Burglar alarms – understanding the different types

Installing a burglar alarm system is important as it helps to keep your home safe and gives you peace of mind.

Burglar alarm systems come in different types. The functionality of each is different while the main purpose of discouraging any attempt to break in remains the same. Some of the basic types of burglar alarm systems are mentioned below.

Circuit alarms

Circuit alarms come in two basic types: closed circuit and open circuit systems. Closed circuit systems are more complex and more difficult to hack into. With a closed circuit, the current is broken when a door or window is opened, which triggers the alarm. The alarm will keep sounding until someone resets it with a code.

Motion detectors

Motion detectors work by emitting radio waves. This functionality is similar to those sensors used by doors in a shopping complex. When we approach the doors, the radio waves are disturbed and are emitted back to the sensors above the door in an irregular pattern. The door is then opened as a response. In the case of detectors used for home protection, it triggers an alarm.

Advanced motion sensors

Instead of radio waves, these motion sensors emit a beam of light across the passageway. Once disturbed, the sensor will trigger an alarm. These motion detectors are commonly used in museums and places with expensive items.

PIR motion sensors

One of the most advanced forms of motion detectors; these systems detect heat waves across the room. Normal human body temperature is 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit, while that of a room is about 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Although the temperature of a room varies, the alarm is triggered only when there is a rapid rise in temperature.