Please....recommend A Home Alarm System or Security System

When my kids were small and thru their teens, I hung heavy sets of brass bells from India by a hook on the inside of both my doors. They made quite a racket when opened and usually I could hear. They were too high for children to reach and too noisy for teens to sneak out or in without making enough noise to alert me.

1 mom found this helpful

HI.
We havae ADT... and like the other post... the alarm doesnt have to be set-- it chimes just when the door opens.

we also did the eye hook latches up high as well on the other doors in the house.

I would go with the alarm/bell choice over additional hardware. The additional hardware would make it harder for YOU to get out in case of a fire. This is why new doorknobs turn from the inside even when locked.

For our front foor--we put in a hook and eye lock on the wooden screen door.

For the back door--we got a fence installed and locked the gate. That way he has some freedom to go out back.

I don't know what to do about windows. One of mine likes to open them up, and they are the old fashioned wooden sash kind. I was thinking of putting some nails in the frame so that you can't raise the sash more than 4 inches.

Good luck
B.

Contact Evolution AVS. Ask for Dale. He really knows his stuff and can customize for any system you need. ###-###-####.

If you're not looking for a whole house alram..........We went to Lowe's and bought inexpensive alarms. When contact is broken a hideous, very loud sound persists until you turn it off. They are $7.00 each so very inexpensive and very effective. Our neighbors are aware of what the noise is, so when it sounds they know that my son has gotten out of the house. Hope this helps!!

Hi M., We had the same problem with my daughter and we ended up getting an alarm system not because of her, but for other reasons. However, when we got it, I had them put alarms on all the doors so that I hear a beep if a door or window opens. It can be annoying because it isn't easy to turn off, so we never have, and when the kids are trying to fall asleep, they are alerted to when we come and cry if they think that I am leaving.

Anyway, some things to look out for, Broadband is inexpensive because you pay rent on the installed equipment and end up with a higher monthly fee. If you pay a lot for the installation and equipment make sure that you own the equipment in the house, and ask what the monitoring fees are. We used Viking alarms, and we own the equipment, and pay less then 10 a month for the monitoring service (you know, they call you when an alarm goes off, then you give a password, and if it isn't the right one, they send the cops). The phone number is ###-###-####. It is a really small operation. Again the equipment/installation cost a ton, but when we sell the house, there won't be any issues with who owns it and you can switch monitoring companies if the new owners want to.

I use it as an alert to tell me when my daughter is disobeying the rules, and I agree with the other mom that they need taught the rules but while in the teaching mode, it is better safe than sorry. Good luck.

M.,

When our son was this age he was interested to see what was on the other side of the door and our dogs usually took the opportunity to run outside and go exploring down the street.

We added a sliding chain to the door and door frame. He cannot reach the chain and even if the door is unlocked, if the chain is in place, he can't open the door all the way. I can easily hear the bang as the slack is taken out of the chain and the door is stopped suddenly.

If you are concerned about the chain and unit being removed by your son or burglers you should check out the Myth Busters website. They did an entire episode on security alarms, chains, locks, and other entry related devices. Their research showed that most locks and chains, if installed properly, cannot be torn out of the door or door frame.

Good luck.

-C..

I had ADT install a security system set with chimes when a door is opened. Your alarm system does not need to be set to alarm, just to chime. Also, my husband installed hook screws at the top of each screen/storm door to latch when we have the doors opened. This has kept my 4 and 2 year olds in check-no incidents since.

hello M.
wow that is hard one whit a blink of a eye they could be gone .My oldest has alway been a sleep walker and we live on a lake one nite i woke up to go potty and she was gone we looked all over the house then around the yard could not find her for three hours by then i was out of my mind and in preterm labor we end up finding her 12/3 block away still asleep or in that trans so the next day we went with a brinks it goes off ever time good luck hope you find one

My girlfriend put deadbolts on all her doors. They required a key to open the deadbolt (from the inside too). She kept it above the door on top of the trim and just always kept the door locked.
Cheaper than an alarm system :)

We had a similar situation with our oldest son. We solved it quite cheaply, actually. We installed a hook & eye on the top of the door where he couldn't reach it.

Our son is the same way. We have a bell we hang on the door knob to the front door, as well as the basement so we always know! It is definitely a scary thing!

we have used the window alarms from home depot for our doors. They work great, are cheap, and you can turn them on and off easily. runs about 7.00 each and they use foam tape to stick to your door. Took me 5 min to install. THESE REALLY WORK WELL, and startle a child so that they do not open that door/window. My batteries are still working after 2 years!

http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Produc...

I saw something very similar about a month ago at dollar tree for a dollar.

We got the best thing at Home Depot. They are fairly expensive maybe 20 or 30 bucks? It is a type of latch system that goes at the top of the door. It is extremely sturdy (way more so than hook and eye). You have to slide the latch up and out to open the door. There is no space or gap whatsoever in the door. I locked myself out and tried to force it open from the outside and it absolutely would not budge! It is solid metal, about 4 inches long, and I think I found it in the door hardware area. It takes a few practices even for an adult to figure out! We have an alarm system but never use it. Having this on the door prevents them from getting out and the bad guys from getting in!

Hello M.,
I have been using Protect America for 5 years (GE Alarm system). It has been great & works (police responds quickly to alarm and distressed signal - the voice actually tells you which doors and windows have been opened, even in the disarmed state. It is really easy to self-install, no wiring required, low monthly cost for the service and activation over the phone. If you are interested visit www.5Linx.net/L375768. There are packages that you can get the equipment for free (base station, motion detector, window and door sensors, etc.)

Take care,
D. M

How about just putting a door knob lock over the doorknob so that he is not able to turn the knob to open the door?

Hello,

My husband and I went through this years ago with our now 11 year old. We have ADT. ADT allows you to set the alarm to stay, which means your home is secure while you in are in it. If doors or windows are opened then the alarm sounds...you have limited time to turn the alarm off before it becomes piercing but its the best thing for us. Hope this helps.

Hello. We have an ADT system which does exactly what you are asking. You can set it for "away" which also includes a motion detector in case someone breaks a window and gets in. The "home" mode sounds perfect for your toddler. It sounds an ear piercing alarm if one of the doors is opened while the alarm is set. If it goes off once, your child will never forget it. Plus you will know if he has escaped. We love our system. If you want any more information, feel free to email me back. I will be a big spokesperson for it since it keeps our family very safe. We have no complaints about the service either. Have a good day.

You need to teach your son, not get an alarm system. We had a hook at the top of the door at adult only level. Much cheaper and just as effective.

Contact Jack Lang at Ryder Security. He'll set you up. I used him for my Mom's house and not only is he super sweet, he really catered to her needs, not to his agenda.

Jack Lang
Ryder Security
36925 Schoolcraft Rd.
Livonia, MI 48150
Wk: ###-###-####
Fx: ###-###-####

Hi M.,

My two autistic boys have done the same thing. I've had to call 911 6x to find my youngest when he's walked off. (He was found a few times in other peoples houses that we didn't know.) It doesn't take much time at all. (He's figured out any lock I've put on the doors.) He's never attempted to escape out of a window so that isn't a concern for me. What worked well (until he was old enough to pull something over to stand on it and unlock) was spring loaded hook and eye locks on the screen doors. I eventually put one on the outside of the back door as well. That way I could lock the front screen and go out the back door for whatever I needed and I could lock him in the house. I found this to be much more effective when I wanted to let a breeze in the house through the doors. I also have deadbolt and chain locks on the main doors, too. Another lock to get through gives you more time to catch him. (Being in a ranch house helps, I can hear everything easier than a bi/tri-level. Keep explaining in detail (that he will understand) all the dangers of leaving the house without an adult. (ie: what if you got hurt and I wasn't there to help you? what if you were bleeding really bad and couldn't walk to come find me? what would happen if you got hit by a car? what if someone picked you up and carried you away? etc., explain how he would have to go to the doctor/hospital, stitches/casts and/or may never see you/dad/siblings/friends again, etc.) The more detail and scarier I made it the more my boys listened. When you see something on the news about a kid getting abducted, bring it to your sons attention, seeing an example will help drive the lesson home.

I hope this helps - S.