Re: Looking to purchase alarm system - suggestions?

["R.H.Campbell" <rh.campbell@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

That's definately a difficult question to answer and I certainly don't have
the answer. And, my experience with DIY installs is small since most
installations are non-monitored and I don't deal in "toy alarms". But the
very few that do come to me must be inspected carefully before I hook them
up. I can honestly say that everyone I've inspected is at least as good as
the poorest professional installation I've seen (and granted, that's damn
poor). But far and away, I find they are usually overengineered to the
extreme. The guy has made all sorts of cross connections outside the panel
which he didn't have to do; however, the joints are soldered (something that
a professional almost never does, since B connections are completely
reliable). Mistakes he's made are simple to correct since everything is
usually external, and the contacts are usually the commercial grade units
mounted externally on the door.

So what they don't do on one hand (proper positioning, B connections,
internal wiring), they make up for by using techniques which by themselves
likely are as secure as they need to be (external door contacts which are
hard to mess up compared to hidden contacts)

Bottom line, the "jury's still out" on that question. But DIY installs are
probably not worse than the worst of the professional installs when all is
said and done, and in most cases, at least as good, and in a few cases, far
better.

(ain't that a mouthful of nothing.....:))))

R.H.Campbell
Home Security Metal Products
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
www.homemetal.com


"Bob Worthy" <securinc@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:bHuAe.28$ag7.13@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>
> "Roberto" <Respond@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
> news:danc85$eoq6$1@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>>
>> Does anyone know the percentage of false alarms calls for DIY installs vs
>> professional installs?
>>
>> Bob
>
> That would be a tough one. It isn't tracked separately at the PD's. I am
> afraid the number of DIY and Pro installs are so far apart that it would
> be
> hard to compare and I don't really know what percentage of DIY's are
> monitored as compared to those that are local or that simply page someone.
> If I had to guess, although I am sure there may be some talented people
> that
> are very capable of installing a security system, on a percentage basis, I
> would think there would be more false alarms from a DIY install, if for
> nothing else, simply the learning curve.
>
>