I've had a really good experience with Urban Alarm

I'm thinking about getting an security/monitoring system. I've seen the Comcast and other cable TV provider ones. Anyone have these? You can check if windows are open/closed and locked which I think would be really awesome as I have a bit of anxiety when it comes to these things once I've left the house. It'd be nice to just check on my phone.

Anyone have something like this? Any other brands or companies that you know of that have this feature or other similar features?

Thank you fir the information. I am actually looking for home renovation.

1855 again. Otoh, maybe the insurance savings offsets the cost of monitoring. Something to research I guess.

For the PPs with Simplisafe, do you pay the monthly monitoring fee?

I'm wondering if a monitored alarm is overkill for us. We have a good size dog that barks lots, so the alarm is more of a backup for us, or maybe an occasional thing when we take the dog on a trip.

I am pleased with Simplisafe. Affordable. Wireless. Easy to install. Gives me peace of mind.

We did intensive research on safety features... here is the list we came up with. We have not done all of these, but they give us a frame of reference for what we would like to do.


1) Good outdoor lighting
Regardless of whether you are home or away, you should have a porch light on every night and install motion sensor spotlights that are always on near your entry ways (front and rear). If the light bothers you at night, invest in blackout curtains.

2) Alarm sensors on all the exterior doors
To be clear, having an active alarm system is a deterrent, but it will not prevent the most common break-ins, which are "smash-and-grabs". In this case, the burglars are banking on slow police response times (> 15 min). They will run in, grab your electronics, jewelry and guns and be out well before the police can get to the house.

3) Extended strike plate (~4 ft long) installed on the door frame of all exterior doors
Also, the strike plate and hinges of the door should all be installed with 2.5" or longer screws so that they go into the studs of the house. Unless your door is metal, I would also advise reinforcing the area around the latch mechanism and the deadbolt with a metal plate.

4) Door guardian (http://thedoorguardian.com/) or a similar device on any exterior doors that open inward
We chose the door guardian specifically because it also prevents kids from being able to escape through the front door. With this and an extended strike plate, it will be almost impossible for anyone to kick in your door.

5) Window security pins
These are ridiculously inexpensive (less than $1/pin sold in packs of 8-10) and you could easily install them yourself if you have wooden window frames. If your windows are metal/vinyl, you can cut PVC rods to the correct length and place them between the top edge of the lower window and the top edge of the window frame. The cost is about the same, but it's much easier for a burglar to dislodge the tubing to open the window, so you need to make sure they're hidden along the edge of the window.

There are some additional security features that may be good to invest in, depending on your budget.

6) Security film
You'd need to hire a company specializing in this. It's expensive but effective. Note that your window will still break and if someone is really determined, they'll still get in eventually. However, it will take them a long time (> 15 min) and it will be a lot of work. Most burglars will give up if they encounter this.

7) Security storm door
Unlike a regular storm door, a security storm door has two curved latches in addition to an extra long deadbolt - which reminds me - you should double check how far into the door frame your deadbolts extend. If it's less than 1", you need a longer deadbolt or to extend the receiving hole in your door frame. The glass of these security storms doors is also coated with security film. These are expensive. However, storm doors are also good for energy efficiency.

8) Cameras
There are decent four camera systems for about $250. They are pretty easy to install and the footage is stored on the cloud. It's a good way to help the police catch the perpetrators if, heaven forbid, something does happen. It also discourages people from stealing packages off your front porch.

I have Frontpoint, and really like the web control and hardware self install/personalization. But I'd really love it if something integrated with Nest Protect.

I have AT&T Digital Life. Also all wireless. I can program cameras and access live feed or video recording from my phone. I can program the system to txt me if the back patio camera detects a motion in the middle of the night, for example. Neat stuff.

Simplisafe all wireless and internet / phone enabled

Any recommendations for an alarm system for an apartment in a condo building?