The whole family can feel safe when a home alarm is installed in a house. Home alarms can protect a single object in a home, a certain area of a house, or the whole property. Alarms typically come in two types, either perimeter or area.

Different types of alarms do different things. An alarm can tell if there is a fire in a house, or if there is a high level of carbon monoxide. Some alarms do both. Other alarms are purely to deter burglars and people trying to invade a home. Alarm systems can be monitored by a central system that keeps track of how many pets are in a home or what a house’s floor plan might be.

There are many reasons for getting a house alarm installed. Many people like to collect things of value. Others keep irreplaceable things in their home that need protection. Sometimes people spend long periods away from their home, leaving it unprotected. Or a home might be in a remote area that is difficult for neighbors to monitor. All of these are good reasons for getting home alarms installed.

Perimeter alarms are a very typical type of alarm system. They are generally connected to the windows and doors of a home and any other entryways. With a magnetic contact, a vibration detector or a strip of special foil tape, the alarm is triggered once the intruder breaks the seal. There are also small round discs that can be placed in the corners of window frames that are able to detect the sound waves and vibrations of a window breaking.

Area alarms protect an area of the home. This can be a portion of a room or a hallway. Sophisticated electronic sensors sweep their beams along the area to be protected, typically an area that an intruder will have to pass through. They will respond to changes in light or pressure, temperature, even sound or movement.

Area alarms come in different types. Some use photoelectric eyes that respond to a beam of light being interrupted as an intruder passes through. Infrared detectors will notice changes in body heat while others will use microwaves to detect motion. Generally for area protecting home alarms, a beam or wave or such will need to fill a room or cut through an area that must be passed through by a burglar.

Detection alarms are intended to trigger a noise that is loud enough to scare off burglars and other dangerous intruders. It’s also good to have alarms that turn the lights on, indoors and out. This will make your house more noticeable to neighbors and the police, while lighting up areas that would be ideal for a burglar to hide.

Homes can be protected without using expensive home alarms as well. Good quality windows and doors can help prevent someone from breaking in, and proper exterior lighting can make an intruder think twice. A home that doesn’t stand out from the ones around it is also safer. If you are going to choose one of the many home alarms available, consider getting one that is monitored for extra protection.