DIY using existing home alarm?
 

Hey guys, our house has an alarm system in it but it's currently not functional. Since all the hardware is there I assume there should be a way for my to make it functional but just use a cellular or internet connection to have it call or text me (or whoever is watching the house) should it go off instead of paying the alarm company the stupid amount that they want to do it.

Any direction would be great.

Going to depend on the systems. The alarms are all rather similar you are simply paying for them to be monitored.
You could buy the system they use that allows the unit to dial out to you in the event that the alarm is tripped, Honeywell is probably the cheapest units to look at for this but it will depend on the system you currently have.

You can get GSM diallers off ebay for $100ish you would just need a sim to put in there.

what is making it non-functional? sensors not working? keypad broken? rats at the low voltage wiring? panel fried? I think if the wiring is all good you can reuse that and replace whatever hardware i would imagine???

or you can go with wireless security system...i just did a simple google search and this came up on amazon that seems to have good reviews

Amazon.com: Simplisafe2 Wireless Home Security System 8-piece Plus Package: Home Improvement

i had the same issue. i asked the alarm company to re-activate it but not link it to the alarm company.
due to losing the master code, they found me an aftermarket mother board and i'm good to go. total was 150+ labor 50 and 100 for new battery.
sure beats installing a brand new unit for 800 etc.

Sorry I should have been more clear, the system works it's just not currently powered up or monitored by anyone, to the best of my knowledge all the hardware is still functional.

Is there a way to get cheap plans for things like this in Canada? Around here it doesn't seem to be possible to get a super cheap plan.

The first thing for you to do is find a manual for the alarm panel, and see if it is password protected and cannot be reset. Most used alarm panel are locked with an Installer password by the monitoring company, and you cannot freely use and program them. It's kind of like a password protected and locked smartphone. If it's locked you will need a new PCB panel, but they could be as cheap as $75, but you may need new keypads that are compatible. After this there are too many possibilities for me to type out.

If you've got a landline still, and the was previously monitored, it'd just be a matter of getting into the programming of the board to dial out to your phone, as mentioned above.,

I did this too, but I bought the panel new, so no issues with a locked board. If the alarm trips, it pages my cell with codes over the hard line. I looked into the cellular option, but in the end it wasn't cost effective for me.

I got broken into about 7 years ago, I was back to the house in 20 mins, but the thieves were long gone by then. I managed to convince 911 it was a verified break in, had cops there in 30 mins, which is crazy for a residential break in in Vancouver.

From the alarm logs the junkies were in and out in ~5 mins. The crowbar'd the siren indoors, and the alarm panels off the wall.

Your best to call around. If you are simply wanting to have the system monitored and you already have something in place in your home it may be cheaper. I'm not sure what we pay but we had it installed about a year ago no through ADT with there mobile app and cameras and stuff. Good system for sure and decent price from what I remember.
I would call around to get a quote. Alarm Force and ADT are the biggest I believe.

That's what I would have thought, except ADT (who put it in originally) wanted a stupid amount to monitor it, and because we don't have a landline also wanted a pile of money for a GSM box and subscription. I'll give some of their competition a call and see what they say.

AlarmForce use all their own proprietary hardware, they won't monitor someone else's alarm.

ADT will probably want to lock you into a long-term contract before they'll do anything, and I've heard some horror stories of people trying to get out of or change the contracts.

Most alarm installers are lazy slobs who can't be bothered to change the installer code :troll:



I've dealt with Accurate Alarms quite a bit, we have a couple local business clients that use them. They have a local monitoring center. No idea what their pricing is, but you can check with them.

There's also those "1-866-247-4999" guys that you hear their radio ads - "24/7 monitoring for $9.99/month". Might be worth checking out as well.

Basically all these guys do is program your alarm to dial them if it goes off, then when it does, they try to contact the site to verify if it's a false alarm, then call the cops. Some systems do a "heartbeat" thing where they'll dial in to check in with the monitoring station on a regular basis, and if the station doesn't get that call on schedule, they'll assume something is wrong... but that usually takes a dedicated phone line and I doubt you'd get that service with a $9.99 residential special. If you can get into the programming, you can change it to dial your cell instead.

What brand of alarm is it, anyway? The keypad may have a different brand name, but the main board should have the manufacturer name and model number on it. I've seen a lot of different brand names, but pretty much all I've dealt with are made by either Honeywell, DSC, or Paradox.

What brand do you currently have ?

OH, side note, i have a DSC and i have 2 panels, one lower floor by entrance / garage and another one at the master bedroom.

Can i get the chime to turn off for the ENTIRE panel. Want master bedroom panel to not chime at all. Not sure if that's ever possible. I know you can turn off entirely, but can we do it just for 1 panel is beyond me.

You should be able to enable/disable chime on a per-keypad basis... On Paradox alarms I think you press and hold 3. It should be listed in the User Manual for your alarm.

Here you go: