Wireless Alarms: Six Good Reasons to Choose a Wireless Security System
So you are considering a wireless alarm security system for your home and amongst the many questions you are likely to ask before buying is, "why should I choose a wireless alarm?" And the answer? Well, the traditional method of protecting a property has been by using a hard wired system, but with the advances in technology wireless alarms are becoming increasingly more reliable and cost effective and consequently, more popular. We believe there are six good reasons for choosing a wireless alarm as your home or small business security system.
Aesthetics - no need to drill through walls and no unsightly cable or wiring
Easily Installed - no skill or experience required. A good DIY project
Less Expensive than Monitored systems - no ongoing annual fees
Reliability - Systems built to British/European Standards and with the Government approved operating frequency enhance reliability
Easily Expandable - add an extra PIR or detector when ever you like
Portable - Take your wireless alarm with you when you move house or leave student accommodation
Now let's look into each one of these in more detail:
Aesthetics. The main, and probably the most obvious benefit to having a wireless alarm system is that you don't have to drill holes through walls and run unsightly cable around the house. The only time that a wired security system should be considered is when the property is being built and the facilities for a wired system can be installed during the first fix process and hidden away in the same way as your electricity cables for lighting and heating are tucked away between the walls and floors. After that, any wiring will appear on top of the walls and whilst it can be covered it can never be completely hidden.
Easily installed. Hard wired systems need you to be proficient in using 6, 8 or even 12 multi-core, colour-coded cable that run between the various detectors and the control panel. Now that's not everybody's cup of tea. The beauty of a wireless alarm is that it can be installed by almost anybody. The detectors can easily be positioned in rooms, hallways, the garage and even the shed with simple fixings. After that the detectors "talk" to the control panel using a radio frequency - and that's it. For added reliability it is strongly recommended that the wireless alarm you choose operates on the new Government allocated 868 MHz frequency.
Less expensive than a monitored system. When comparing a wireless alarm system with a monitored alarm system one of the areas to consider is cost. To install a fully monitored alarm from an alarm company will cost in the region of £450 to install plus £150 per year for monitoring and maintenance. A good quality wireless alarm costs about £250 and has no other costs associated with it. And the beauty of these types of wireless alarms is that they have a built in voice dialler. In the event of an activation at your property it will automatically dial a set of telephone numbers that you have pre-programmed into it. It will keep dialling the numbers until it gets an answer, and when it does it plays a pre-recorded message to advise the person answering of the situation. Now the telephone numbers you choose could be anything i.e. your work number, your mobile number or perhaps even better, a neighbour or friend who lives close by and who can respond immediately to the cause of the activation.
Reliability. In the past, lack of reliability was the stick used to beat the wireless alarm companies about the head (usually ajax alarmes by companies selling hard wired systems!!). Unfortunately, there are still some wireless systems that shouldn't be touched with a barge pole - usually imported by the thousands and sold cheaply at car boot sales and the like. To get past this issue and to ensure you purchase a reliable system it is strongly recommended that the wireless alarm system you choose comes up to European Standards or the old British Standard (BS6799,) and operates on the Governments approved 868 MHz frequency.
Easily Expandable. Because each PIR, magnetic contact or other device in a wireless alarm system "talks" directly to the main control panel it is easy to install extra detectors. For instance, once you've set up your wireless alarm in your house you may decide that you want to protect your shed at the bottom of the garden - after all garden theft is big business. Well, with a wireless alarm you can easily obtain another PIR or magnetic contact and fix it to the shed and programme it into the home wireless security system - as easy as that. No wires or armoured cabling required. Certain companies even allow you to add cameras so you can see and record an offender.
Portable. Another major benefit of a wireless alarm is that it is portable. Because it isn't hard wired you can move the various detectors around the house and when you move house you can take the whole security system with you. No alarm company contracts to break and no negotiating with the new owners. Just remove the various components from the walls and doors, pack them away and set them up in your new house - simple. This is particularly useful for students or those living in rented accommodation where you do not own the property.
And so, a wireless alarm has the ability to provide the security and peace of mind you need for yourself and for your family, but it is still important to discover which security system is best for your needs. It is therefore recommended you compare the specifications and prices of wireless alarm systems from different manufacturers before you buy.
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