Home Improvement DIY

Although you may not have one of those homes in the movies with the huge gates and intercom system, you’ll still want to protect your drive.  Being able to know when some one comes into your garden at night will greatly increase the security of your home.

Driveway Alarms Can Give You That Peace of Mind

They mainly work by attaching infra-red sensors either on your house, driveway entrance or gates.  They are then connected to a transmitter which sends signals to a receiver in your house.  Other systems may emit a dark green light.  Whatever system you choose, a ‘light wire’ is tripped when either a person or vehicle passes through the beam.  You may even select a system which features a pressure-sensitive tube in the surface of your driveway.  Alternatively there’s a magnetic probe type signals the arrival of metal objects such as car, van or truck.

No matter what system you decide upon, the purpose remains the same:  alert you when someone arrives to your home.  It’s not just intruders that it can be useful for detecting, it will also come in useful if you are waiting for parcel deliveries and even workmen.

Modern systems often come with a motion detector which can sense human movement.  This is useful in case someone steps over the driveway beam.  The range varies from about 800-1200 feet from the transmitter, giving coverage for a wide area.

If you are willing to pay extra, you can even find driveway alarms with extra features such as an intercom system.  This will come in useful if you want to know if the visitor is expected or not.

Video cameras are also a lot more affordable than years ago.  Being able to see a person or their vehicle can put you mind at rest quickly.  It can also provide evidence in court in the event of a break-in.

Some further additional features can be added to some of the systems.  When arriving home and you trip the alarm, you can have the garage door open, house lights can come on and the front door can even open for you automatically.

If you are worried about your alarm not working in the event of a power outage, look for one with a battery backup.  Some clever intruders may disable your power system if they know you have a driveway alarm.

There are a number of other features you may want in your alarm too.  These include, sound volume control, waterproof transmitters, connection to a home PC network and do-it-yourself installation.  Above all, you want a system that can tell the difference between different objects.  It’s no good if dogs and children riding by are constantly setting your alarm off.  It would make the system useless.

 

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