House Alarms - Outdoor Home Security Made Easy

The most effective home security alarm is one that prevents a would-be intruder from entering your home at all. This alarm system will set off a siren as soon as entry into your home is attempted by way of a door or a window. Let's take a look at the components of an alarm system that are used to secure the outside of your home and its entry points.

Most alarm system sensors use magnetic contact technology; this simply being two magnets that trigger the alarm when separated. On a door, one magnet is placed on the door frame; the other on the door. When the door is closed, contact is made. When the door is opened, the magnets separate causing the alarm to be activated. The process is similar on a window: one magnet on the window frame, the other on the window. As part of a properly installed alarm system, the magnets will be as inconspicuous and hard-to-reach as possible to lessen the risk of tampering.

For daytime protection or if you like to sleep with your windows open at night, consider custom window screens that contain concealed alarm wires. When these screens are ripped, cut, or removed, the damaged wires trigger your security alarm. From the outside, the security wires are almost undetectable and these screens can be added to most existing alarm systems.

Foil tape is another method of securing windows. It is a thin, electrically-conductive, metallic tape that is secured to the perimeter of the window. Your alarm is activated when the tape is torn as a result of the window being broken. Foil tape can be tricky to install; it must be in a continuous strip which makes going around corners difficult. Take your time, as you'll want to not only apply the tape securely, but neatly. You don't want to stare at a mess from the inside and its best if a potential burglar doesn't know the tape is there from the outside. Because alarms can be tripped accidentally while cleaning windows with foil tape, it is a good idea to put a clear coat of varnish over the tape after it is installed.

Sound discriminators are sound-sensing devices that will activate your alarm after detecting a specific sound - in our case the noise of glass breaking. Sometimes called glass-breaking detectors they are most often positioned on a wall or the ceiling near the window and some can protect a window up to 50 feet away. It must be noted however, that in certain environments, these detectors commonly trigger false alarms. Some high-pitched sounds can be picked up as broken glass. If possible, test the sensor in your home before permanently installing it. Sound discriminators should also only be used as backup protection for the magnetic window sensors discussed earlier.

One of the easiest ways to secure your home from the outside is the simple placement of security lawn signs or window decals. This an amazingly easy yet effective burglar deterrent; whether you actually have an alarm system or not. Place signs near the main entry points to your home as well as at the street-end of your driveway. Place decals on all first floor windows; you may even want to consider second floor windows as well. In a neighborhood of homes, a burglar is sure to bypass yours if it has these signs and move on to your neighbors who do not.

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