What are the components in a home alarm system?

Home alarm systems: Its Components

There a many different home alarm systems on the market today. And technology keeps getting better all the time. But what exactly does a home security alarm entail? Here we will take a look at the different components involved in a standard home alarm system.

Main control board

The main control board of any of the home alarm systems is the brains of the operation. This unit reads the signals from all the individual components and acts accordingly. Some are very simple and just set off the alarm while others can call the police or fire station on your behalf.  It usually consists of a key pad to enter the alarm codes to arm or disarm the system.

Door and window sensors

The door and window sensors all the home alarm systems consist of either open or closed circuit modules. These can also be installed to tell if glass is broken. The way these work is, if the window or door is opened, it breaks a circuit thus sending a signal to the control panel that something is wrong.  These are often a button that is held in by the pressure of the closed window or door. When the portal is opened, it releases the button. This breaks the circuit.

Interior motion sensors

Interior motion detectors are used to detect and track the movements of a person inside of the home. Home alarm systems that incorporate motion detectors use a number of different types. Some of the different types are radar based, infrared and photo sensors. The radar based sensors emit a burst of energy and read the reflection of that burst. If the burst reflection hits a person or object it will come back scattered and disrupted. This lets the sensor know that something or someone is in the way and it will, in turn, tell the control panel that something is wrong.

The photo based sensors are the ones seen in a lot of movies. These systems use a beam of light. When someone or something crosses the beam, it will break the circuit setting off the alarm.

The most sophisticated of the sensors is the infrared motion sensor.  Infrared readers read the infrared spectrum or heat signature of an area. When someone is in the area the temperature for that area gets warmer, telling the sensor that there is someone there.

Bells and whistles

None of the home alarm systems would be complete without the alarm itself. This is typically a set of speakers that emit a loud noise. However, some of the more high tech systems can also turn on flashing outdoor lights to alert police and neighbors.  They can even call the authorities like police and fire personnel for you.

Cameras

Cameras are often installed so you, the homeowner, can see what is going on. Today you can even have these cameras available on your cell phone or the internet. Ever wonder what the baby sitter was doing?

The field of home alarm systems is growing rapidly. As technology makes advancements, so do the products that are available to consumers. Today, we have cameras and alarms we can operate from anywhere. Perhaps tomorrow the house will arrest and detain the burglar for us.