Home security is an important concern for a majority of American seniors. They have worked diligently their entire lives for the comforts of a safe home and treasured belongings. Protecting these assets, as well as having personal safety is crucial.
ADT offers home security and home automation features that can give both convenience and security. Learn more about their monitoring service, equipment, and more to decide whether ADT is worth the investment for your budget and lifestyle.
Features for Seniors
One of the main concerns for seniors when it comes to home security is how they are going to afford it with their fixed budget. Ease and quality of customer service is also important, of course. These three factors can vary greatly depending on the home security and home automation company that you go with.
Costs
As far as costs go with an ADT home security system, you'll mostly be looking at the monthly monitoring fees. Any equipment that is added to your system beyond what is included for free will also determine how much you need to budget for an ADT home security system.
Equipment Packages
Most of what you end up paying for if you choose to go with ADT's home security system is their monitoring service. Every ADT monitoring service includes their basic equipment package valued at $850. The package includes:
- Digital Keypad: This is the central hub of the home security system, which allows for hands-free two-way connectivity with ADT monitoring center dispatchers.
- 24/7 Monitoring: Access more than 18,000 monitoring agents who are trained to respond quickly to system alerts located in 6 interconnected command centers across North America.
- Entry Point Contacts – These sensors can be put on windows and doors, and trigger an alarm to go off if an entry to your home is forced open.
- High Decibel Alarm – This is a siren that is loud, designed to warn you of danger and give you a chance to scare off intruders.
- Motion Detector – This will scan the room and trigger if any motion is detected. Certain packages will enable you to take advantage of extra features like turning on lights or starting video surveillance. These motion detectors are pet-friendly up to 80 pounds.
- Backup Battery – Never worry about loss of protection when the power goes out. This 12-hour emergency backup battery power source will keep you protected from criminals.
- Wireless Keychain Remote – Operate the home security system from anywhere within 50 feet of the keypad control center.
- Yard Signs & Window Decals – Let potential intruders know that your home is secured by ADT so they are discouraged from committing crimes
Additional equipment that can be added to a security system can be purchased from ADT. Certain equipment requires specific monitoring plans, but you can expect equipment to include video surveillance cameras, home automation devices like automatic door locks and light systems, as well as video doorbells, to name a few!
Monthly Monitoring Fees
ADT offers three different packages for monitoring: ADT Essentials, ADT Total Protection, and ADT Premium Protection.
Essentials
- $9 per week
- Basic equipment mentioned above included
Total Protection
- $11 per week
- Everything in Essentials package included
- Safewatch® CellGuard® included, which lets you connect your monitoring system to ADT monitoring centers without a landline
Premium Protection
- $14 per week
- Most popular plan
- Includes everything in the Total Protection package
- ADT Pulse® included, which allows you to control your system from anywhere on your smartphone and joins your home security and automation features
To be eligible for the listed weekly rates, a 36-month monitoring contract is required. Termination fees apply.
Installation Fees
ADT home security systems are all professionally installed by people who are trained to optimize your home security and automation system. How much you pay for installation will ultimately depend on the monitoring package you select, and any add-on equipment you may want installed. You can expect installation fees ranging anywhere from $99 to $199.
Senior Discounts
ADT does not currently offer any discounts for seniors. However, they do run limited-time deals which may vary regularly. Look out for ADT specials to find the best deal for your needs!
Summary
If you are looking for a basic home security system with landline monitoring, then ADT is a great home security system brand to consider. Their prices for add-on equipment are a bit higher than those of most other home security system companies, though. Monthly monitoring rates are also on the higher end of the scale. So, if you are seeking a more extensive system with added features, then another service may be a better choice.
You can get a free in-home consultation from ADT which is worth considering, but other companies offer an overall better “bang for your buck” value. If stellar customer service is of importance to you, then ADT is a safe bet. They have plenty of positive reviews regarding the response time of their monitoring service and dependability.
