Cases of theft and burglary in homes are on the rise.
Due to this, more people are being forced to install advanced home security systems.
Home security alarms are a good examples of these systems.
Alarm systems are basically designed to alert people if there is a break in.
They have three main parts: Sensor, main control unit and siren.
Each part plays a specific role and has to be connected to the other parts during installation so that the system can work effectively.
The sensor is the part of the system that is designed to detect if anyone is trying to break in.
It does this by measurement of different physical quantities such as displacement, temperature and noise among others.
In order for sensors to work efficiently, they are fixed in different parts of the house such as the ceiling, corners, doors, windows and disguised objects.
Examples of sensors are microwave detectors, ultrasonic detectors, infra-red detectors, magnetic contacts and sound detectors among others.
The main control unit is another important part the system.
It is the one that coordinates the whole system.
Signals form the sensors are sent to the main control unit where they are processed using predefined procedures and instruction and then relayed to the siren device.
There is a control panel that is normally fitted onto the main control unit.
It is used to arm or disarm the alarm and enter other commands into the system.
It is through the control panel that one can control the operations of the system.
Finally, there is the siren.
This device is designed to alert people in case someone tries to break in.
It does this by producing a very loud sound that attracts the attention of people.
It is fitted with a strobe light which lights when the alarm is triggered and is usually installed outside where everyone can see it.
This puts off any burglars from making any attempt to break in.
These parts need to be connected to each other.
There are two ways through which this can be done.
The first one is the wireless connection.
This form of connection relies on radio waves for transmission of signals between the different parts of the system.
Installation is quite easy since no wires are required.
Instead, transmitters and receivers are used to send and receive the radio waves respectively.
It makes alarm systems undetectable therefore minimizing cases of forced disarming of the system.
The second way is the hardwire connection.
Wires are used to transmit signals in this type of connection.
The wires must be neatly attached to the wall so as to make them inconspicuous.
This prevents burglars from disarming the system by cutting the wires.
When using this mode of connection, location of the different parts of the system is determined by the length of the wire.
Therefore very long wires must be used if the area being served by the system is huge.
Use of home security alarms has for a long time been viewed as a luxury that only the rich can afford.
However, this is currently changing and the systems are quickly gaining popularity because they are an efficient and reliable way to ensure that your property is safe.