Driveway Alarms

You have seconds to react once an intruder is in your house. Most home security only alerts you or a monitor when the house is actually invaded. Are two seconds all you need to respond? Or do you want more time? The best security strategy is to have the earliest warning possible. You cannot realistically monitor the highway, but you can reasonably and affordably monitor your driveway. Driveway alarms provide you with a reliable early warning system.

While window and door alarms are an indispensable part of home security, the ideal system alerts you before the intruder even touches a door or window. Burglars prefer places that allow for easy and noiseless entrances. By putting motion detectors and alarms and lights on the driveway, a burglar is more than likely going to say “No, thank you” and by-pass your house for an easier target.

Driveway alarms are convenient because they are early warning systems. The responses they give will vary according to what you want them to do. Very simply, you may want them to alert you and do nothing more. And they will. They can, however, be easily connected to your home security system and alert a monitoring service as well as yourself. With monitoring, the system will guarantee help is on the way if you need it.

Driveway alarms come in two parts: a receiver and a transmitter. The receiver notifies you by sounding an alarm inside of it when the transmitter has picked anything up. The transmitter – your outpost – detects and sends a warning to your receiver that activates the alarm. The transmitter is designed to be weatherproof. It is also takes a 9-volt battery that needs to be changed once or twice a year. This guarantees a permanent eye on the driveway.

You can choose between wireless and hardwired. I actually prefer wireless because of the ease of installation and maneuverability of the system. For a tamper-proof hardwired transmitter, you will need to measure the wire, dig a trench, and connect and bury the wire. Once in place, a hardwired is more or less permanently set. A wireless system can be moved from place to place and requires no digging. After attaching the transmitter to a post, mailbox, or tree, the wireless is good to go. One concern of the wireless is distance. A wireless definitely cannot transmit as far as a hardwired can. But, how long is your driveway? Since most driveways are not runways, a wireless system generally covers the distance quite comfortably. Sometimes they, depending on the system, will transmit up to 2500 feet.

Infrared or motion detection technology operates most driveway alarms. The one problem they have is wildlife. While there are systems that can differentiate between a car, a human, and a pet; a larger animal, such as a deer or buffalo, will be seen as a human or car and will activate the system. You might want to consider a different system, whether it is the old hose-on-the-road or magnetometer sensor, based on the wildlife activity in your area. Both of these systems are design especially for vehicles. The magnetometer sensor is activated by the presence of a large mass of metal, such as vehicles. It will not detect humans or animals. And so, if your intruder decides to walk, an infrared or motion detector may be more reliable.

What makes the driveway alarms even more reliable are the various gadgets you can attach to them. Motion detectors, besides sounding alarms or alerting the monitoring agencies, can activate lights in the driveway or in the house. Imagine the surprise the burglar will experience when he steps on your property only be put in the spot light. To top it off, you can even connect an intercom system to your driveway. Nothing will scare the stealthy intruder like a hearty welcome from the owner.

Timers also assist in making your driveway alarm respond to your needs. With a timer, you can set the system to arm itself at specific times in the day or night. There is no need to write a memo to yourself to turn on the system at 9:34:30 pm when a timer can easily do the job 24/7.

Regardless of who is driving or walking up your drive, you can monitor with a driveway alarm the progress your in-laws or other intruders are making on your house. Remember, home security begins at your borders.

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