New Home Alarm Security Questions

[CUBE]

I am building a new home and still have 7- intellisense fg-730 glass
break detectors and amseco ams-10s and ams-21 contacts. I plan on the
ELK M! Gold as my system. Are the new glass break detectors that much
better than the ones above?What do you guys recommend, I have the back
of the home all covered by casement windows side by side. If my glass
breaks are good should I put them abve the windows centrally or 15-20
ft away to cover all from a ceiling mount fg-730?
What is the best way to protect casement windows, contacts or glass
breaks.? Which contacts and glass breaks come highly recommended?
Any suggestions for outdoor security cameras for soffit install, about
25ft off ground and one front door camera(Southern Ontario climate).
thanx
cube

 

[Frank Olson]

I am building a new home and still have 7- intellisense fg-730 glass
break detectors and amseco ams-10s and ams-21 contacts. I plan on the
ELK M! Gold as my system. Are the new glass break detectors that much
better than the ones above?

The FG-730's are one of the best glass break detectors I've used.

What do you guys recommend, I have the back
of the home all covered by casement windows side by side. If my glass
breaks are good should I put them abve the windows centrally or 15-20
ft away to cover all from a ceiling mount fg-730?

That's difficult to answer. First of all, do you have the C&K glass
break tester? If not, I'm certain you can contact a "friendly local
professional" that will lend one to you. If you're having problems with
even that, email me and I'll loan you one of ours (or you can purchase
one for around $120 CDN). The best way to set up any glass break is to
have the tester. Mounting them on the ceiling is good, but the
distances you mentioned would largely depend on the window treatment
(heavy drapes, mini-blinds, or what-ever). What I would suggest is
using your existing house as a "test bed" (if you intend to use the same
window treatment). Power the FG-730 with a 12 volt battery (fully
charged), and have someone hold it at the appropriate height and
distance. You can then utilize the tester to determine the best
distance from your windows.

What is the best way to protect casement windows, contacts or glass
breaks.?

Ditch the contacts. Use alarm screens.

Which contacts and glass breaks come highly recommended?

Contacts: GRI (http://www.grisk.com)
Glass Breaks: FG-730

Any suggestions for outdoor security cameras for soffit install, about
25ft off ground and one front door camera(Southern Ontario climate).

That depends on what you want to "view" (and under what conditions). I
can recommend some good cameras, but the FOV (Field of View) will
determine what kind of lens.

 

[CUBE]

Thanx for the reply but some of my casement windows are fixed without
screens. One back window is six separate windows joined with the ouside
only on the cranks and with screens, it would look funny to put screens
on all. Do you know where I could gt screens or order material in
Ontario canada and how do I attack big window problem, just with glass
break?
thanx again
Dane

 

[Crash Gordon]

Stick with glassbreaks, screens can be a PITA.

Only time I put screens in is if someone really (really) wants to have a
window opened with system armed. They're a pain to get in and out when you
want to wash the windows, and if you have dogs that like to jump up on the
windows...you'll be joining the "screen of the month club". Personally...I
wouldn't attempt at making an alarm screen myself.




| Thanx for the reply but some of my casement windows are fixed without
| screens. One back window is six separate windows joined with the ouside
| only on the cranks and with screens, it would look funny to put screens
| on all. Do you know where I could gt screens or order material in
| Ontario canada and how do I attack big window problem, just with glass
| break?
| thanx again
| Dane
| Frank Olson wrote:
| > CUBE wrote:
| > > I am building a new home and still have 7- intellisense fg-730 glass
| > > break detectors and amseco ams-10s and ams-21 contacts. I plan on the
| > > ELK M! Gold as my system. Are the new glass break detectors that much
| > > better than the ones above?
| >
| > The FG-730's are one of the best glass break detectors I've used.
| >
| >
| > > What do you guys recommend, I have the back
| > > of the home all covered by casement windows side by side. If my glass
| > > breaks are good should I put them abve the windows centrally or 15-20
| > > ft away to cover all from a ceiling mount fg-730?
| >
| > That's difficult to answer. First of all, do you have the C&K glass
| > break tester? If not, I'm certain you can contact a "friendly local
| > professional" that will lend one to you. If you're having problems with
| > even that, email me and I'll loan you one of ours (or you can purchase
| > one for around $120 CDN). The best way to set up any glass break is to
| > have the tester. Mounting them on the ceiling is good, but the
| > distances you mentioned would largely depend on the window treatment
| > (heavy drapes, mini-blinds, or what-ever). What I would suggest is
| > using your existing house as a "test bed" (if you intend to use the same
| > window treatment). Power the FG-730 with a 12 volt battery (fully
| > charged), and have someone hold it at the appropriate height and
| > distance. You can then utilize the tester to determine the best
| > distance from your windows.
| >
| >
| >
| >
| > > What is the best way to protect casement windows, contacts or glass
| > > breaks.?
| >
| > Ditch the contacts. Use alarm screens.
| >
| >
| > > Which contacts and glass breaks come highly recommended?
| >
| > Contacts: GRI (http://www.grisk.com)
| > Glass Breaks: FG-730
| >
| >
| > > Any suggestions for outdoor security cameras for soffit install, about
| > > 25ft off ground and one front door camera(Southern Ontario climate).
| >
| > That depends on what you want to "view" (and under what conditions). I
| > can recommend some good cameras, but the FOV (Field of View) will
| > determine what kind of lens.
|

 

[Frank Olson]

Thanx for the reply but some of my casement windows are fixed without
screens. One back window is six separate windows joined with the ouside
only on the cranks and with screens, it would look funny to put screens
on all. Do you know where I could gt screens or order material in
Ontario canada and how do I attack big window problem, just with glass
break?
thanx again
Dane

Alarm screens can be custom fit for any size of opening window. Contact
these nice people. They've been in business for years.
http://www.micronsecurityproducts.com/

As for the larger area windows, the FG-730 is more than up to the
challenge. It looks to me as if you have all the tools now.

Good luck!!

 

[Frank Olson]

Stick with glassbreaks, screens can be a PITA.

Only time I put screens in is if someone really (really) wants to have a
window opened with system armed. They're a pain to get in and out when you
want to wash the windows, and if you have dogs that like to jump up on the
windows...you'll be joining the "screen of the month club". Personally...I
wouldn't attempt at making an alarm screen myself.

If they're a "pain" then you haven't designed them properly. Alarm
screens are one of the best ways of protecting an opening window. Once
you've installed them, you'll never go back to contacts.

 

[Robert L Bass]

I think that the climate can work its harm

over time, not just pets, trees, bushes
and other forces of nature. Most alarm
screens I have seen only make it about
5 to 8 years before they need some major
attention...

It depends on the quality of the creen build. I used alarm screens for many years. I installed them on most of my windows in my
own home in CT. After 18 years they were all working perfectly. During that time I had two screens repaired.

I no longer offer screens only because it's a hassle shipping them. However, I still refer clients to my old screen builder if they
want to use them.

--

Regards,
Robert L Bass

=============================>
Bass Home Electronics
941-866-1100
4883 Fallcrest Circle
Sarasota · Florida · 34233
http://www.bassburglaralarms.com
=============================>

 

[Jim]

Stick with glassbreaks, screens can be a PITA.

Only time I put screens in is if someone really (really) wants to have a
window opened with system armed. They're a pain to get in and out when you
want to wash the windows, and if you have dogs that like to jump up on the
windows...you'll be joining the "screen of the month club". Personally...I
wouldn't attempt at making an alarm screen myself.

I'd kind-a agree.

In my opinion, screens are OK for some windows, if a client
really-really wants to leave a window open with the alarm on. But I'd
never install outside alarm screens. Some companies do and they say
they last but I just would put my self in the position of telling my
clients that they'd last and then find out I was replacing screens at
no charge because I'd told them they'd last and they didn't. But ......
again, in my opinion screens leaves the opportunity for the homeowner
to leave the house and forget to close the windows. An open window is
an invitation for someone to try to get in. Even if the intruder
doesn't notice the screen and attempts to break in, and the alarm
trips, at that point they may very well decide to grab and run.
Whereas, if the window wasn't open in the first place, they wouldn't
have even tried.

Secondly, anyone who wants to, can cut a screen between the "loops" and
depending upon how the window is wired, possibly short the wires or
bypass the magnet. Once, long ago, someone slit the alarm screen of a
casement window by the bedside table of one of my clients (who had
insisted I install them) and took jewelry they had left there. They
presume that they weren't home at the time and had gone out and left
the window open. They had no idea how long the jewlery was missing.

I've used them and probably will in the future, but it's not something
that I'd ever recommend unless there was no other choice or unless the
client wanted them ....in spite of the warnings. I put a note in the
bill of sale "alarm screens in bedroom, at clients request" etc.

 

[Bob Worthy]

The best way to set up any glass break is to

have the tester. Mounting them on the ceiling is good, but the
distances you mentioned would largely depend on the window treatment
(heavy drapes, mini-blinds, or what-ever). What I would suggest is
using your existing house as a "test bed" (if you intend to use the same
window treatment). Power the FG-730 with a 12 volt battery (fully
charged), and have someone hold it at the appropriate height and
distance. You can then utilize the tester to determine the best
distance from your windows.

Will he get the required vibration with someone holding it this way or is it
just testing the distance on the frequency? With construction down here we
have to be careful with location for both features. Problem is that only one
is adjustable. They are good sensors though. Use a ton of them.

 

[Crash Gordon]

Then you're clients never clean their windows.

I have the bottom slotted for the wires with plug connectors and usually a
contact/magnet at the top in the frame...what's to design? The dog jumps up
on the window tears the screen...where's the design flaw? Shoot the dog? The
maid removes the screen and can never get the wires back up into the
slot...again where's the flaw? Have Pella redesign their windows maybe, but
alarm screens around here are pretty standard...unless your clients are
willing to accept visable wires I can't see any other way to do them...you?


| Crash Gordon wrote:
| > Stick with glassbreaks, screens can be a PITA.
| >
| > Only time I put screens in is if someone really (really) wants to have a
| > window opened with system armed. They're a pain to get in and out when
you
| > want to wash the windows, and if you have dogs that like to jump up on
the
| > windows...you'll be joining the "screen of the month club".
Personally...I
| > wouldn't attempt at making an alarm screen myself.
| >
|
| If they're a "pain" then you haven't designed them properly. Alarm
| screens are one of the best ways of protecting an opening window. Once
| you've installed them, you'll never go back to contacts.