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How to Install Burglar
Alarms
Home security is regulated listed among the paramount concerns
of homeowners, and with good reason. No matter how much money
you put into renovation, repair and upkeep, all that effort will
mean little if the entire house can be easily breached by an
intruder. Although some such criminals only come for your
valuables, it’s sadly all too common for botched burglary
attempts to result in serious injury and even death. It is for
this reason that burglar alarms have become obligatory elements
in any well-kept home. If you’re like many homeowners, you may
have wondered whether precautions such as these should require
you spend thousands on a professional installation. |
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The answer is no.
Although a number of sophisticated systems come with trip wires,
motion sensors and other advanced electronics built in, for the most
part such devices are modular. That means the electronics that run
them are essentially self-contained, so the installation is largely
conventional and familiar. If you can attach screws, check circuits
and test the proper operation of simple consumer electronics, you
should be able to get an entire network up and running within a
matter of hours. Exercise good judgment about the placement and
orientation of your alarm components and you can expect outstanding
security for years into the future.
The most important step to any installation is choosing the proper
configuration for your home. Although a number of security companies
would have you believe countless sensors and alarms are required for
airtight security, the truth is that nearly every home intrusion
utilizes the basic doors and windows you would expect. That means it
pays to be conservative about how much you pay – more bells and
whistles rarely translates into better security. Still, most of the
experts agree that the surest way to protect your family is to cover
all the bases carefully, including chimneys and smaller windows.
Place the alarm itself somewhere it can be heard, and be sure to
test it regularly. If there is one constant in police reports of
failed security systems, it tends to be that the alarm itself failed
to sound adequately. Even in homes where an alarm is prevalent, it’s
important to train family members – and neighbors – to recognize it
immediately. Anything less that proper preparation and you could end
up a victim of “distributed responsibility,” that tendency of
bystanders and neighbors to ignore sounds of distress because they
assume someone else must have taken care of it. Thankfully most
quality alarms are deafening and consistent, so if you can attach a
backplate to a wall and secure a few screws and nuts, this part of
the job goes rather quickly.
Next you want to install your various sensing devices. Nearly all
such devices work with magnets, so it is important to measure
carefully to ensure you have two distinct settings when the door or
window is either open or closed. If you place the magnets too far
apart to begin with, for instance, you may encounter troubles as the
circuit doesn’t know when an opening has been breached. Test a few
times to see just what kind of activity it takes to trigger the
alarm, and adjust accordingly until you have the sensitivity you
want.
The most demanding part of the burglar alarm installation process is
setting up a circuit that will always work if any node is disrupted.
The wire itself is made to be thin, light and unobtrusive – fragile
intentionally because you want it to be responsive. The first
connection you’ll make is to the terminals in your alarm box, a job
which may require rudimentary knowledge of how to strip and wrap
wires. Next lead the line to the first sensor and attach to the
terminal screws in the same way. You’ll then continue in this way,
running along floorboards or under carpeting, until the full circuit
has been completed. Test it per the manufacturer’s instructions. If
all appears to be working, you only need to check battery leads or
power sources once a month or so to make sure the entire system
remains audible and accurate. |
