What is the primary motive behind installing an alarm system? It is to keep the bad guys away and inform you or law enforcement agencies that someone is trying to intrude or that security to your home has just been breached. That’s precisely what it does. However, alarm systems can do much more than just that. Today, there are separate alarm systems for the indoors and for the outdoors. Now, why would you want an alarm system indoors? Here’s the answer. Do you have kids at home? Yes? Great! They are fun to have around. Aren’t they? Now, do you have a gun cabinet at home? Hmm…Get the gist?
An alarm system that is installed on your gun cabinet trigger an alarm whenever it is forcibly opened and can inform you whenever it is disarmed. And this can end up protecting your kids. Similarly, you can have an alarm system that monitors the garage door and informs you whenever it is disarmed. Fully automatic supervised motion sensors that monitor movement around your home, alarm systems that send you a message instead of contacting the law enforcement agencies directly, alarm systems that send you a text message on your cellular phone and alarm systems that notify you when the primary wires are cut. Whew! There are hundreds of different types of alarm systems in the market now. Name it and you can have it.
How does it work?
Most standard home alarm systems work according to a combination of contacts that are placed at strategic locations in and around your home. These locations can include potential points of entry and exit, windows, doors and garages. These alarm systems can then be combined with other security devices like motion sensors, lighting controls, smoke detectors, panic buttons, mirrors and CCTV cameras for maximum effectiveness. Here are the components that are included in a standard alarm system.
- The control panel: This is where you control all the zones that are being monitored (Each area integrated into the alarm system is called a zone). Standard alarm systems allow you to monitor up to 8 zones. These are ideal for small to medium sized homes. However, larger homes might need expansion modules that allow monitoring up to 32 zones at a time. The control panel also houses all the wiring, the back up battery and is connected to the phone line (in monitored systems)
- The Keypad: These are the second most important component of a security alarm system after the control panel. The keypad which is also known as the console is the focal point of the security system. You can arm, disarm, program the alarm and even contact law enforcement agencies from the keypad itself. Depending on the make and type of alarm system, the keypad can be an LED one or a high end alphanumeric touch screen one. You can even customize access codes for each member of the family so that you can review the entry and exit times of each person later on.
- Siren: There are different types of sirens (both inside and outside). Most towns have a noise ordinance and hence most installers install the siren inside the home. The siren usually simulates a doorbell (customizable again). The main intention is to make the burglar aware that an alarm system has been violated. And while the burglar hi-tails it out, you can load your guns and be prepared for some firing! Sirens are measured in decibels.
- Inside motion detectors: The inside motion sensor on a security system is a passive system that is used to detect infrared energy. These are also called pyroelectric sensors and can be customized to identify human body temperature and that of pets too.
- Door and Window contacts: These are magnetic contact sensors that are a two part device. The first part of the contact is a switch that is installed in the door or the window frame while the second part is installed in the window itself. This part contains a magnet that signals the alarm when the contact is broken. Simple as it might seem, it is pretty effective.
- Central Monitoring Station: This service is only available in case of monitored systems. Whenever the control panel receives an alarm from any of the zones integrated into it or from the sensors around the home, it immediately dials the central monitoring company or sends it a message. This monitoring station is functional 24×7. This monitoring station will then try to contact the home to verify whether it is a false alarm. Incase of a no answer or the incorrect panic password, they will then inform the appropriate authorities about the alarm.
- Panic buttons: The panic button can be extremely effective in cases where you are unable to respond to the phone call from the central monitoring station or are unable to remember the secret panic password. In some cases, victims are instructed by the burglar to mouth the correct panic password to prevent the CMS from contacting the police. Common devices like a money clip, a foot rail etc can now be used as the panic button. However, only advanced models support this add on feature.
- Flashing lights/Strobe Lights: These are a part of unmonitored systems and actually rely on neighbors to inform the police about it. These are installed on the street side of the home and in inaccessible spots. It is recommended that you discuss the installation with neighbors so that they can inform the authorities in case of an alarm.
Other than this, you can integrate several other products into your security alarm system to maximize its effectiveness.
