

Burglar alarms can be found in homes and offices across the UK. Look closely and you’ll spot the tell-tale control panels or sensors when you visit other people’s homes. But have you ever wondered how these mysterious alarm systems know when there’s an intruder in your home, or how the alarm knows when to go off? Ok, you might have only wondered that when you first had them installed, but it’s always a good idea to know how the devices in your home work, and burglar alarms are no exception. So today, we’re going to tell you how they work, and if they are effective in reducing burglaries.
How Do Burglar Alarms Work?
The purpose of a burglar alarm is to sound an alarm when movement is detected within your home while the alarm is set. They are generally made up of a central control panel and a number of sensors, strategically placed around your home. When the system is installed, the installers will place these sensors in areas of your home where people are most likely to enter the property. This includes places like:
- Back doors
- front doors
- Conservatories
- Ground floor rooms with windows
Depending on the type of system you have installed you can also add in window sensors, which trigger the alarm when a window is opened. Once the alarm is set, these motion sensors will be activated, and any movement will trigger the alarm. The alarm will sound from the main control panel until it’s disabled, either by putting in the code or via remote disable. Along with the internal alarm system, you will also have an alarm box fitted to the side of your home. This not only links the whole system together but acts as a deterrent for burglars.
How Effective Are Burglar Alarms?
There’s a lot of debate about how effective burglar alarms are, especially when it comes to deterring burglars. Some people think they aren’t that useful, and that burglars will attempt to break in regardless. Others think that due to the prevalence of ‘false’ alarm boxes on houses, the real thing isn’t much of a deferent to a determined burglar. However, the facts don’t lie. A visible burglar alarm on a home has been proven to deter break-ins.
Of course, there are some who think that burglars aren’t afraid of alarms going off because most people ignore them. But this couldn’t be further from the truth. A survey conducted by security Alarms asked a pool of 1000 people what they do when they hear a neighbour’s alarm going off. The responses are quite interesting:
- 42% of respondents said they would look out of the window to see what was happening and check for a problem.
- 19% said they would go and investigate.
- 33% would do nothing.
- 6% would call the police.
So while it’s not perfect the vast majority of people would take some action if they heard a neighbour’s alarm going off. These numbers go up when alarms are combined with other security measures like motion-activated lights or CCTV.
Are Burglar Alarms Worth It?
Overall, yes! Burglar alarms are an incredibly effective way of preventing burglaries at home and at work. While they don’t stop burglaries in their own right, they do provide enough of a deterrent to put off most burglars and send them looking for less protected homes. Having an alarm system installed can also reduce the cost of your insurance in many circumstances too. Sure, some insurers might be a bit fussy about the type of alarm you have installed, but overall, it’s worth it.
At Securifix, we provide homeowners and businesses with a wide range of security solutions, each tailored to meet your unique needs. That includes burglar alarms! We supply, fit and service a wide range of burglar alarms in all different styles, so we know that we have something right for you. For more information, or to book your free, no-obligation consultation and security review, just get in touch with the team at Security today.