Burglar Alarms and Home Security

Burglar alarms are electronically operated security devices that are installed in residential units, commercial and industrial offices and government facilities that emit loud sirens once they detect unauthorized intrusions. The sensors of these burglar alarms range from simple magnetic or mechanical switches to sophisticated electronic motion detectors. Magnetic and mechanical switches are typically installed on entry points like doors and windows. Once the door or window is opened by an intruder, the switch is tripped off completing the electric circuitry of the alarm and the siren is activated.

The motion detectors of modern burglar alarms may either by a radar system that picks up ultrasonic sounds that are emitted and bounced off a wall by the unit, or a photo sensor that catches a light beam that is sent out from across the room by the alarm system. Any deflection of the echoed ultrasonic sound or brief cut-off of the light beam caused by an intruder crossing or moving about in the room will activate the siren. Other fool proof burglar alarms are equipped with thermal or volumetric sensors that can respectively detect the body heat of the intruder or a change in air pressure when a door or window is opened.

Burglar alarms are either hardwired which are more difficult to install, or wireless systems that can be easily set up. Both systems have control panels that do not cut off the alarm once it is activated until the appropriate security code is entered on the keypad. The output of burglar alarms is local if they just sound off a bell or siren and the output may be remote if a distress call is sent to a monitoring system via the telephone lines or cellular network.

Once the monitoring system receives the distress call, verification is immediately made with the homeowner. If a break-in is confirmed, the monitoring system will immediately notify and request for a police response to the scene of the break-in. In cities where the frequency of false alarms is high, residents tend to ignore alarms that go off while in rural areas the alarms are not even heard at all because the residents live far from each other. In both cases, where there is no response to the alarm, the monitoring system plays a very critical role.

Aside from monitoring of home intrusion, the services rendered by a monitoring system have been expanded over the years to include monitoring of fire break-out, medical response, hold-up and robbery, signal and battery charge tracking and host of other vital and critical services. A monitoring system entails a little cost outlay every month, but the protection it provides the homeowner is well worth the investment.

Tags: Home Security, Burglaries, Burglar Alarms, Alarm Systems, House Alarm, Alarms