How to Choose and Install Door Chimes
Door chimes are the ideal entrance alert system for small business. In this post we're showing you how to choose and install the right chimes for your company.
Keyword(s): door chimes
Looking for a way to further ensure your business' safety?
A door chime provides an exceptional entrance alert system.
These systems not only provide safety but a number of other surprising benefits. For example, they increase your freedom to focus on work away from the entrance.
In this article, we'll discuss the types of wireless door chimes available, how to choose, and install your new entrance alert system.
The Two Types of Door Chimes
Two basic types of door chimes exist:
Contact-based chimes
Contact-based chimes function when a door or window opens. They consist of two pieces - a magnetic piece, and a metallic piece.
You'll mount one piece to the door frame, and one to the door itself.
When the door or window opens and the two pieces separate, the sensor activates.
The alarm triggered comes from the sensor itself or from a signal sent to a receiver.
Contact-based chimes work best on doors and windows you often keep closed.
Motion-based chimes
Motion-based chimes detect movement or a combination of movement and heat.
When detected, these factors trigger a sensor.
Like contact-based chimes, the alarm or chime sounds from the sensor itself or transmits a signal to a receiver.
Motion-based chimes prove reliable in commercial settings. They also work with long distances, hallways, and large, open areas.
The down-side? Motion-based sensors sometimes result in false alarms.
How To Choose Door Chimes
Consider the distance of your user to the sensor. If your business covers a small area, and the user will stand only a hundred feet away, a self-contained sensor or alarm proves perfect.
If your users cover a large area, like a warehouse, you might consider a kit with a transmitter and receiver.
Maximum range doesn't only refer to the total distance from the transmitter to the receiver. Environmental factors play a part.
Walls reduce your range. The building material used in your office or warehouse plays a large part in your alarm's success.
A good rule to follow? Every wall a signal passes through diminishes the signal by 20%.
Mounting surface matters, too. When your alarm transmits a signal, the receiver must pick it up.
A wireless signal could bounce off any metal under the alert system. Weak signals lose an enormous amount of range in this scenario. Stronger signals prove less effective.
A motion sensor should sit a few inches away from any metallic frames. This allows enough distance for an uninterrupted signal.
Surrounding environment like trees, hills, and rocks play a minor role. Though they can interfere, they're easy to work around.
With these tips, installing your door chime proves easy. Wireless receiver and transmitter kits need strategic placement, so you may want to consider hiring a professional.
Wireless entry alert installations prove much easier than installing a wired alert system.
Conclusion
There you have it!
Choosing door chimes for your business or home requires knowledge of factors like distance, mounting surface, and the environment.
Choose a contact-based sensor for doors that stay closed most of the time. Choose a motion-based sensor for large areas that need an alarm that sounds away from the door.
You're now ready to take the next step toward securing your business or home!