How can I alarm
and monitor my second home to give me peace of mind when I am not
there?
KL, Bolton
Invest in an alarm system with a text dialler, which is a modem
programmed to send you a text message every time the alarm is set,
unset and activated. It is more expensive than a standard home alarm,
though still affordable, but it will increase your phone bills.
A good-quality text dialler alarm system, with National Approval
Council for Security Systems (Nacoss) certification, will cost £2,000-£4,000
to supply and install. The advantage of this type of system is that
it will both notify you of a break-in/false alarm and let you know
when the system has been set and unset, eg, when the cleaner comes
and goes. When it is installed, choose either proximity tags (plastic
fobs that fit on a key ring and set/unset the alarm when slid across
the keypad) or set individual codes for family members and regular
visitors.
The next step is to install CCTV cameras connected to a digital
video recorder (DVR), which is linked to the internet so you can
log on anywhere. So, as soon as you get a text message to say the
alarm has been activated, you look for yourself. Four cameras (two
external and two internal) on a web-enabled DVR will cost about
£2,000 to supply and install.
Malcolm Stewart is co-founder of Kensington Home Technology,
a custom installation company
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