your system and cancel/switch anytime. i pay $24 and have an app that controls my system and ability to connect home automation devices.

just call a few local companies and ask them their rates. they will probably come take a look at your setup and quote you for free.

Local companies tend to be more expensive and more reliable IMO.

Worth it to me. We live in a major city where our security company is calling our cell within about 15 seconds of every alarm, and the police actually come within a few minutes if they're contacted.

FWIW, we most recently had ADT in a prior house, and while the customer service from ADT was still pretty bad, they nonetheless did get the police out reliably.

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What company do you have? I have a bare bones security system and would like to step up to an app.

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i use a local company in shreveport. they install DMP systems, however. i think it would depend on what type of system you have in your house. they could probably just install a couple new components if your system was not compatible.

also, i completely disagree with previous poster re local companies charging more. there is another thread on here where people were posting their ADT bills - seems to be between $40-$70/mo. i had a friend who paid vivint $55/mo with a 5yr contract

call around to companies in your city (who are not ADT affiliates) and ask them what they can do and prices.

We got local company to do monitoring for $17. The house had an ADT system installed already. Had a small fee (about $100)to change the board or keypad. Forget which.

Has anybody tried Eatels service? IHomeIQ I think it's called.

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but also have ADT come out and check on the equipment at no charge.

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why? any local company could use your existing wiring. at most, they may replace the keypad. another poster above said that was about $100. you would save that in 3 months with a local company. if ADT comes to your house and you aren't on contract, they are going to put the hard sell on you. there really is just no point in using them.