Did you know about 1.5 million burglaries took place in 2015 alone?
No matter how many locks you have on your door, there is always the likelihood of someone attempting to break in. Fortunately, you can easily scare them away with a reliable driveway alarm. These alarms are also useful to let you know when you have visitors coming up.
That said, don’t buy the first set of alarms you find online.
If you’re looking for the best wireless driveway alarm, you need to ask yourself some questions. These can help ease up the buying process by eliminating the ones that don’t fit your needs.
1. What is the Range of the Alarm?
If you’re looking for the best wireless driveway alarm, you need to consider its effective range. It’s the most important factor that you should think of. Always have a good understanding of how far the sensor is from the receiver.
The former is the part that will go by the driveway while the latter goes inside and makes the alarm sounds when something activates the sensor. If you’re planning to expand your security system sometime soon, you need to consider the placement of your extra sensors or receivers. It’s always more economical to add new units to an existing system rather than buying a brand new one.
If you want to save a lot of money, always consider the range before you buy. A recommended system should have at least 100’ more than what you intend to use. If you’re living in a heavily-wooded area, you need to buy a system that has around 500’ range or more.
Getting a system with this range is also applicable if you intend for it to go through more than one building. With this, you’re guaranteed to have a wireless signal that goes through the receivers. Remember, a weak signal means the sensor might not have the means of sending the motion to the receiver.
2. What is Its Type of Sensor?
The vast majority of driveway alarms use passive infrared sensors (PIR).
The main reason customers love alarms that use PIR sensors is due to its accuracy. It offers a wider field of view without compromising its ability to detect anything that moves. It doesn’t matter whether it’s vehicles, humans, or large animals.
PIR driveway alarms are also great since they’re cost-effective. It’s especially the case when your setup needs a lot of sensors paired with receivers. But that doesn’t mean that this type of sensor applies to all situations.
Some applications need different sensor types to make it easier for your system to protect your driveway. For example, if you’re looking to let the alarm pick up vehicle traffic alone, you need metal-detecting sensors. If you need a large perimeter that covers around 300’, you’ll need break-beam sensors.
Is your home near a lot of people? If so, rubber hose sensors are more ideal since a PIR sensor will be too busy.
3. What Additional Features Does the Alarm Have?
The first two questions will make the greatest impact in narrowing down your choices. As soon as you have an idea of the type of sensor and range of your ideal alarm, you need to look deeper into its additional features. Look at them and check out which ones are desirable in your situation, ensuring that it enhances your alarm capabilities.
For example, if you’re tying in existing security or PA system, you should get 12v relay outputs as its additional features. You can get a portable receiver if you want to get more alerts even when you’re outside your home.
Some offer customizable chimes or unique chimes. Some might not sound like a traditional alarm, which is a great option if you don’t want to scare everyone away every time they approach your home.
Do you want to combine functionalities? If so, you can get driveway alarms that double as intercoms. The best way to weigh your options is to look at the product page of your potential choice since all additional features will be there.
4. What Kind of Notifications Does It Have?
If you’re buying a driveway alarm, you need to ask yourself whether the alarm should detect all movement. This includes cars, animals, and people. Weigh your options and check which alarm will work best in solving your problems.
You should also remember that the alarms will have different levels of sophistication. That means your alarm should know the difference between all these movements. The best ones can allow you to set a distinct alarm sound for each possible intruder type.
5. How Long is Its Battery Life?
It’s often more convenient for you if your alarm’s batteries won’t need charging that much. It’s cheaper, so ensure that you know the battery life of the driveway alarms on your shortlist. You have access to a gold mine of information, the internet, so make sure to do your research.
If you’re not sure what to pick, you can always ask professionals. Make sure to ask about the battery’s real-world battery life. Let them explain whether its systems live up to their advertised specifications.
6. How Easy is Its Installation Process?
Last, but not the least, ask whether the alarm is installable without professional help. If you get one that’s easy to use and install, you won’t have to pay electricians or contractors. Take note, high-quality alarm systems can have lots of advanced features, but they shouldn’t be hard to understand.
One of the main selling points of alarms is their user-friendly functions. Take that into account before committing to a system.
Get the Best Wireless Driveway Alarm Today!
There are lots of brands out there, but you can narrow them down using these questions. Always strive to look for the proper range, sensor type, and additional features. That way, you’ll learn the best wireless driveway alarm for your premises.
Follow these questions, and you’ll be confident that you chose well. You can also contact us today if you’re wondering what alarm system suits your needs. We have lots of products that can help to secure your home.
FREE FAKE SECURITY CAMERA WITH ORDER OF ANY SET