My LiveWatch Security Experience

We typically feel safe in our home, in our neighborhood, and in our town.  We also live in a changing world where crime and home invasions are no longer following a somewhat predictable pattern.  Installing security measures has been a topic of discussion for some time now.

We considered several options to protect our home:
1) Security camera that we monitor ourselves
2) Security system kit that we install and monitor ourselves
3) Monitored security system (contract vs. no contract, installed vs. DIY)

Our primary focus is protecting the people of the home, and secondarily protecting our possessions.  The best solution became a monitored option as it provides a means for immediate response in the event of an emergency.  Property protection is still top of mind and so we sought out systems that offered optional camera integration.

We started our monitored solution research process by talking with friends and family, as well as exploring options from service companies that we are currently patronizing (e.g. our Cable/Internet provider). The initial search left us with three options to compare to a world wide web of other solutions.  In the end, we opted to go with a recommendation from a co-worker, selecting LiveWatch, as it 1) provided the best value for the offer, 2) had decent online and BBB ratings, 3) did not require a contract, and 4) earned us both a bonus for signing up/referring.

My purchase, install, and activation process experiences follow below.  If you decide that you want to explore LiveWatch for your family then please consider giving me the chance to refer you.  We will both receive a bonus (the promotions vary between gift cards and free months of service), but I can save you some pain in the negotiation process - as you will see below.  Just fill out the Contact Michelle form on the right side of the blog.  ➥


Advice for the Overall Process

1. NEVER sign up on the first call!  Many of these companies have a good bit of wiggle room built into the pricing.  You will be amazed at how much more you will get for your money when you engage in their sales tactics. 
2. Working from a referral is beneficial as it gives you a good start in your negotiating point (see more details below under the section for "Lessons Learned"). Additionally, there is typically a special promotion for you coming on as a referral (you and your referring friend get something). 
3. Do your research before you make that first call as many company's sales tactics will try to mislead you, especially when it comes to speaking about their competition.  A competing company tried to convince me that my home owners insurance would not cover loss if I used a DIY system -which is false, according to my insurance agent.  Another popular point that is used frequently is the event response times vs. their competitors (X company has a 2 minute delay, etc...). 
4. All monitored systems (DIY or not) have to follow a set of contact rules before contacting your local authorities.  These rules are mostly consistent across the country, but are governed at the state level.  The short of it - if you are able to dial 911, you should.  The alarm companies must first contact you to confirm the alarm is not false.  Combined with the facts that the actual system gives a grace period (30 - 45 seconds) before alerting the alarm company, and the alarm company may have to make more than one contact attempt or wait an established amount of time before contacting your local authorities.  

Photo from CEPro.com article on How Law Enforcement Responds

LiveWatch Pros & Cons (based on my experience)

Cons
I have not encountered any true "cons" yet, but if I am nitpicking:

• The sales process is much like a used car sales process, complete with the the "needed" manager approvals and pressure to "sign now if..." negotiating tactics.  I did not feel like it was an overly pushy process, but it was certainly filled with "if I can get you X then can you go ahead and sign today?" 
• Emails: Everything discussed is presented to you in writing, through email.  Quotes, revised quotes, follow-ups, and managers checking in to see how the staff is doing.  Since becoming a customer I have received just one email from my sales contact, advising of a special referral promotion.  
• Text Marketing: I have received one text message advising of a contest.  It is just one, but I absolutely despise unsolicited/unnecessary text.  If I get another then I will surely search for a means to opt out. 
• Limited information on how each component works: We are new to home security.  I could have/should have asked for specifics on the make and manufacturer for each component so that I could research.  The source of this slight frustration is one of my glass break sensors.  I foolishly assumed that it was to be installed ON the glass and had planned to install it on the sliding glass door in our master bedroom.  It is NOT installed on the door, but is a listening device that senses the pitch and tone of glass breaking in proximity.  It is also VERY SENSITIVE to white noise, like a fan.  Our tower fan runs in the master bedroom 24/7.  The sensor was relocated to the kitchen. 
• Automatic billing is required.  

Pros

• The employees! Once you can get past the sales process you will really appreciate how polite, articulate, respectful, and patient all of the staff is - including the the sales folks.  The company is based in Kansas and the half-dozen or so staff members that I spoke with seemed to embody the stereotypical Midwest warmth, politeness, and sense of calm. 
• Everything comes in writing!  You will have no trouble with promises being fulfilled, as you will receive an email follow-up to all calls during the sales process.  You will also receive text and email confirmation for scheduled calls (the system activation appointment), with reminders of upcoming appointments coming in email the day of and in text 30 minutes prior to the appointment.
• Tailored setup experience: Your kit will arrive with a laminated quick set-up guide, customized to the specific system components that you have selected.  Each component has a one page setup guide, with photos. 
• No contract.  If you cancel within 12 months of your initial activation then you will be eligible for a prorated refund on the equipment.  There are no cancel or disconnect fees.  
• Monitoring Fee: Lifetime monitoring fee ($39.95 monthly at the time I subscribed) guarantee - your monthly fee will not increase over the lifetime of your use of the system.  Upfront pricing - the monitoring fee is inclusive of all taxes and service charges.  

The Basics

This is the box the system was shipped in.

LiveWatch is a DIY installation solution.  You work with the sales representative to determine what security components best fit your needs.  You will be shipped a package with the components, all of the bits and pieces needed (batteries, screws, wall anchors, and double stick tape), and a Quick Set-Up Guide.


During the sign-up call you will be asked to select an activation date - a day when the LiveWatch tech team will call to check the system components, and connect your system to the monitoring center.

Text received when alarm is triggered

Once connected, you will be given a grace period to adjust to the system.  During this time there will not be notifications to the monitoring station should you trip the alarm.  One day is the standard grace period, but you can request longer if you like.  

Post grace period, and in the event of an actual alarm, the system is designed to contact you via text.  The text will be sent to all parties that you designate be notified in the event of an alarm.  When the parties click the link within the text they will be directed into a private chat room.  Once in the chat, you will have the option to indicate a False Alarm or indicate that Immediate Help is needed  by selecting one of two buttons. Additionally, all parties (including the monitoring team) will be able to communicate in the chat room.

If you do not respond to the text then the monitoring team will try to make contact over the intercom of the base station.  If both methods fail to elicit a response from the designated contacts then emergency services will be dispatched.


How the System Works

The LiveWatch equipment operates on a cellular based communication, with the option to run over WiFi as a means of secondary communication.  The equipment is tied into the Alarm.com monitoring center, and can be managed through the Alarm.com website and mobile app.

Photo courtesy of safewise.com - How to choose a security system. 

Arming and disarming the system is done through the website, app, key fob, or base station.
In the event a sensor is triggered the system provides a 30-45 second (setting can be adjusted by user) grace period before sounding the alarm.
Once the alarm is triggered, in addition to attempting contact via text, the monitoring station will begin to listen in through the built-in microphone of the base station.

The various system components:
All components, except the base station, are battery powered.  The battery level is easily accessible via the app and website.  Notification of any equipment malfunction will be emailed to you, and will appear on the website and base station status indicators.

The various components can be mounted with the provided tape, or can be installed with the included screws and wall anchors.

Base station is approximately the size of a 5x7 photo frame.
It cycles between nature photography when not in use.

Base station - Gone are the days of the keypad installed into a wall, the main component of this system is the IQ Desktop Base. The base simply needs a power outlet and a place to perch, making it easy to customize to your home needs.

At the base state you can:

• Arm and disarm the system
• See photos of the parties that have armed and disarmed the system at the base station
• Communicate with the monitoring station through the built-in microphone and loud speaker.  The loud speaker will also be the source for the alarm siren. 
• Access quick buttons to request Fire, Police, or Medical assistance.  The Fire and Medical assistance buttons have an optional Silent Alarm, which would allow the monitoring station to listen in without sounding the siren or speaking to you over the intercom. 
• Integrate smart home devices like WiFi light bulbs and thermostats. 

The base station has a built-in battery back up, ensuring you are secure in the event of a power outage.

Window/Door Sensors - These sensors are a two-piece product that rely on a magnetic connection to determine the open/close status of a door or window.  Each piece adheres to the frame/window/door with the included double stick tape, and installs easily and quickly.  Some of my doors are framed in a decorative trim, and I found the sensors easy to adhere and remaining firmly in place.

Installation over decorative trim.

Sliding glass door installation.

Motion detector nestled in the corner
between the mirror and staircase.

Motion Detectors - Just as you would expect, these sensors scan the monitored area for motion.  The system design allows the option to arm the system without arming all components.  The two pre-programmed arming modes are:

• Stay - Secures all system components except the motion detectors
•  Away - Arms all system components. 

Additionally, you have the option to customize what components are armed at any time.  This would be useful in a scenario when you want the home armed, but need to move in and out of a specific door for a period (e.g. working between the house and garage).

Glass break sensor on the left, above the rolling pin frame art.

Glass Break Sensors - This device measures approximately 3" x 5" x 1.5".  It is a listening device designed to sense the sound frequency of glass breaking.  Installation instructions advise that the best installation options are:

• 3 feet from the glass you are monitoring
• Not directly over the monitored glass
• In rooms larger than 10' x 10'
• In locations without ambient noise (e.g. loud fans, constant humming, etc...)
• In moisture free locations (not the bathroom)

Key Fob

Key Fob - The buttons allow you to alarm for "Stay" by pressing the lock button once, "Away" by pressing the lock button twice, disarm with the unlock button, and use the asterisk (*) as a panic button.  The light bulb key is a means to access integrated smart devices that can also be controlled by this system (e.g. WiFi light bulbs).

Cameras - At the time of my purchase, the camera option available consisted of a motion activated device that snapped a series of still shots.  Adding a camera increases the monthly monitoring fee by $10.  

Installation, Help, & Activation

Installation is fairly straight forward.  ALL of the components can be mounted with the provided double stick tape, but also include instructions and screws for mounting.

Customized Quick Set-Up Guide

Each component arrives labeled, according to the designation you and the LiveWatch sales staff determined (e.g. Kitchen Window, Front Door, etc...).  The labels are color coded, by device, to match the color tabs on the Quick Set-Up Guide.

Following the instructions in the Quick Set-Up Guide is simple, but I do advise reading any included instructions for individual components (reading the manufacturer instructions for the glass break sensor helped me avoid installation in bad location).

At the end of the Quick Set-Up Guide you will find instructions that walk you through testing each of the components.  You will do this as part of the activation call, but I highly recommend you do this on your own first to ensure that your components are properly installed.

In addition to the labeled components and customized Quick Set-Up Guide, you will receive a short user guide for the base station.  I found reading through this to be helpful as it explains all of the capabilities of the unit.

Help: Help.LiveWatch.com is very user friendly. Our door from the house to the garage opens out, leaving me questioning how to install the sensor.  I typed "outward door" into the search on the site's home page, and a response with video came up.

You can call LiveWatch, via the number provided in a majority of the material in the kit.  Initially I dialed the number, but was able to query the site and read the resulting articles before someone picked up (less than 1 minute).

Activation: During your initial sign-up call you will establish an appointment for a LiveWatch tech to "activate" your system.  This call will take place after you have installed all of the components, and will be an opportunity for the LiveWatch team to 1) test the components, 2) walk you through use of the system, and 3) ensure that the connection between your system and the monitoring station is working properly.

My call lasted approximately 35 minutes, and moved quickly as I had my husband home to split the task of moving between each of the sensors for testing.  The co-worker who referred us, and had 20+ sensors, spent over 2 hours on the phone.  

Lessons Learned

Pricing is negotiable.  There is no true and clear pricing structure.  We were referred by a co-worker, and took our original quote to him to review.  We were initially offered 4 Door/Window sensors and 1 motion sensor for $159.  The person who referred us advised that he received 20 Door/Window sensors and 2 Glass Break sensors for $240.  We negotiated from there and ended up with 4 Door/Window sensors, 2 Motion Sensors, 2 Glass Break Sensors, and a key fob remote for $100.

Consider negotiating future add-on components at the time of your original purchase.  We now realize that we would have benefited from more Door/Window sensors.  I wish that I had negotiated the future add-on component price during my initial calls, as I am not looking forward to going through the same process again.

Time to install: Set a minimum of two days between the arrival of your equipment and the activation call.  We had two small issues that required a trip to the store for additional materials to install.

• Issue #1 - Our door from the house to the garage has a thick weather stripping around it, which prevented the sensor pieces from lining up.  A quick call to LiveWatch support left us with a few options, the easiest of which was building up the distance by adding additional layers of double stick tape.  This video from the help site also proved useful. 
• Issue #2 - The tape that was provided for the Glass Break Sensors was not strong enough to hold the weight.  Even though the sensors are light, both pulled away from the wall - taking some of the paint with it.  :(   New double stick tape (pack of 3M squares from our local big box store) did the trick.  

Tape vs. Screws: We opted to use the included tape for our initial installation of the components as this provides us an opportunity to test our system, and move or tweak as necessary.  When we are confident that we have all of the components optimally located, we will put in the wall anchors and screws.