Home Security - what we did

[pasusan]

Now that we're retired we take longer trips - but we worry about leaving the house for long. We don't have family in the area and don't have any close neighbors that we'd like to put responsibility on. So we smartened up our home. Here is what we did...

Video doorbell - Ring - which makes a sound notification on your phone when it senses motion or someone rings the doorbell.
We installed it at our back door because that is the most likely door that would be broken into and we live in a semi rural area where everyone naturally goes to the back door.

Smart items that work with the Smartthings hub:
Bulbs that are set to go on and off at different times.
Motion Sensors in 3 main rooms - which can be set to notify on the phone - and they also tell the temperature.


We just got back from a 24 day trip. Before we left we turned off the water and set the thermostat at 52. While we were gone we could check what the temperatures were in the 3 different rooms, check that the lights went on and off as scheduled, and look out at our back yard and driveway. We could do that anytime - from anywhere we had cell service (which was everywhere at least once a day).

While we were gone it snowed a few times and we were able to check out the backyard:
Backyard Video

Hope this helps others...

Edit... I forgot to mention our Fake TV

[beemerphile1]

Together with my alarm system, we have a lock box on the house which contains a key to the house. Only the fire department has a key to the lock box.

It is a free service from the fire department, all I had to do is pay about $30 for the box. Check with your local fire department.

Our police department also offers free vacation checks. They will check the house every day or two at no charge.

[STBRetired]

My agent said that if I live elsewhere for more than half the year, then I need tp change my policy to a vacation home, not a primary residence. Same coverage, just more expensive.

[beemerphile1]

We have a SimpliSafe alarm system that monitors temperature, power outage, smoke, and water leaks as well as a burglar alarm.

Monitoring is $25 per month and the system is an easy DIY installation.

Edit;
The nice thing about SimpliSafe is that it does not require the house to have internet service like most home systems. SimpliSafe is cellular and it is included in the monthly monitoring.

The system has battery backup so it still works in a power failure.

[doxiemom11]

Being away from your fully furnished home is not the same thing as a vacant home. You may be misunderstanding the limitations that are on your policy. I sold insurance for 39 years and have never heard of any kind of limitation like that. Millions of people go on vacation all the time and their things ARE covered if the home is broken into while they are away (minus the applicable deductible they chose). Please discuss this with your agent and get clarification.

[STBRetired]

gemsworld wrote:

Retired JSO wrote:
We have video and a monitored alarm. These items do not make things more secure. I’ve had a guy who we recorded breaking into a car come look in my truck which triggered the motion lights and smiled at the camera while acting like he was combing his hair. The so called security systems only make you feel more secure and basically alert you after the fact. “hold hands and sing the Coke song.”

I disagree. A security system and cameras will deter some scumbags from breaking into a home or vehicle. Of course, no security system will deter a determined professional thief or a scumbag high on drugs.

There are plenty of documented cases when alarm systems and cameras were instrumental in catching burglars in the act, or identifying the perps after the fact.

True, an alarm system will not make the house more secure. If someone wants in bad enough they are getting in. We run our system in silent mode with immediate trigger when we are on the road. Police are dispatched immediately. Hopefully the intruder gets caught, believing that there is no alarm system and that they have plenty of time to search for loot.

myredracer is right. There are limits on how long the insurance company will allow the house to be empty. Mine is 180 days. Check your policy to be certain.

[myredracer]

gemsworld wrote:

myredracer wrote:
Another thing is that insurance companies have restrictions on how long a home can be left unattended (4 days in our policy).

That's ridiculous. Time to look for another insurance company.

We have the best coverage available along with the lowest premium possible and going longer would push the premium way up from the already high amount. And my DW is a penny pinching accountant that checks the cost on everything to get the lowest. Point is, folks should know what the limitation period is on their own particular policies.

[Sam_Spade]

RoyB wrote:
Having not checked into something like this but my first question is what can the POLICE/FIRE DEPT do for you if no one is at the home...

They probably can't go stomping into a house without permission as well...

You are making this MUCH more difficult than it IS.

IF.....the house is obviously on fire, the FD certainly can do whatever they need to do to limit the fire and protect nearby structures.

IF....there is some obvious sign of forced entry, like a door kicked in, and a reasonable assumption that the reporting party really IS the owner.....then the Police can enter too.

[Community Alumni]

myredracer wrote:
Another thing is that insurance companies have restrictions on how long a home can be left unattended (4 days in our policy).

That's ridiculous. Time to look for another insurance company.

[Community Alumni]

Retired JSO wrote:
We have video and a monitored alarm. These items do not make things more secure. I’ve had a guy who we recorded breaking into a car come look in my truck which triggered the motion lights and smiled at the camera while acting like he was combing his hair. The so called security systems only make you feel more secure and basically alert you after the fact. “hold hands and sing the Coke song.”

I disagree. A security system and cameras will deter some scumbags from breaking into a home or vehicle. Of course, no security system will deter a determined professional thief or a scumbag high on drugs.

There are plenty of documented cases when alarm systems and cameras were instrumental in catching burglars in the act, or identifying the perps after the fact.

Nowadays, the cost of a home security system, including the monitoring fee, and the cost and ease of installing cameras makes it a no brainer. One break-in is going to cost the homeowner a lot more than the cost of a simple security system, even if you have insurance since you'll have a deductible.

[myredracer]

memtb wrote:
Not really security....but turn off the water to the house. Many people have come home from a trip, to a flooded home. Kinda like turning off the water pump on the RV, when leaving for a while.

Another thing is that insurance companies have restrictions on how long a home can be left unattended (4 days in our policy). For long trips we have a family friend that will stay at our place and loves to use all the amenities... 🙂 No type or extent of a security system will extend the insurance company limitation.

Thing is, no matter what you do, a "professional" or determined thief can be in and out of your home with the goods before you can do anything or the cops show up. That's one reason why we never, ever let anyone we don't know step inside the house or garage or even near enough that could let them get a glimpse of what swag could be worth breaking in for. We once had a legit exterminator come inside to get at a big wasp nest in the attic. Weeks later, turns out a couple hundred $$ was missing that I had well hidden in a closet and he must have gone looking for stuff when we weren't watching. You can't trust anyone.

I remember the days when the Fuller Brush man, Encyclopedia Brittanica sales guy, Electrolux sales guy, Watkins products sales guy, life insurance sales guy and others were freely welcomed inside to hear their sales pitches. Sure wouldn't allow that today.

[Retired_JSO]

We have video and a monitored alarm. These items do not make things more secure. I’ve had a guy who we recorded breaking into a car come look in my truck which triggered the motion lights and smiled at the camera while acting like he was combing his hair. The so called security systems only make you feel more secure and basically alert you after the fact. “hold hands and sing the Coke song.”

[RoyB]

STBRetired wrote:

RoyB wrote:
Having not checked into something like this but my first question is what can the POLICE/FIRE DEPT do for you if no one is at the home...

With SimpliSafe, and ADT for that matter, the police/fire dispatch is done by a person at the company dispatch center. They will also contact me via my cell phone. The police will check the house for signs of a break in and take the appropriate action.

Thanks for the information... I figured it had to be something like that...

Roy Ken

[memtb]

Not really security....but turn off the water to the house. Many people have come home from a trip, to a flooded home. Kinda like turning off the water pump on the RV, when leaving for a while.

[STBRetired]

RoyB wrote:
Having not checked into something like this but my first question is what can the POLICE/FIRE DEPT do for you if no one is at the home...

With SimpliSafe, and ADT for that matter, the police/fire dispatch is done by a person at the company dispatch center. They will also contact me via my cell phone. The police will check the house for signs of a break in and take the appropriate action. If someone has broken in and the house cannot be secured, I just call my insurance company and they send out a board up crew to secure the house.
If the smoke detectors have triggered, the fire department is called and they will most likely break through the front door to deal with the fire. Have never had a smoke detector just go off for no reason so if one is triggered there is probably a fire. Not much chance of someone burning dinner when nobody is here. Once again, the insurance company sends out a board up crew to secure whatever is left.
Have had the system for a couple of years now and feel much better about being gone for any length of time that before when we just asked the neighbors to keep an eye on the place. As for paperwork, SimpliSafe gave us a form letter that we gave to the Police department when we installed the system. It identifies their monitoring center and I had to sign a document stating that I would pay $30 for false alarms if I have more than one per year. So far, I have had none.
My daughter has ADT and it works pretty much the same way, except she pays over twice what I do for the monitoring service.

[pasusan]

Mr.Mark wrote:
Pasusan,

Just wondering, when it snows, do you have someone clean the driveway to make it look like your home?

I guess you could have a neighbor drive up your driveway after each snow to make it look like you moved your car out of the garage. 😄

Safe travels,
MM.

That's exactly why we don't go away in the winter... This was APRIL!!!! The good thing was each time it snowed it melted within a few days. 🙂