Advice on Alarm for apartment?

bk

I have a few question on getting a burglar alarm for a new apartment (ground floor) and I was hoping you guys might know. Sorry if this is the wrong forum.

1) Are external bell boxes usually attached on apartments, my contract requires permission from the developers to put anything on the external walls (which I assume is unlikely), so what normally happens?

2) My apartment is pre-wired for an alarm, but my apartment has two rear windows which are not open-able (but one is very large) and face into an interior atrium/hallway which is accessed through a security door and shared with neighbours. These two windows don't seem to be wired for the alarm, do people think I'd need break sensors on these windows?

3) I'm wondering if the following scenario is possible?

I want to get two PIR sensors, one in the hallway and one in the sitting room and I want to set up the alarm with three settings:
a) Full set, all doors, windows and both pirs.
b) Part set, all doors and windows, but neither PIR (while at home during daytime).
c) Part set, all doors and windows, but only the sitting room pir on, not the hallway (for after we go to bed).

4) I was looking at directsecure.ie and they mention voice diallers, text diallers and monitored systems, does anyone know if these systems operate over GSM?

My problem is that the phone service in the apartment is delivered via Smart Telecom over fibre using VoIP tech, so no Eircom phone line and I assume normal alarm dialling devices like phone watch won't work.

5) Anyone any experience of directsecure.ie, the info on their site looks good.

6) My apartment has mains operated smoke alarms, can these be wired to the burglar alarm or do you have to buy a new smoke alarm separately to get this feature?

Thanks for any help.

Borzoi

bk wrote:

1) Are external bell boxes usually attached on apartments, my contract requires permission from the developers to put anything on the external walls (which I assume is unlikely), so what normally happens?

Put one up anyway, and put a second one in the hall above the door to your apoartment.

bk wrote:

2) My apartment is pre-wired for an alarm, but my apartment has two rear windows which are not open-able (but one is very large) and face into an interior atrium/hallway which is accessed through a security door and shared with neighbours. These two windows don't seem to be wired for the alarm, do people think I'd need break sensors on these windows?

If it's at all feasible to run cable there for the sensors, I'd put them on the system

bk wrote:

3) I'm wondering if the following scenario is possible?

I want to get two PIR sensors, one in the hallway and one in the sitting room and I want to set up the alarm with three settings:
a) Full set, all doors, windows and both pirs.
b) Part set, all doors and windows, but neither PIR (while at home during daytime).
c) Part set, all doors and windows, but only the sitting room pir on, not the hallway (for after we go to bed).

Possible, depends on the panel you use, how many Part Sets can you have? Set each PIR as a zone, define the Part Sets to include what zones you want.

TBH I think the scenario is of little practcal value as I think you'll end up accidently triggering the alarm too often

bk wrote:

4) I was looking at directsecure.ie and they mention voice diallers, text diallers and monitored systems, does anyone know if these systems operate over GSM?

My problem is that the phone service in the apartment is delivered via Smart Telecom over fibre using VoIP tech, so no Eircom phone line and I assume normal alarm dialling devices like phone watch won't work.

All the diallers I'm familiar with are simple things, using ordinary phone lines, but GSM diallers are available - but bear in mind they need a SIM card - which entails a monthly bill

bk wrote:

5) Anyone any experience of directsecure.ie, the info on their site looks good.

No idea.

bk wrote:

6) My apartment has mains operated smoke alarms, can these be wired to the burglar alarm or do you have to buy a new smoke alarm separately to get this feature?

Chances are that the mains smoke alarm is wired through the building fire alarm system, what good will it do you to also put it on your burglar alarm? If you want, buy a compatable smoke alarm designed for your panel, no harm in it

bk

Thanks for the feedback Borzoi.

Borzoi wrote:

Put one up anyway, and put a second one in the hall above the door to your apartment.

But would you not get in trouble with the management company and forced to take it down?

Borzoi wrote:

Possible, depends on the panel you use, how many Part Sets can you have? Set each PIR as a zone, define the Part Sets to include what zones you want.

The HKC panels seem to have full set and two part sets, so it should work.

Borzoi wrote:

TBH I think the scenario is of little practcal value as I think you'll end up accidently triggering the alarm too often

Well the idea would be to only put on the pir in the living room at night when going to bed and turning it off again in the morning.

Cheers

Borzoi

bk wrote:

But would you not get in trouble with the management company and forced to take it down?

Has anybody else in the building an alarm, and where have they the bell box. Do the same. In my place, all the aprtments have them internally

bk wrote:

The HKC panels seem to have full set and two part sets, so it should work.

Go for it

bk wrote:

Well the idea would be to only put on the pir in the living room at night when going to bed and turning it off again in the morning.

Yeah, but I cna see you or the missus setting it off in the middle of the night going for a cup of water