Re: Greater Toronto Area Recomendations?

[Frank Olson <Use_the_email_links@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Alan Whitehouse wrote:
> Hi,
>
> We are going through remodeling and have been wiring for an alarm system as
> we go.  Now I need to get the connections made and panels installed.
>
> I have 2 questions:
>
> 1) Anyone use Alarm Force?  Does it work or is it all marketing hype?  Three
> things I didn't like were:  1) is that they do all sales over the phone and
> don't send anyone out to see the house before they quote.  2) I understand
> it is all wireless so you have to see all the connections and 3) you
> activate and deactivate via your telephone and not a keypad.


I actually called Alarm Farce once.  Here's what I found out.  I have a
4000 sq. ft. house on three levels.  They wanted to install one door
contact (on the door we use most often to come and go), and one motion
sensor.  When I explained to the guy that the best place for the motion
sensor would leave the whole back end of the house (family room, dining
room and kitchen) exposed, he said:  "We could always add a second
motion sensor".  When I told him we had a cat, he suggested we either
"get rid of it" (not a bad idea since I can't stand the beast, but my
son loves it so that's out), or the installer would set up the sensor to
leave a space between it and the floor that would allow the critter to
be able to freely move about.  Now to the door sensor...  since we
mostly use the garage/laundry door to enter and leave, that would mean
that all the other main floor doors are unprotected.

Line siezure??  What's that??  The system plugs into your kitchen outlet
(that's where the rep suggested we place the control panel by the way).
  Keep in mind that the kitchen is at the back of the house and would be
*unprotected* with the single motion/contact "standard" installation.
Alarm Farce has a "niche" and I believe it's better suited to the
apartment dweller, where you have a single point of entry and can cover
that with a motion detector as "backup".  It still leaves the guy with
30 seconds to find the main control and disable it though (and that's
pretty easy if they stay "true to form" and mount the sucker in the
kitchen connected to the phone there with a duplex plug).

You do have to admire the amount of money they spend on radio
advertising though.  PT Barnum was right about the "sucker".


>
> The only reason I am using them is that after we got broken into a couple
> weeks ago (yea what timing) the officer who responded said they give higher
> priority to Alarm Force (he didn't mention names) since the chance of a
> false alarm is perceived as being far less.

Alarm Farce *isn't* the only company that uses two way voice systems to
verify an alarm.  This technology isn't as "unique" as their ad states.
  Find yourself a reputable local dealer and ask him.


>
> 2) Anyone recommend an installer in the Markham (actually closer to
> Stouffville) area for a traditional alarm?


It's called "research".  Go to the local library.  Find the yellow pages
for the last three years.  Call three companies that have maintained
quarter page ads (or less) in all of those directories.  They're the
ones that are liable to "stick" around.

Please *don't* fall for the hype Alarm Farce "sells" in their ads.