A wireless burglar alarm system is a system composed of battery powered components that communicate via radios signals. In the past, wireless security systems had a reputation of poor reliability when compared to wired security systems. This has changed in recent years, and wireless systems are just as reliable as hard-wired options. So why buy a wireless burglar alarm? This guide goes through the pros and cons of wireless security systems, and tells you what to look out for when buying a wireless burglar alarm system.
- Control Box – The hub of the home security system and all sensors are linked to this box. Contains a keypad to arm or disarm the system.
- Door/Windows Sensors – Closed-circuit sensors that trigger the alarm when a door/window is opened.
- Motion Sensors – Detect motion in a room within its field of view. Motion sensors used today are infrared (PIR) and detect body heat in a room
- Alarm Siren – Is sounded when an intruder is detected and should be loud (at least 95 decibels). Alarm systems can also include external strobe lights.
- Phone Auto-Dialer – Dials the local police station or a security monitoring service and leaves a prerecorded message when the alarm is triggered.
- Key Chain Remote Control – Contains buttons to arm or disarm the system.
- Panic Button – Can be pressed in an emergency to trigger the alarm. Normally placed on walls next to beds, or can be on a key chain remote.
- Ease of installation – Wireless burglar alarm systems are a great DIY choice. There is no wires required for the installation, and these systems are generally very easy for anybody to setup. Not having the hassle of routing the alarm system wires all over the house, cutting into walls, and installing trunking also speeds up the installation. If you want to add alarm sensors to any outbuildings using a wired system, it would be an extensive DIY task to route the wiring.
- Sensors can be positioned in the best locations – As you are not restricted to placing the sensors only in locations where you are able to route the wiring, and sensors can be placed in optimal locations to ensure the best security coverage. This applies mainly to your motion sensors.
- Aesthetic appearance – The wiring going to the various sensors in a hard-wired system can look a bit ugly, and sometimes trunking may need to be installed to hide the wires. Wireless systems don’t have this problem, and wireless system components today are designed to be unobtrusive.
- Can be easily moved after installation – If at some point you decide that you want to move a sensor to another location in your house, its not a big hassle with wireless systems. Also, if you move home, uninstalling and taking the entire wireless system with you is a lot easier than a wired system.
- Expandability with other wireless alarm devices – Some wireless burglar alarm systems today allow you to link other wireless alarm devices, such as smoke and flood alarms, to the system control box. These additional alarms then become a part of the overall household alarm system.
- They are more expensive than wired systems – Although today, because of the gaining popularity of wireless systems, there is not that much of a price difference between equivalent wired and wireless alarm system products. Also, it may be necessary to hire someone for the installation of a hard-wired system, whereas with a wireless system this will probably not be necessary. If you install trunking to hide the wiring, then this is another expense.
- Wireless alarm systems require batteries – Most wireless burglar alarm system components run off batteries, and these batteries will need to be replaced periodically. Many alarm system components will continue running for years before the batteries require changing, but this is something you don’t have to worry about with hard-wired systems running off mains electricity. Wireless alarm system components will generally warn you when the batteries require changing via an audible tone or flashing LED.
The are several things you need to look out for when buying a wireless burglar alarm system. The first thing you need to do is look at the number of rooms, windows and doors in your house, and the number of motion sensors and door/window sensors bundled with the unit. You also need to check that additional sensors for the system can be readily purchased, and what is the maximum capacity of the system when it comes to adding on additional sensors. For example, will the system only allow a maximum of five or ten sensors attached to the control box.
The next thing you need to check is the operating distance of the wireless burglar alarm system. This is the distance that the radio signals of wireless components can communicate with the control box of the system. A wireless system with an operating range of 50 feet may not be suitable for larger homes, and if you have distributed outbuildings that you want to secure, a system with a 200-foot range may be required – another option would be to add a signal booster to the system to increase the wireless range.
You also need to ensure that the alarm that comes with the system is loud enough to be heard from a distance, and by your neighbours. Check that the alarm siren is at least 100 decibels loud. Also, its nice if the system includes an auto-dialer. An auto-dialer will call a programmed telephone number (or numbers), and leave a prerecorded message when the alarm is triggered. This number could be the local police station or a security monitoring service. Some wireless burglar alarms systems must be purchased with a subscription to a security monitoring service, but if you buy a system without a required subscription, you are free to shop around for a security monitoring service.
If the system comes packaged with a key chain remote control to activate/deactivate the system, it’s a good idea to get a system that uses rolling-code technology. Rolling code technology prevents anybody from grabbing the frequency codes off the remote control unit which are used to deactivate the alarm.
The Skylink SC-1000 Complete Wireless Alarm System
Tags: home security alarm, wireless alarm, wireless burglar alarm
