Nolen has installed several Ring products in his home, including a video doorbell and the Ring Pro security system.

Why We Chose Ring Alarm Pro Security System Over ADT

In our old house, we used a professional security system installed by ADT, one of the largest home security service providers in the country. While we were happy with the peace of mind this system offered, it was relatively expensive (monitoring fees range from $27.99/month to $62.99/month), and we really preferred owning our own equipment. .

In our new home, we chose a 14-piece Ring Alarm Pro starter kit, which included the alarm base and eero router, along with two keypads, eight window and door contact sensors, two movement for corridors/rooms and an alarm. range extender.

Reduced monitoring cost

Ultimately, the decision to switch from ADT to Ring Alarm Pro was influenced by the difference in monthly monitoring cost. For our previous service plan with ADT, we paid $45 per month, compared to Ring Alarm Pro’s monthly monitoring fee of $20 per month. As with ADT, we still get 24-hour call center monitoring from Ring Alarm Pro, which qualifies us for a discount from our insurer. Our insurance discount we get from State Farm offsets about $12 of the monthly monitoring fee.

Internet Backup

While our old ADT system offered cellular backup in the event of an internet outage, the Ring Alarm Pro system, when paired with the $20 per month plan, provides backup wireless internet for all of our devices, including our personal computer and tablets. If your internet ever goes down, like during a power outage, you can use Ring Alarm Pro’s eero router as a cellular hotspot, a feature we’ve used a few times before.

The base unit will operate for approximately two hours using built-in batteries as backup power. For longer runtime, you can purchase battery extenders, which are stackable up to four deep to power your eero alarm and router for longer periods of time.

Replaces your old router

An added benefit of the Ring Alarm Pro system is that it includes a very secure router, which can replace your old wireless internet router. The included eero router comes with a smartphone app that lets you see who’s using your home Wi-Fi, as well as the ability to create guest networks and control user access.

An Overview of Ring Alarm Pro Sensors

Our Ring Alarm Pro security system comes with two keypads, eight contact sensors, two hallway/room motion detectors, and an alarm range extender. We also wanted our alarm system to be able to monitor water leaks, freezer temperature, as well as smoke and CO2, so we added sensors for those hazards. The cost of the Ring Alarm Pro Water/Freeze Sensors and Smoke Alarm Earpiece was $35 each. We ended up adding five water sensors and two smoke/CO2 detectors to complete the system.

Installation of door sensors

The small door sensors were very easy to install. After removing a protective tab on the battery, we simply peeled off a strip of tape from the back and stuck each sensor in place above each of our front doors. Using the Ring Alarm Pro app on our phone, which is integrated with our Ring Video Doorbell, we confirmed each new sensor as it was added to the system and gave it a name and a unique chime. We’ve also added the system to our Alexa speaker, which can now arm or disarm the system and act as a glass break sensor.

Installation of water sensors

We installed the flood/freeze sensors in our HVAC closet, hot water closet, under our kitchen sink, behind our washing machine, and under the bathroom sinks. It only took about five minutes to install each sensor.

We appreciate having full control of our home security system

Unlike the ADT home alarm system we used in our old house, we now have full control over which sensors we install and where they are located, plus we don’t have to program outside service technicians to enter. our house. We can easily determine our local home security needs and order additional sensors if things change. We also now have the added bonus that Ring Alarm Pro’s $20 per month monitoring fee includes a backup internet connection as well as cloud storage for our Ring Video Doorbell.

The system has already paid for itself

Our Ring Alarm Pro security system has already more than paid for itself. Shortly before leaving the house for a two week vacation this summer, we added the flood/freeze sensors, including one in our HVAC closet.

Just as we were leaving town, we received a water leak alert in the utility closet where our central air conditioning system is located. We quickly got home to find that a condensate line had clogged and was overflowing onto the floor. If this leak had gone unnoticed for two weeks, our house would have suffered extensive flood damage.

Is a home security system like Ring Alarm Pro right for you?

If you’re comfortable doing even minor home projects like hanging a picture on the wall, you should have no problem installing a home security system like the Ring Alarm Pro.

Only minor issues

We had only one minor issue while installing our Ring Alarm Pro system. The sensor in the garage would not communicate with the base unit. To solve this problem, we had to plug a range extender into an outlet halfway between our garage and the base station.

How long did it take to install our Ring Alarm Pro system?

From start to finish, it only took us about three hours to install the Ring Alarm Pro system and all the sensors. The only tool required was a Phillips screwdriver, which we needed to install the keyboard mounting bracket.

Ease of use

We can either arm our Ring Alarm Pro system from the app on our phone, by giving a command to Alexa, or by using the keypad we placed just inside the front door. We like the ability to change the different alerts we receive and even use custom sounds for different doors. For example, if we hear a wind chime alert, we know that the front door has just been opened, while another melody lets us know that the garage door has been opened.

Having the Ring Alarm Pro controls in the same app as our Ring Video Doorbell also helps us better control the alarm system. We also added an Ultraloq fingerprint door lock to the system so we could grant access to our home from anywhere, after disarming the Ring Pro alarm.

The essential

If you are comfortable with DIY projects and installing home electronics, adding a Ring Alarm Pro security system will be an easy task, on the other hand, if you prefer a professional to do the job, an ADT system that is installed by one of their technicians may be the best solution.

We love having control of our own alarm system and love the fact that we own all the components. The added benefit of Ring Alarm Pro’s EERO router backup wireless internet is ultimately what led us to choose this system over ADT.

© 2022 Nolen Hart