Designing Your Wireless Home Security System

While planning your wireless home security system there are a few key points you should keep in mind. Sometimes by placing the proper sensors in the proper locations, you can increase your home security, while keeping the overall cost down.

Wireless security systems use a RF (Radio Frequency) to communicate between the sensors, and the main controller. Higher quality systems such as the GE Simon and GE Concord or the Abbra Professional, use a digital encryption code, to ensure no one can duplicate the signal. Most systems feature a 300' to 600' range between the sensor, and main control unit.

Door / Window Security Sensors

Door & Window sensors are the most common addition to any security system. These help protect anything that opens and closes - Which is typically the easiest access to a home by an intruder. Placing a contact on all entry doors, and all ground level accessible windows that open is suggested. Placing on sensors non-ground level windows is something that should be considered also, but sometimes not necessary. The best layout will have to be decided by you.

Glass Break Detectors

Glass break detectors work by detecting the sound frequency that is generated from breaking glass. Some also detect a change in pressure in the room at the same time, reducing false alarms. A glass break detector can have up to a 40 foot range. So, if you have a room with multiple windows, one sensor should protect them all.

Smoke Detectors

You should always use these in conjunction with your state code required smoke detectors. Adding a smoke detector to your security system is a good idea, to quickly dispatch the fire department so you can escape as soon as possible. If there is a fire, you can exit and not worry about having to call the fire department because your monitoring company will take care of it. If you are away from home, you will have the same feeling of security, because the home is monitored for fire 24/7.

Motion Detectors

Motion detectors are the 2nd most popular sensor addition to any home security system. A PIR (Passive Infrared) motion detector, senses the movement of heat across a room. Most PIR motion detectors have a 25' to 45' range at a 90' angle. If you can imagine a baseball diamond where the motion detector is home plate, this is typically the viewing pattern of a PIR motion detector. The best placement for a motion detector, is in the corner of a room, this way the 90' angle will view directly down both walls, and out the 25' to 45' distance.

Most home security systems have two arming modes - "Home" and "Away". The "Home" arming will arm everything except for interior motion detectors. This will allow you to roam around your home, and not set off the system. However if you arm it for away - it will then arm all sensors. Avoid pointing any motion detectors towards your main entrances, and directly toward any windows.

Personal Panic Buttons

Personal Panic buttons can be added to any wireless home security system (typically wireless) to be pressed at the time of emergency. Popular uses are for elderly, or as holdup buttons in convenience stores. These can be placed under a counter, or worn as a pendant.

Extra Keypads

Most systems can support multiple keypads. Adding a keypad can be beneficial if you need multiple points to arm/disarm and view system status.

BroadBand or Phone line Monitoring

NextAlarm is currently the only monitoring station that can monitor your Home security system through a broadband connection. This is beneficial to people who wish to have a fully monitored alarm system, but use a cell phone only for phone service, have broadband internet, and don't wish to purchase a land line phone just for the security system. If you have a land line phone, and are planning to keep it, then phone line monitoring will work fine too.