Home Security Systems Checklist
A home security system must have four separate components:
- Alarm System Control
- Alarm System Keypad
- Alarm System Detection Device (motion detector, glassbreak detector, door/window contacts, smoke detection)
- Alarm System Siren
These four groups, placed together as a single component, form a complete home security system. You can further enhance the system by having your system monitored.
The Control panel
This is where all the information of your system and its working are stored. Usually, this is installed in an area which is out of the way and “hidden”.
You, the homeowner, will hardly have any need to access the alarm system control.
Only your alarm technician will need to access the control panel if he has to service the system or do maintenance work.
Home alarm control panels are either a) Hardwired b) Self contained wireless c) Hybrid.
The next important component is the Keypad. This is where you interact with your alarm system. You check the system status, turn the alarm system on or off and program the user codes.
The keypad also gives you the status of the alarm system – it uses LED’s or an LCD display. It is beneficial if the keypad is installed in the master bedroom, because this allows you to arm or disarm your alarm security system without having to walk through the house when you are getting ready to go to bed. Also you can tell what is going on if your alarm happens to go off in the middle of the night.
Motion Detector
These work on Passive Infrared detection or PIR. They are mounted on a wall, corner of a room or on the ceiling; it senses the infrared temperature of several areas and stabilizes itself to the normal infrared temperature of a room, and is ready to trigger your home security system when there is a sudden change in the temperature. When a person walks into an area covered by a PIR, this creates a sudden change in the temperature, and triggers the home security system.
Glassbreak Detectors listen for the unique frequencies of breaking glass. If a burglar smashes a window within range of the glassbreak detector, the detector triggers the home alarm system.
Door and window contacts are magnetic sensitive switches that either open or close when a magnetic field is placed near them. They can be concealed in the door or window frame.
Smoke-Heat Detectors are beneficial since they sense a rapidly rising room temperature or a clean burning fire (without smoke). These are usually used in store rooms or garages.
24 hour monitoring places round the clock and year long watch on your home. If a burglar attempts a break-in, or a fire breaks out, or an emergency situation occurs in your home, your security system will notify the monitoring station, which will alert the police, the fire department or ambulance.
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