We got a rude awakening this morning when our home security company - Voxcom - rang us up at 6:30 a.m. Neither of us could hear the alarm blaring, but apparently one of our basement windows was showing an intrusion.
I wasn't too worried about this "intrusion" because we had the same thing happen yesterday just after I'd left the house to run some errands. Seems I'd made the mistake of not fully closing a main floor window. It was a windy day yesterday and the wind must have jarred the window open enough to separate the 2 security contacts. This would then set off the alarm. I was about 5 minutes away when I got a call on my cellphone. This was acceptable to me as the company first tried the house and proceeded onto the backup number right away.
Because Voxcom couldn't reach us at home, they requested the police dispatch a car immediately to our house. I was immensely pleased with that action, despite knowing that I was to blame for the problem. I informed them to cancel the car and I would turn around and fix the problem.
Just as I was pulling up to my house, I received a second call from Voxcom saying they got another alarm, but this time from a basement window. I immediately checked the outside and saw no attempts to enter, nor did anyone flee my house when I pulled up. A check from the inside again noted no issues. So I'm thinking there must be a possible technical problem.
This morning's alarm confirms my suspicions. So, a call to repairs should hunt that down.
Now, the reason I bring up this mundane bit of info is yesterday morning my wife commenced an important gig with a new client - supervising the packup and move of the client's house while they were both off on business in the UK. But, when she arrived at their place and entered, they had left the alarm on, despite the fact that it wasn't supposed to be armed, and hadn't supplied the alarm code.
My wife tried valiantly to contact anyone who might know the code, especially the neice who was baby-sitting the children during this time and staying in the local Holiday Inn. After 40 minutes an ADT car FINALLY showed up to see what the problem was.
40 minutes ... now, what type of service is that???! My company, not being able to reach us with the first call (virtually minutes after the alarm goes off) dispatches a Police Car, while ADT doesn't even call!!!
Sad, very sad. If it really had been a robbery, the theives would have been long gone by then.
She eventually got the passcode and disarmed the system.
My money, for any future requirements, is going to be with Voxcom and not ADT.
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