Home security system.

An alarm system?

A dog?

Both?

Not a dog - we have 3 cats!!

What sort of security system? Help

A burglar alarm would seem sensible, get several quotes. You can also ask the police to come round and give you a free security assessment. But we have problems with our burglar alarm as the cats climb the furniture and set it off! Anyone found a totally cat proof one?

We had our alarm system installed about four years ago. A friend in the next village had been burgled when out of her house for about an hour. That decided me, stable door and horse bolting came to mind.

A reputable local security firm installed ours. Nothing fancy, a wired system, sensors in different areas. We always set it when we leave the house. Alarm box in prominent view.

Nothing is infallible of course, but it makes us feel more secure.

Ask around for an Alarm Company, if your neighbours have a reliable system installed by a good company, contact them for a free quote/advise.

Our electrician is here installing a new system. 4 little cameras under the eaves which send live pics to a small screen next to our computer 24/7 if we want, and call our ‘phone if anyone is lurking!

Can’t say how it is working yet, because it isn’t. However, never used burglar alarms on houses in the past since I was asked by the Police to go and check if there were burglars in a neighbouring house after I had reported her alarm sounding. It was, in fact, her cats. Alarms, in my experience, can ring and ring and nobody takes much notice. We have dogs and they hear every single thing, but they are not always at home.

Maybe get a security assessment and be sure that your door locks are the best ones you can get. It seems that burglars can get into any house if they’re determined - they just need a sufficient deterrent to make them try somewhere else.

kittylester security lights front and back of house which are activated by a sensor when anyone approaches might be worth having if you don’t already.
I think I’m correct saying you can adjust the sensitivity so that it’s not activated by a passing cat or other wildlife.

There are all kinds of sensors you can buy to guard entrances and for fitting around windows.
No good if there are animals in the house though.

Never advertise the fact that you have a burglar alarm because most of the creatures can bypass alarms and those who do advertise them are saying that they have something valuable usually.

Kitty I’d go for an Alarm and security lights. Our Alarm Company chap has worked on our previous house and current one. The Alarm box has bright red lights that are on whether it’s set or not.
Strangely he’s just been with us today moving the system due to some building work we’re having done.
As were in the same county, if you want to PM me I’ll pass his details

Thanks J52. Our electrician is coming to do some work next week so we will talk to him. Part of what he is doing is new security lights!! I'll pm you if necessary.

Thank you all for your help.

I am not keen on security lights, unless the area lit can be seen from the road, so that anynintruder is visible to other houses or passers by. If they are not visible from the road, why light up the back of the house and make it easier for the intruder to see what they is doing? Better he/she has to try and do everything in the dark, stumbling over containers and the cat.

We had an alarm system installed as soon as we moved into our current home. It is actually in a low crime area, but our previous house was in a high crime area and we had had several break-ins.

We dealt with the pet problem by not having a sensor in kitchen/breakfast room or integral garage so that a pet could be shut into the kitchen or garage at night. Both are quite large so the animal would have plenty of room to move round. We do not have pets, but I would never let an animal wander round the house at night.

We also have key operated locks on all our windows.

We have a wireless security system, installed by a professional. Hardly any upheavel at all.
We previously had a wired system, but when we extended a couple of years ago, we realised it was outdated and not fit for purpose.
We also get a lot of field mice and one chewed the wiring under the floor in the conservatory!! ?

At the same time we put the new system in, we added extra senor security lights.

Oh, I meant to say, we can isolate certain areas at night, for going to the loo etc.

We've got 3 CCTV cameras at our house - front, side, back of the house. Not because we get any crime on our street (policeman lives facing us anyway) but because our eldest son is into a lot of technology, and he put them up.

Our wireless system has a downstairs only setting for nighttime loo trips. Because we have a lane behind us we have front and back alarm boxes. I do think they act as a deterrent to n’er do wells. In our area most houses have them and the burgled ones have been the ones without. There is also an app if we want to check up when away from home.
Having this system makes us sleep better anyway. If I hear an odd noise in the night I just turn over and go back to sleep.?