Brinks Home Security for the stick house.

[Wrenchtraveller]

I am thinking of going for this. The salesman came over yesterday. 32 bucks a month for monitored protection seems OK. The Brinks Company has won a few consumer awards. Any pros or cons out there?

Don & Donna
Vancouver Island
2005 Ford F350 V10 Lariat CC 4x4 LB SRW 11200 GVWR
2006 Montana 2955RL
click on the little pic to see a big pic

[PartyCrashers]

Monitor where? If you are looking to monitor your trailer while parked at home. You could do better by buying a professional DVR and cameras, and not paying a monthly fee. If you are interested I will be willing to share what we have learned with our experiences.

Kevin and Denise
Trailer: 2004 Not a Montana,that's why we are "Party Crashers"
2005 Silverado HD Crew Cab

"Happiness in a RV is a Full Tank of Gas, and a Empty Holding Tank!"

[Ozz]

We love the service, it's not Brinks, but they have a good national reputation.
My brother and I installed our system, every once and a while I set it off to test it, and let people know it's there.
When we false alarm the system oh, around once a month or less, I call the service, or they call here at home, give my code and no police are called, otherwise, they show up. I will never be without the system. I also have a motion activated camera at the front door with 2 floods. I have 2 floods in back and side of the house by the Montana, the deer set them off.
The fire alarm monitoring is great as well.
Ozz


'07 3400RL 2nd RTU
2 Golf Cart batteries 3,000 watt inverter, automatic transfer switch
Honda 2000 Generator, Maytag's with 220 Dryer
Stationary domed Sat. dish, LCD 12 Volt Amp gauge, LCD Tank Monitor
3 added 120 volt outlets, On Board Air; 12 Volt Viair 450C compressor
2006 Ford PSD 4x4 Off Road Lariat, Hadley Air Horns, Truck inverter with 110 volts: laptop, Color Backup camera, Firestone air bags,Husky air ride roller hitch, Awning lock

[Wrenchtraveller]

Thanks Ozz, The Brinks System does include a heat sensor that will call the Fire Dept.
We hope to be away from home more in the future and we want a decent system.

Don & Donna
Vancouver Island
2005 Ford F350 V10 Lariat CC 4x4 LB SRW 11200 GVWR
2006 Montana 2955RL
click on the little pic to see a big pic

[PartyCrashers]

Wrenchtraveller-
Sorry1 I missed understood what you are looking for in security systems. Sounds like you are getting good advice from people with knowledge.......Best of luck to you.


Kevin and Denise
Trailer: 2004 Not a Montana,that's why we are "Party Crashers"
2005 Silverado HD Crew Cab

"Happiness in a RV is a Full Tank of Gas, and a Empty Holding Tank!"

[Montana Sky]

Don,
You might want to check out ADT security company. 3 of my neighbors who head south for 6 months use them and have been very happy with their service. Just a thought...


2004 Chevy Silverado LT 2500HD CrewCab Duramax
2004 Montana 3400RL

[Dave e Victoria]

I was in the security business for awhile at Honeywell. I now have ADT at our home in Phoenix. Good system and works good. My only advice is check and change batteries in all battery powered sensors before you leave foor an extended period. If one goes dead while you are away it is a pain.
ADT, Brinks or Honeywell -- all good. I'd stay away from the small independants. They sell the monitoring contact and it is hard to tell who will be doing the monitoring in the future. The independants are called "Trunk slammers" in the industry.

Also, check with your insurance, you may get a break after you have a system installed.

One final note. Most monitoring companies use the phone line so if your phone line is cut or otherwise compromised the monitor no longer works. For a few bucks more each month, you can get a cell phone backup if the main line is down. IMHO, well worth the extra.
Dave

Dave and Victoria
Half Time Full Timers or is that just half full 0f it?-- whatever!

'06 GMC3500 DRW CC 4x4 Duramax/Allison Bubba Truck
Pulling Cambridge 358
Sharing with a Yorkie (Dude) and a Schipperke (Dharma)
Click here to read a detailed report on our Cambridge

[Parrothead]

Don
We've had Brinks for many years because we were away from home so much working out of the area for months at a time. They have been great and the system works really good. We have the motion detector in the hall and sensors on the doors. We did not put sensors on all of the windows because the motion detector will pick up anyone in the house. We did put the sensor on the window in the room where the gun cabinet is just to be on the safe side. We have 4 teenage grandchildren whose friends have all been in and out of our house and although that door is usually closed, you never know what ideas kids will get. It just made us feel better to go that way.
Happy trails............................

Sue and Ed Rowe
Hemet California

2005 3400RL

2006 GMC 3500 Dually, D/A, Crew Cab, Long Bed

[bsmeaton]

Don,

Honeywell just bought our historical Denver company out and took over the monitoring through an out of state central company - The response actually improved.

We've got hardwired as well as wireless through a new module, which allowed me to add additional smoke/thermal sensors to the system.

Dave makes great points - the system is worthless if your phone lines are exposed outside - get the celullar backup. Also make sure your wireless sensor batteries and system batteries are up to snuff if you leave for a long time.

You probably should entrust a neighbor or relative with the system info and put them on the call list if you leave. If it trips, the police will respond but they won't be able to reset it. If you don't have a contact that can be there, it will be left disabled. Our housekeepers tripped ours by mistake in schedule. They met the police at the door and the house was re-locked, but the system remained disabled until we got home.

Brad & Dory



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2003 2955RL - 5.5KW LP Gen - great for the lake!
2006 F350 Stroker Lariat towmoter - love the trans shift and integrated brake controller.
'95 SeaRay 200BR named Dam-It - occassional tow buddy

I ain't as good as I once was - but I'm as good once as I always was - Toby Keith