Depending on the complexity of the system, home security system installation can be undertaken by the homeowner. Many home security alarm systems are sold in kits that can be installed by a reasonably competent DIY enthusiast. The simplest systems use a buzzer or other loud sound to note that there has been an intrusion.
Home security system installation involves mounting the source of the sound in a place where it can be easily heard. After that, you attach a switching circuit and connect a battery. Using a battery ensures that even if there is a power failure, the system will still work. But of course the system will only work as long as it has working batteries in it.
More technical expertise is needed to install a home security wired system. Installing a wired system is most practical if you’re in the process of building the home the system will go in, or if you’re having it professionally installed. So from an installation point of view, wireless home security systems are easier. But be wary of claims that batteries in some systems last for unusually long times. Even if a manufacturer claims their batteries last two decades, you should still check them at least twice a year. Wired systems avoid the low battery risk, and many of them come with battery back-ups that will work during power outages.
Closed circuit security system
A security system like the one just described is a closed-circuit system. When windows and doors are shut, the switches remain closed. All the switches are part of a wiring loop, so opening any of them breaks the loop and triggers the sound source. At this point, closing the door or window doesn’t cause the circuit to be continuous once more, so the sound doesn’t stop until someone switches off the circuit from the battery to the sounder (or until the battery is exhausted).
With this type of simple security system, the sounder has an electronic switch that’s turned on and off by a key. This allows the homeowner to switch the device off when it isn’t needed. When the system is on, after the alarm sounds, using the key switch is the only thing that silences the alarm, so only someone with a key can reset it.
These switching devices are made up of two components: a small box containing a magnet, and another box that contains the switch controlling the alarm. The magnet box is installed on the door or window, and the switch box is mounted to the door or window frame. With the security system turned on, the alarm is quiet as long as the magnet and switch are close together (as when the door or window is shut). But if the magnet moves away from the switch box (as when a door or window is opened), the switch contacts are separated and the switch becomes open, causing the security alarm to sound.
Basic home security
Home security system installation of this type of basic home security system begins with installing the alarm. You will have to choose whether to place it so it will attract the most attention to signal someone for help or whether it should be placed so as to scare off the intruder. To mount the alarm outside, you will have to make a hole in the wall for the wires. In this case, you’ll need to install a metal box that is designed for covering this type of alarm to protect it from weather. The box contains a bracket for installing a “tamper switch” that sounds the alarm if someone tries to open the box. In the side of the box is the key switch that allows the system owner to deactivate, service, or activate the alarm with their key.
If you choose to mount the alarm indoors, you won’t need to put it in the protective box. Just mount it where it can be heard easily. It’s not a good idea to put it in a closet or someplace that is confined. The kit will have a mounting backplate attached to the alarm with a mounting screw. You’ll attach the plate to the wall where you want the alarm to be located, according to the installation instructions. Make sure the correct end is up and the correct side is facing forward. There will be a tongue on the backplate that goes at the top when it is mounted. If you’re using a protective box to install a home security alarm outside, you’ll find that the box has a backplate built into it. Don’t install the sound device on the mounting just yet, though.
The next step is to install door and window switches. Install the magnet onto the door or window, and install the switch onto the window frame or the door frame using the mounting screws that come with the kit. You want to get the two parts so that they are nearly touching when the door or window is closed, and far apart when the door or window opens. You might consider adding fire alarm sensor switches into the loop of detection devices. Unlike smoke detectors, they respond to high temperatures rather than the presence of smoke. Choose one that breaks the loop when it encounters air temperatures of 135 degrees Fahrenheit.
An extra security measure you can use is current conducting window foil tape, a silver foil tape you can get where you purchase your alarm kit. It is made to trigger the alarm if the intruder breaks the glass in a window or door. You have to make sure that there aren’t any breaks in the foil that you put on the glass. Sticky-backed foil terminals or connectors at the ends of the tape allow you to connect the circuit wiring, and a special door cord lets you open a foil-taped window or door without causing the home alarm system to come on.
Outdoor security systems
Outdoor home security alarm systems monitor the area around a home. Most of them are designed to turn on flood lights upon detection of movement. Though older models could be set off by cats and dogs, the newer models are able to assess the weight and size of the object moving before setting off the alarm. Outdoor home security systems can include driveway alarms that go off when your car is tampered with.
Today’s technology has advanced to the point where closed circuit television wireless DVR surveillance systems are much more affordable. These systems consist of one receiver and several transmitters. The receiver is connected to a monitor screen or DVR device. These are available in wired and wireless home security forms. While the wired systems are generally more reliable than wireless, the wireless systems only require a cable to connect the receiver to the monitor. And wireless systems are becoming more reliable with time. In fact, many law enforcement agencies say that wireless CCTV surveillance systems are the way of the future.
CCTV surveillance systems
The digital cameras that are used in video alarm monitoring systems may be small, fixed cameras or they may be direction controlled cameras that can record usable video in low light conditions and can pan, tilt, and zoom. Placed outdoors, these cameras should be placed in protective mounting to keep them working in all weather.
Today’s CCTV surveillance systems use GSM and 3G connections, meaning that they can transmit live images to a PC, a laptop, or even a smart phone like an Android or iPhone. The cameras are tiny, but many of them have features like low-light visibility, and pan-tilt-zoom capabilities. They typically take video at a standard 30 frames per second.
Video home security system installation involves making a lot of choices in terms of camera, DVR surveillance system, video surveillance software, wired vs. wireless, and color vs. black and white recording. But this means that there are enough choices that even homeowners on relatively small budgets can partake of all that video home security systems offer. They are becoming more popular among small business owners, too, where business owners can keep watch over store entrances and exits and cash registers.
Studies in Great Britain, where such cameras are seemingly everywhere, has shown that in some high-crime areas, CCTV surveillance systems reduce crime by 85 to 94%! Benefits of video home security system installation include:
possible reduction in insurance premiums
greater ability to identify criminals
monitor difficult-to-see areas
deterring not just theft, but vandalism
24/7 video surveillance
While black and white cameras are less expensive than color home security cameras, the loss of color information is sometimes made up for by the fact that black and white cameras have better light sensitivity, so you can get decent video even in low light situations. But as technology advances, color cameras will continue to come down in price and be designed with better low light capabilities. Some homeowners prefer color images because they are more true to life.
For those who are new to the principles of home security, choosing the right home security system installation starts with risk assessment. Sometimes, home security system companies offer free risk assessment quizzes online. There are so many types of security systems available that risk assessment will give homeowners a good starting point for choosing an alarm system installation type.
Home security common sense
Home security system installation also requires a good deal of plain common sense. The system only adds to the conventional means of protection like strong locks, so don’t be lulled into a false sense of security where you leave valuables lying around or clues that your house is unoccupied. Simple measures like porch light and adequate lighting around the perimeter of the house, plus locks on windows and doors are the foundations for good home security. Floodlights with motion detectors are great deterrents.