The Home Improvements Thread (2)

[I.am.Sam]

thanks all, best would be once i get the keys to do a proper evaluation

 

[MidnightZA]

so where in the house do you need

Room 1,2 and 3

Bathroom 1 and 2

lounge

Kitchen

Outhouse *3

Garage

lounge
entrance hall

so you count each one as a zone ?

I started with door mags on every external door and downstairs windows (except bathroom), PIR sensors watching the main entry points and the routes that one would walk in the house. (You cant get from 1 room to another room in the house without being detected)

Then externally I put strip beams across the front and back of my house covering all the external window and doors downstairs and the garage door. Then I have a PIR in the garage also.

That covers all my major points of entry.

I plan on adding window sensors to all my upstairs windows (I doubt anyone can reach my upstairs windows without triggering the downstairs beams but its good to know if any windows are left open etc). I want PIRs in all the rooms, and I may just put a 24hr active high sensitivity motion sensor in the roof (in the case of roof entry)

Look at all the ways you would break into your own house and account for that in your alarm.
For alarms, I wouldn't suggest looking for the cheapest. Look for the best

 

[SAguy]

What cameras are those? How's the image quality at night?

- Communica

www.communica.co.za

I think it's decent:


I need to get the council to cut that tree back a bit, the glare is probably making it worse. This is just a screenshot of the cam, so may or may not look better if I exported it.

 

[I.am.Sam]

and with all the security you guys still have armed response ?

 

[SAguy]

you in northern suburbs right

who is doing your work ?

Did smokey go into hiding

I'm doing all the work I can myself, lifting this pole 2 meters in the air to slide it onto the existing pole was fun.

Not sure about Smokey, not sure what his situation is and would rather not assume what's happening with him.

 

[WAslayer]

and with all the security you guys still have armed response ?

Insurance requirement to have alarm linked to armed response because my area is considered dangerous by my insurance company.. over and above the fact that they also required me to install burglar bars and security gates..

Still the cheapest of the lot though, even factoring in the armed response monthly cost..

Santam, for those who were going to ask..

 

[SAguy]

8 perimeter beams seems a bit excessive..?

You have a massive yard with that many entry points that require coverage..?

Not a large property at all nope. About 700sqm.

Your outdoor beams need to have overlapping coverage. If they can touch one external beam without another one catching them then you've got a hole in your security.

 

[WAslayer]

Not a large property at all nope. About 700sqm.

Your outdoor beams need to have overlapping coverage. If they can touch one external beam without another one catching them then you've got a hole in your security.

Makes sense..

In my case they can't touch any of the beams without the beam having been triggered before they do so..

 

[SAguy]

Makes sense..

In my case they can't touch any of the beams without the beam having been triggered before they do so..

That's good yeah. Some of mine are like that, but I've got 2 where I need to have extra to cover them.
I could probably get away with 5 beams.

I've had one guy in my front yard, he got about 2m and then the alarm went off. So it's worth it for me.

 

[SAguy]

I started with door mags on every external door and downstairs windows (except bathroom), PIR sensors watching the main entry points and the routes that one would walk in the house. (You cant get from 1 room to another room in the house without being detected)

Then externally I put strip beams across the front and back of my house covering all the external window and doors downstairs and the garage door. Then I have a PIR in the garage also.

That covers all my major points of entry.

I plan on adding window sensors to all my upstairs windows (I doubt anyone can reach my upstairs windows without triggering the downstairs beams but its good to know if any windows are left open etc). I want PIRs in all the rooms, and I may just put a 24hr active high sensitivity motion sensor in the roof (in the case of roof entry)

Look at all the ways you would break into your own house and account for that in your alarm.
For alarms, I wouldn't suggest looking for the cheapest. Look for the best

I would definitely recommend starting with perimeter and working your way in.
If I could only have 8 zones I'd have 4 or 5 for perimeter alarms and just 3 or 4 for the house itself.

If your alarm only goes off when they've broken your door open they have at least 6 minutes before anyone rocks up.

My brother in laws armed response arrived in about 7 minutes, by that stage the skelms had stolen over R100k worth of tvs, laptops and camera equipment.

My opinion is that if someone can get to your door or window, then you're buggered.

 

[MidnightZA]

I would definitely recommend starting with perimeter and working your way in.

100%. My post was a bit vague. I meant cover all the major points first then add on. I did all of my major external and internal in one go. At a later stage I want to add more internal zones.

 

[Kung Fu Porkchop]

Not a large property at all nope. About 700sqm.

Your outdoor beams need to have overlapping coverage. If they can touch one external beam without another one catching them then you've got a hole in your security.

Which sensors do you use as outdoor beams and for your doors? I'm still a noob when it comes to security and it's something that I want to start looking at

 

[SAguy]

Which sensors do you use as outdoor beams and for your doors? I'm still a noob when it comes to security and it's something that I want to start looking at

When I moved into this house there was a Texecom alarm, so I just carried on expanding it.

Door/window sensors I use:

Texecom SC-W Shock and Magnetic Contact | Alarmtec (Pty) Ltd

Texecom Impaq wireless SC-W Shock and Magnetic Contact Frequency: 868Mhz Color: white Sophisticated VIBER™ Accelerometer Technology provides a much higher level of accuracy for vibration detection compared to piezoelectric technology, as found in n

www.alarmtec.co.za

You have three different usage options:
- shock sensor for breaking/banging glass
- magnetic sensor for door opening
- wired input

And has tamper as well of course if you open in.

Outdoors I use these:

Premier External TD-W | Alarmtec (Pty) Ltd

Texecom Wireless Premier External TD Twin-dual PIR element outdoor motion detector with non-overlapping mirrored optics. Specification: Dual, Over-Lapping, Digital PIR Adjustable optics and adjustable sensitivity Digital temperature compensatio

www.alarmtec.co.za

 

[I.am.Sam]

Insurance requirement to have alarm linked to armed response because my area is considered dangerous by my insurance company.. over and above the fact that they also required me to install burglar bars and security gates..

Still the cheapest of the lot though, even factoring in the armed response monthly cost..

Santam, for those who were going to ask..

yeah im with santam as well and think its a requirement now for all areas

i got a quote from renasa (i think) and they dont require any security

 

[I.am.Sam]

I would definitely recommend starting with perimeter and working your way in.
If I could only have 8 zones I'd have 4 or 5 for perimeter alarms and just 3 or 4 for the house itself.

If your alarm only goes off when they've broken your door open they have at least 6 minutes before anyone rocks up.

My brother in laws armed response arrived in about 7 minutes, by that stage the skelms had stolen over R100k worth of tvs, laptops and camera equipment.

My opinion is that if someone can get to your door or window, then you're buggered.

the crowbar gangs can get away with schit in literally 2 mins

the gap between my front wall and front gate is few metres

2 mins is more than enough time to get hold of stuff

 

[purple face]

my window handle has broken and doesn't close properly

 

[D tj]

^Drill out the rivets, tighten the handle rivet if it needs it and re-rivet.

 

[The_Mowgs]

my window handle has broken and doesn't close properly View attachment 1146960 View attachment 1146958 View attachment 1146962

Best thing would be to buy a new house, will be much cheaper.

 

[HunterNW]

Looking at installing a controller with solenoid valves for the irrigation.
Now i know Hunter and Rainbird are very popular brands, but, i saw this:

Takealot

Anyone used it before ? Recommendations ?

 

[Kung Fu Porkchop]

Smart device for irrigation. I have so much to learn