Home Alarm Systems

Security systems use zones to monitor security devices. To correctly install a security system you must plan for the zones your system will use. Hardwired systems may have only six zones while...

Alarm systems have become increasingly popular over the last few decades. They are ideal for not only protecting your home and possessions, but can also provide you with a great deal of peace of mind.

Carbon monoxide (CO) detectors, like smoke detectors, have a test function. Test your CO detector on a regular basis. For instance, Kidde, a manufacturer of CO detectors, recommends testing a...

Setting up an alarm system means understanding your security needs and choosing the right components for the job. Your alarm system needs to cover every entrance in your house, as well as such...

In order to fully understand how infrared motion detectors work in security systems, users must first understand the function of infrared light. According to the National Aeronautics and Space...

In a typical home security application, each ground-level door and window, and sometimes second-story windows as well, have an attached sensor that monitors the entryway's status. Each of these...

Security alarm systems, also called burglar alarms, are designed to detect intrusion. They can also be equipped with features such as smoke detectors, fire detectors, panic alarms, carbon monoxide...

PIR (Passive InfraRed) alarms are used to detect the heat, or heat energy, dissipated by a person moving within the detectors' field of view. The alarms also will detect dogs, cats, raccoons, or...

A Simplex fire alarm is an advanced, brand-name form of fire detection and alert made for and installed in commercial structures such as schools, libraries, office buildings and stores of all...

A DIY burglar alarm doesn't mean building the alarm from scratch. Rather, it means a system with easily installed components, which you can mount using just a screwdriver and a little bit of time....

Burglar alarms have become so common that many new homes are built with burglar alarms pre-installed. But do they work? If you know how to use the alarms and you have the correct equipment...

A wireless security system can be a great way to protect both your home and those whom you love. Depending on how much money you spend, your wireless home security system can come with a variety...

Heat alarms are devices that may be installed in addition to smoke detectors. Rather than detecting particles in the air (as smoke detectors do), they activate as a result of high temperatures.

To choose a home security alarm system, consider several basic factors. You'll need to decide which types of protection you need (door and window contacts, motion detectors, etc.), how much...

In the late '90s, random telephone surveys discovered that respondents preferred home burglar alarms to other security measures. Since the arrival of wireless technology, these systems have become...

Smoke detectors can save lives by warning people of fires in homes, businesses and public facilities. While smoke detectors are very effective in protecting people, some types of detectors sound...

Someone may have suggested that you secure your home with a motion sensing device. While some may think of this as "movie" technology, people have been using contraptions to detect motion for more...

Motion alarms work by defining an area and monitoring for any movement inside of that area. These are used predominantly for the protection of property inside of an owned space; however, there are...

A do-it-yourself alarm system is one that requires no professional installation. In most cases, that means a wireless system, with components that communicate via radio signals instead of cables...

Smoke detectors are one of the most common safety devices in a home. However, they need to be in 100 percent working order to be effective. Hopefully they will never have to alert you to a fire,...

Most of us have come in contact with motion detectors at some point in our lives. They are everywhere, from the home to the grocery store. If you have visited a friend or family member's house...

If you decide to have a security system installed, it likely carried a large price tag. Security systems typically include a control panel, smoke detectors, a hard-wired door, hard-wired windows,...

Infrared motion sensors are common in many home security systems and other everyday places such as stores. Infrared motion detectors are relatively inexpensive and effective in an enclosed...

Active motion detectors send out signals to detect motion. One of the simplest types of active detectors is a beam motion detector. A beam of infrared light is directed toward a light detector....

Wireless security systems help provide intrusion and fire detection for your home. Carefully planning your wireless security setup, including listing your requirements, is the first step to...

Home alarm systems can guard against both intrusion and fire. Both types of home alarm system--wired alarm systems and wireless--can be installed by a homeowner. Once installed, a home alarm...

Smoke detectors are critical devices needed in all homes to alert and protect people when there is fire or smoke. They are relatively inexpensive devices that save many lives each year. The U.S....

Of all the common household dangers that are potentially lethal, carbon monoxide is in contention to be the deadliest. Although it's internally created in the body, the colorless and odorless gas...

The most basic component of an alarm system are the alarm sensors themselves. These sensors are placed on all protected doorways, windows and other entryways, designed to trigger the alarm when...

Carbon monoxide detectors are devices that detects the presence of the carbon monoxide (CO) in order to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning. Carbon monoxide detectors can be either battery operated...

Carbon monoxide is a colorless, odorless gas that can be deadly if it goes undetected. In most cases, levels of the gas build up slowly. Yet according to the Centers for Disease Control and...

Home security systems keep your home safe by deterring intruders and automatically contacting the local authorities in the event of a breach. Some advanced systems also include carbon monoxide...

A fire alarm system alerts property owners in the event of a fire. There are a number of ways in which a fire alarm system works, depending on the type of device installed. Some systems involve...

A home security system has a keypad on which a person would enter a code to arm and disarm the system, as well as a master control panel, motion detectors and more. Learn about the number of ways...

Your home is likely your most valuable asset. If you believe you do not need a home security system because you live in a safe area, or own a watchdog, or have little or no valuable possessions,...

Smoke detectors in your home or on your property need to be on all the time for safety reasons. But if you want to change the battery or the alarm goes off accidentally, you will need to disengage...

Wireless motion detectors have become popular among home security systems by providing an effective security measure. A wireless motion detector is a device that uses electronic sensors or...

Home security systems vary almost as much as the homes they protect. Simple systems can be made yourself for little more than a few dollars, while elaborate systems provide extensive high-tech...

If you're considering a home alarm system, consider the equipment that comes with it when making your decision. Depending on the type of alarm you buy or the contract you agree to, the equipment...

Home security devices are more of a necessity than a luxury. Gone are the days when only the richest could afford to protect their homes. Now, anyone who can use a screwdriver can install home...

Glass-break sensors are available as an add-on to most alarm systems and are placed on windows and doors to detect breakage due to intrusion.

Passive infrared sensors work by measuring incoming infrared energy. They do not emit energy themselves, which is why they are called "passive." Infrared energy is released when heat is created....

Fire alarms and heat detectors differ from smoke detectors, which pick up carcinogens in the air. While not as sensitive as smoke detectors, fire alarms are much easier to construct, and less...

Home alarm systems are a series of structured security devices that are designed to keep a home safe. Modern versions offer sophisticated electronic networks of multizoned alarms for dangers that...

The purpose of a home alarm system is to alert homeowners, and sometimes police, to unauthorized entry attempts into their homes. When the alarm is triggered, it emits a loud sound designed to...

You are thinking of getting a burglar alarm system for your house. You want to know how they work. How does someone sitting in another state know you have burglars in the first place, and how can...

Installing an alarm in your home is a great way to keep your family and belongings safe. Once the installers leave, however, you have a big task ahead: learning how to work the alarm system....

We've all read the statistics. We also know that in this shaky economy crime is on the rise. The cost of protecting our property and families pales in comparison to the risk associated with...

Radar motion detectors emit a constant stream of microwave radiation and bounce that energy off the surroundings. The detector then compares the original signal to the reflected signal and notices...

Photoelectric detectors use an infrared light sensor to detect movement across the beam’s path. Follow these steps to determine where to install a photoelectric detector.