| The most effective home security alarm is one | | | | your time, as you'll want to not only apply the |
| that prevents a would-be intruder from entering | | | | tape securely, but neatly. You don't want to stare |
| your home at all. This alarm system will set off a | | | | at a mess from the inside and its best if a |
| siren as soon as entry into your home is | | | | potential burglar doesn't know the tape is there |
| attempted by way of a door or a window. Let's | | | | from the outside. Because alarms can be tripped |
| take a look at the components of an alarm | | | | accidentally while cleaning windows with foil tape, it |
| system that are used to secure the outside of | | | | is a good idea to put a clear coat of varnish over |
| your home and its entry points. | | | | the tape after it is installed. |
| Most alarm system sensors use magnetic contact | | | | Sound discriminators are sound-sensing devices |
| technology; this simply being two magnets that | | | | that will activate your alarm after detecting a |
| trigger the alarm when separated. On a door, one | | | | specific sound - in our case the noise of glass |
| magnet is placed on the door frame; the other on | | | | breaking. Sometimes called glass-breaking |
| the door. When the door is closed, contact is | | | | detectors they are most often positioned on a |
| made. When the door is opened, the magnets | | | | wall or the ceiling near the window and some can |
| separate causing the alarm to be activated. The | | | | protect a window up to 50 feet away. It must be |
| process is similar on a window: one magnet on | | | | noted however, that in certain environments, |
| the window frame, the other on the window. As | | | | these detectors commonly trigger false alarms. |
| part of a properly installed alarm system, the | | | | Some high-pitched sounds can be picked up as |
| magnets will be as inconspicuous and | | | | broken glass. If possible, test the sensor in your |
| hard-to-reach as possible to lessen the risk of | | | | home before permanently installing it. Sound |
| tampering. | | | | discriminators should also only be used as backup |
| For daytime protection or if you like to sleep with | | | | protection for the magnetic window sensors |
| your windows open at night, consider custom | | | | discussed earlier. |
| window screens that contain concealed alarm | | | | One of the easiest ways to secure your home |
| wires. When these screens are ripped, cut, or | | | | from the outside is the simple placement of |
| removed, the damaged wires trigger your | | | | security lawn signs or window decals. This an |
| security alarm. From the outside, the security | | | | amazingly easy yet effective burglar deterrent; |
| wires are almost undetectable and these screens | | | | whether you actually have an alarm system or |
| can be added to most existing alarm systems. | | | | not. Place signs near the main entry points to |
| Foil tape is another method of securing windows. | | | | your home as well as at the street-end of your |
| It is a thin, electrically-conductive, metallic tape | | | | driveway. Place decals on all first floor windows; |
| that is secured to the perimeter of the window. | | | | you may even want to consider second floor |
| Your alarm is activated when the tape is torn as | | | | windows as well. In a neighborhood of homes, a |
| a result of the window being broken. Foil tape can | | | | burglar is sure to bypass yours if it has these |
| be tricky to install; it must be in a continuous strip | | | | signs and move on to your neighbors who do not. |
| which makes going around corners difficult. Take | | | | |