Advice on domestic burglar alarms.

[Steve.EX]

I am about to move into my new-build flat. It is now fully decorated etc.
I am keen to buy a wireless alarm but have some reservations. I presume these can actually be jammed although the Friedland range seem to offer anti-jamming protection. I am looking to spend <£200 if possible and would like any real feedback on these devices. Yale is another obvious company offering a range of these products.
I don't think i really need communications over telephone lines (police etc) as there are plenty of other residents close by.
Reliability is key here.
I would dearly like to avoid hardwiring which is as close to impossible now unfortunately.

Thanks

[micaab]

Hi Steve,

I had a security system fitted to my house just before Christmas and it's got 5 or 6 wireless components. Was a bit wary about the reliability of the wireless stuff at first but after speaking to an installer and checking up some info on the net, I went ahead confident of the wireless technology.

The wireless stuff has it's own BSI standard to be adhered to, it has to be reliable. And so far, I've not had any system failures or false triggers. Your fear in "jamminig" should only be based on a deliberate attempt to jam the system - the wireless frequency used by these systems is reserved for that purpose only, so your wireless router can't interfere with it.

The only other things I'd point out to you is that Police monitoring these days is an expensive folly, mainly because the Police will not attend a triggered alarm without a positive sighting anyway.

And insurance companies seem very uninterested in whether you have a burglar alarm or not. Even in my case, which is a NACOSS approved system, it didn't affect my premium at renewal (but then it woudn't would it? typical).

I don't work for an alarm company, this is just info i've picked up while my getting my system installed.

Hope that helps.

Andy.

[Steve.EX]

Andy

Can i ask as to who the manufacturer of your alarm is?
I am presuming it is a class 6 affair (of which does not seem to be available to the public)

Steven

[micaab]

the control unit and the sensors are made by Cooper Menvier. you're probably right - they may only be available through installers

but i'm not sure about the class 6 thing. not a term i've heard of. but like i said i'm no expert on this stuff.

[IronGiant]

Steven, did you read this thread:

Wireless Burglar Alarms

apologies if you had.

[Singh400]

Anything wireless can be comprised if the hacker/intruder really wants to. They could sit outside your house and just work from there untill they overwhelm the security on the said wireless device.

Having a wired system, requires the hacker/intruder to have physical access to the system, which by then the alarm would have gone off and scared them away.

You should read the thread that is mentioned by Regmarch.

[micaab]

couldn't agree more with these comments - wireless will never be as secure as fully wired. however wiring my garage up to the alarm (100 foot away at the bottom of the back garden) would have been a bit more inconvenient and expensive than a wireless system.

Also, these fears of wireless vulnerability depend upon a "professional hacker" targeting your property directly.

i probably have no more items of value than the house next door. which one would you target if you were a burglar? the house with an alarm bell box outside (which doesn't state "wireless alarm") or the seemingly unprotected house next door?

when it comes down to it, my partially wireless system provides more security than i use to have (none) and more security then the dozens of other unprotected houses in my street.

AB

[Steve.EX]

Agreed, but many apparently have anti-hack features. Two i have read into will drop to full alarm status if the network is broken for more than 2 minutes.

[Mylo]

My advice, Steve, is spend as much as you so can afford. Make sure it is fitted by a NACOS approved fitter and that you can alarm unoccupied zones whilst you are sleeping.

The second tip is make sure that your external doors are high quality and fitted with proper locks. Internal door locks will also slow down any thieving that ever did manage to get in.

Home security is very much my priority at the moment after recent events listed in another thread.

[sjj84]

I too am soon to be moving into a flat and am considering an alarm system. With the wireless systems, how do the sensors get power, I assume they are plugged into the mains? The flat I've brought has a garage, but there is no power there. Anyway of alarming it?

[neilball]

The wireless systems generally use battery powered sensors so that you do not need any cables or power suppplied in the rooms where they will be fitted. As long as the garage is within the range of the system it should not be problem adding it to the alarm system. With many systems you can do a wireless range test with a sensor and the main control panel to prove the radio signals are of sufficient quality to ensure relicable operation.