New Jersey homeowners should feel good about these statistics, but a home security system can still help make peace of mind a “shore” thing. Our picks – Vivint, Frontpoint, ADT, and SimpliSafe – offer 24/7 remote monitoring of entrances and rooms, easy-to-use equipment, and the most helpful customer service around. It still pays to get quotes from a few companies to see what’s the best fit for your needs, but all four of these systems have their place in the Garden State.
The best home security system in New Jersey: Summed up
How we found the best home security systems in New Jersey
We spent eight months testing the eight best security companies around in our national home security system review. Each company had to offer four basic types of protection:
Intrusion: Door, window, and glass-break detectorsSurveillance: Indoor and outdoor camerasEnvironmental: fire, carbon monoxide, and flood detectorsLife safety: Panic and life alert buttons
With sensors around doors and windows to alert you of any glass breakage, extensive camera systems that monitor every corner of your home, and panic buttons to quickly alert police in case of an emergency, these companies had every security feature we were looking for (and plenty we’d never even thought of). They even provided some added protection outside of the home security realm, with extras like fire and carbon monoxide protection. The eight companies we tested all covered the basics of home security well, but only ADT, Vivint, and Frontpoint planned for every conceivable situation. ADT, Vivint, and Frontpoint all stood out for meticulous attention to detail in their security features, intuitive controls, and empathetic customer service.
How to find the right New Jersey home security system for you
Research your neighborhood’s crime profile
The problem with most statistics is that they are overly broad – lumping together diverse areas and populations to create numbers that may be mathematically true but paint a less-than-accurate picture of any individual’s reality. The answer is… more statistics? Yes, but get granular. Check out the crime map of your New Jersey neighborhood to get a sense of historical disturbances in your neck of the woods. Use that information to build a more informed security system for your home. One comment we heard over and over from our testers was that they loved Vivint’s mobile app. Like the ADT app, it lets you do things like lock and unlock doors, view smart cameras remotely, change the temperature in a specific room, or even arm and disarm your entire system. We expected it to be one of the more confusing systems to navigate with all of those options. But our tester reported the opposite, saying the app was so intuitive that they found themselves using it even when they were inside the house, ignoring the sleek command center. And they’re not alone: Vivint has a 4.6 out of 5-star rating in the App Store, compared with 4.8 and 4.6 stars from ADT and Frontpoint, respectively. As much as we love Vivint’s high-tech equipment, it does come at a price. Vivint pushes you to purchase your equipment outright. The advantage to going this route is that your contract is month-to-month, and a rental fee won’t inflate your bill. But it does require an initial investment. On the bright side, you only purchase the equipment you want, so you aren’t forced to pay for expensive gadgetry you’ll never use. If you choose to rent the equipment, you’re locked into a five-year contract with a tiny three-day trial period. Vivint’s advanced technology also requires professional installation, unlike ADT and Frontpoint, which both offer DIY installation packages. If you’re not ready for that kind of commitment, we recommend checking out Frontpoint. Where ADT and Vivint only offered measly three day trial periods, Frontpoint went for a comparative eternity: 30 days to decide if you want to commit to a longer contract. It is the only company that doesn’t offer any professional installation – you’ll have to do it all yourself – but our testers generally found that this wasn’t too much of a hassle. From our first phone call, Frontpoint’s reps made us feel taken care of in a way that ADT’s and Vivint’s didn’t quite manage. They patiently answered all of our questions and asked many smart ones themselves, helping us get the best security for our home’s unique layout. We never felt like they were pushing us towards a specific package, either. Frontpoint’s reps come off as invested in helping you find what fits your needs best. While ADT’s logo is ideally the only deterrence you’ll need, it’s backed up by truly cutting-edge home security technology. It has motion sensor video cameras, remote control options, and a simple command layout to use at every step. We loved how we could monitor all of our cameras remotely using the app. That way, if an alarm is triggered, we’d be able to tell which one specifically was set off, check the live feed, and begin taking the next steps immediately. We were also impressed by the level of customization that ADT boasts in both its plans and technology. If you only want basic home security features like 24/7 monitoring by ADT professionals, plans start at $36. In its most expensive plan, you can go up from there, adding extras like smart thermostats and remote light controls. We also loved the attention to detail in things like vacation mode, which adjusts your room temperature and lights while you’re away for maximum protection. You can even program your system to react to specific situations, like having your doors unlock automatically if a fire is detected. The main downside to ADT is that you’ll be locked into a three-year contract, and you’ll only get three days to try it out before making your decision. If you’re not comfortable making that kind of commitment, consider Frontpoint’s annual contract or Vivint’s month-to-month plan. One caveat to bear in mind when choosing Simplisafe: their included security camera can fall a little short when it comes to indoor and outdoor cameras, but it still provides free streamable HD video and audio, 30 day-storage, and night vision.
Register your security system
False alarms are a significant drain to police resources and also desensitize residents, neighbors, and burglars to alarm systems. To cut down on the noise, most states and municipalities across the U.S. institute home security system policies to keep homeowners accountable for their alarms. New Jersey doesn’t have any statewide laws dealing with false alarms, so you will need to check with your local government. New Jersey municipalities that hold a formal false alarm policy require you to register your security system. You’ll pay a hefty fee if you don’t register your system before it summons the police to your door.
Compare quotes
We focused our search on companies that operate nationwide, and we believe they’re the best choice for New Jersey homeowners, too. But it’s always a good idea to compare offers with local providers so you can find exactly what you’re looking for. We found two local companies offering home security in New Jersey that have high ratings across Google, Yelp, and Angie’s List:
A.C. Daughtry Security SystemsBeacon Protection
You will be fined for every false alarm the police have to respond to, with fees typically escalating for every occurrence. In Hampton Township, for example, the first false alarm merits only a warning, but the second one will set you back $50. After that, the town can choose to issue a fine between $100 and $250 for every subsequent false alarm in a calendar year. You’ll also be required to have a licensed technician come by to make sure your system is functioning properly. Since policies and fees differ so much depending on where you live in New Jersey, you’ll need to check your city government’s website for specific laws after purchasing a home security system. You will be fined for every false alarm the police have to respond to, with fees typically escalating for every occurrence. In Hampton Township, for example, the first false alarm merits only a warning, but the second one will set you back $50. After that, the town can choose to issue a fine between $100 and $250 for every subsequent false alarm. You’ll also be required to have a licensed technician come by to make sure your system is functioning properly. Since policies and fees differ so much depending on where you live in New Jersey, you’ll need to check your city government’s website for specific laws after purchasing a home security system. But New Jersey homeowners are particularly vulnerable in one area: vacation homes. The 2010 census (the most recent available) estimated that New Jersey had 109,321 houses that were classified as “vacant for seasonal, recreational, or occasional use,” representing 3.3% of all homes in the state and the 10th-highest number in the country. Because New Jersey has an inordinate number of vacant houses for some portion of the year, its neighborhoods are particularly at risk for home invasion. If you want to learn more about the crime in your specific area, you can check out the New Jersey State Police crime stats page, as well as Neighborhood Scout’s county-by-county breakdown.
