Alarm Systems – What Are The Different Types?

Alarm systems can guard and protect your home from burglars and anyone who wishes to do you harm. Your family and your property will be one step closer to being safer and feeling secure thanks to the installation of a proper system. There are many different types of home alarm systems but they are all designed to keep your house as safe as possible.

One such system is the monitored alarm system. If the alarm on such a system is triggered a message will be sent to a central call center. An employee at the call center will then place a call to the homeowner to ascertain if there is a real emergency or if the alarm was set off in error. The bad news is that a cunning intruder can cut the outdoor telephone wires thus making it impossible for the signal to have ever reached the central call center.

If you decide to go with a monitored system then to alleviate this problem you may wish to use a radio or a cell phone as a backup. Inclement weather can also wreak havoc with the phone lines. If you have a backup then this is not something you have to worry about. If your phone lines are not working for any reason then having a form of backup technology will ensure that your system is working correctly even if the telephone system is not.

The flip side to the monitored system is the unmonitored system for your residence. In this case a loud noise will go off that sounds like a siren when the alarm is triggered. The booming sound will be heard inside your home as well as outside the premises. Some of these alarm systems are also equipped with flashing lights. When you have an unmonitored system it is the responsibility of your neighbors to call the police. This system is less expensive because there are no monitoring fees to speak of. As well most would-be burglars are startled by the sudden shrill noise and will not risk being exposed and are likely to abort their plans to break into your home. There is no way to remain unnoticed once an unmonitored alarm is tripped.

There are some alarm systems that are wireless while others are hard-wired. You should understand this distinction before you select the right system for your home. A home security system of the wireless variety operates by way of radio transmitters that are powered by batteries and receivers that connect to the various parts of the system. These parts include cameras, motion detectors, sensors, sirens, keypads, fire detectors, smoke detectors and video displays. If you wish to go with a wireless system then you should be able to find one easily at your local department store or hardware. You also may wish to browse online. Most of these systems can be installed by the user.

Hard-wired alarm systems are thought to be more reliable than their wireless counterparts. Such a system’s main source of power comes from the home electrical wiring and uses a rechargeable battery pack as a backup when the power goes out. A hard-wired system has all of the same parts as a wireless system except for the fact that it does not have a radio receiver or a transmitter.