Neko, I just saw in the NH Electric Coop newsletter that comes with the bill that they are promoting the FreezeAlarm again. $219 for the intermediate model I have. You can do an Internet search on it to get the mfg info on it too, I imagine.
It is indeed simple to set up. There are multiple options to read about, though. For example, there are up to three phone numbers it can call out to if an alarm is triggered. Temperature alarm can be set as a low point or high point alarm; you'd want that as low alarm, as a high temperature wouldn't be likely, unless the heating system wasn't shutting off at all or you had a fire (then you can't get there in time anyway). The temperature setting is whatever you want; I set mine at 40. You can have it call you if the power goes out momentarily, for an hour or more, or not at all. Same with the 9v backup battery; when the voltage gets too low from use, it can trigger an alarm condition unless it is disabled. Finally, you can reprogram things over the phone at any time. Actually, it is set up initially by plugging a phone into the front of the unit and doing it that way.
If you have a phone recorder left on when you leave, you have to be aware of how the FreezeAlarm works. It picks up after 5 rings within a few minutes. Our recorder picks up after 4 rings. So what I have to do if I call in to check up on status of the place is to let the phone ring 3 times, hang up and wait perhaps 10 seconds, call again to get the next 2 rings in, and then I'm into the alarm. If your phone recorder is set to pick up after 3 rings, you'll have to call 3 times for 2, 2, and 1 ring. If your recorder picks up after 2 rings, whew, that would be a pain in the neck to work around.
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