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Understanding Three Home Security System Designs

By December 12, 2014 June 27th, 2019 No Comments

So, you’re thinking about installing a home alarm system and, of course, you want the best home security solution on the market. After all, what’s more precious than YOUR family? Shopping for a home security system can be daunting and time consuming. If you’re planning on saving a little money by installing an alarm system yourself (You can get a DIY home security kit) or if you’re just curious as to which type of home security system to buy, we thought we’d to help make your job a little easier by sharing the workings behind the most popular types of solutions for your home security.

Three Security System Designs:

1). Systems that Detect an Intruder on Your Property (Outdoor Motion-Triggered)

This type of security protects your home’s outer perimeter and usually consists of outdoor motion detectors that will trigger security lights to ward off prowlers and/or closed circuit television cameras (CCTV cameras) to monitor your property and catch thieves, on video, trying to break into your home. Outdoor security lights and cameras generally rely upon passive infrared (PIR) motion detectors.

The devices in this type of security solution will detect the infrared energy (body heat) emitted by an intruder, but won’t be triggered accidentally by leaves or an old newspaper blowing onto your lawn. If this device triggers notification, once the intruder is within view of your infrared security camera, you can get a text or email and watch them on your home security camera monitor or on your mobile device!

2). Systems that Detect an Intruder Entering Your Home (Perimeter Protection)

Let’s say your intruder has brazenly ignored your home’s outer defenses and has decided to breach your home’s perimeter through one of your doors or windows, maybe even your doggie door. This is where circuit alarms come into play. These little gizmos consist of two parts: 1) a magnet attached to the edge of your window or door and 2) a small box, containing a circuit and a spring-driven metal switch, which is mounted to your window or doorframe beside the magnet.

When your window or door is opened, the magnet moves away from its counterpart allowing the switch to either disrupt the flow of electricity from one end of the circuit to the other (closed circuit system) or enable the flow of electricity from one end of the circuit to the other (open circuit system). Security solutions with closed circuit systems will then send a signal to your control box, while open circuit systems will discontinue the signal to your control box. Closed circuit alarms are preferred since they are battery powered and invulnerable to power outages or someone cutting your power.

3). Systems that Detect an Intruder In Your Home (Space Protection)

Burglar alarms designed to detect the presence of an intruder walking around in your home use indoor motion detectors. Unlike outdoor infrared motion detection systems, which might be accidentally triggered by normal heat sources within your home, indoor motion detectors rely on different technologies. For instance, radar-based motion detectors send out microwave radio energy (or ultrasonic sound waves) that bounces off objects within a room and returns to the unit establishing a pattern. Any sudden differences in the pattern are interpreted as a threat and a signal is sent to the control box.

Photo sensor motion detectors use a beam of focused light (often a laser beam) and a light sensor. This is the same type of motion detector used in the doorways of retail stores in your local shopping mall to detect the arrival of customers. When the light beam is obstructed, the sensor sends a signal to the control box.

Which Security System Design Is Right For You?

Regardless of which system you choose to install, the purpose of any good home burglar alarm system is to deter intruders then notify you, your family, and the authorities that there is a danger present in your home. Depending upon your needs, signals sent to your control box can prompt the turning on of lights, the sounding of a buzzer or siren, and/or the sending of a message to your local police department and home security monitoringprovider via the internet, your landline, or a digital cell backup unit.

Like any consumer product, security systems run the gambit from a cheap do-it-yourself kit to a custom installed solution. When the safety and security of your family is at stake, of course we’d recommend the latter. If you’re concerned about costs, don’t let the word “custom” scare you… Remember what your mom always said: “You usually get what you pay for.” Why not let SHIELD take a look at your property and help you decide what an affordable solution looks like at your home.

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