Showing posts with label home security. Show all posts
Showing posts with label home security. Show all posts

Tuesday, April 18, 2023

Reviewing Window And Door Alarms For Affordable Home Security


Window Alarm


We have been looking for how to increase our home security recently. While not in a high crime area, it only seems sensible to do what we can to protect our home and ourselves just in case. 

We can't afford to put in a complete home security system that links to the Police at present and do not want to invest in anything too expensive as we will likely be moving house in the next couple of years, so we are considering and installing more affordable alternatives. 


Window Alarms For Home Security

Our friend recently went to a talk by security and the police to gain ideas and discussed them with us. One of the main things the Police suggested was to make sure windows have window locks and to always keep doors and windows locked while not in the house. 

When in the house it is also best to keep all external doors locked. At night make sure that all windows on lower levels are shut and locked.

Doors need to be secure and fit well with any glass being safety-reinforced or toughened glass.

One of the other recommendations was to fix door and window alarms.

The idea of window alarms is that most burglars want to do the crime as quietly as possible while not alerting anyone to their actions. The Police said it is surprising how quietly thieves can access a window that is not alarmed.

Of course, a professional or very determined burglar wanting a priceless painting or specific expensive jewelry will never be deterred. However, we and most people don't have those things and here we are talking about the opportunist thieves who carry out most household burglaries, casual or amateur burglars looking for easy gain.


Open Window With Alarm

If we fit these alarms it is essential that we notify trusted neighbours so that they recognise the sound and can look out to see if there is anyone around -while keeping themselves safe of course- and then call the Police if they see anyone lurking around or any signs of attempted entry. 

All too often house alarms sound and everyone ignores them thinking they are going off by mistake so this step with neighbours is essential. Of course, we reciprocate with them and keep a watch on their homes. 

In addition, the good aspect of window alarms is that when we are at home at night and one of the alarms goes off because of a thief or attacker entering, there will be time to lock ourselves in a room and call for assistance. The noise may even deter the burglar from bothering.    

However, the Police said that most crimes take place during the day when they think you are out. I am not sure why but I always assumed crime would take place at night but apparently, with burglaries that is not generally the case. 

It is of course essential that we also have window locks on all windows and ideally double glazed with toughened safety glass on at least the most vulnerable windows. An active neighbourhood community watch on each others homes is of course a real bonus.


window alarm

 Fitting A Window Or Door Alarm

The window alarms we bought are very discreet and simple to set up and use. They are relatively small but do sound a very loud alarm. 

All you need to do is fix the adhesive strips to the two main parts of the alarm. Then position lightly, one on the fixed window frame and one on the mobile window. 

Do make sure the little arrows if they have them point to each other. You do have to make sure that the two parts of the alarm are within a specified distance of each other otherwise it will not work.

Once they are in place lightly fixed, you can test them simply by switching to alarm and then opening the window or door. Then if working well you can firmly press on the alarm parts to fix it securely. 

They are fitted to the inside of the window itself and the frame of the internal window. They are very secure and ours have never just dropped off. As they fit so firmly you would need to take them off carefully but that would be possible if required. 

There is no wiring required, no drilling or screws and no damage to the windows or the frame. If you wanted to you could take them off when you move house so ideal if you are renting a house or likely to move soon. This was a big plus for us. 

There are three settings on ours off, alarm and bleep. When the seal between them is broken for example by an attempt to prise open the window, or force exerted against the door, the alarm or bleep sounds. 

  

      
As they do fit so discreetly and on the inside of the windows you cannot see them from outside, so if they are to act as a deterrent it is also worthwhile buying a few stickers that alert people to the fact that you have window or door alarms fitted. Some alarms come with stickers, while others do not.
       

Reasons For Fitting A Window Or Door Alarm

  • Our main reason for getting them is as a deterrent and an alert, so ours are all set to alarm when the windows are closed.
  • Some people have said that the quieter but distinctive bleep setting is invaluable for use on doors when they have small children or elderly, vulnerable relatives who might leave a door open or wander out the door when they should not. The noise alerts them to a door being opened. 
  • They can be useful for small businesses when you just want an inexpensive easy to fix way to alert you to a customer entering your premises for business. Clearly then you would look for an alarm with a bleep setting. A full loud alarm setting is useful for when you are leaving and locking the premises. 
  • People may find them useful to fix up when traveling and staying over in motels for added peace of mind in a new or strange place. Perhaps fit them lightly in these circumstances as you are removing them very soon. Check with owner to make sure it is Ok to fix them. 
  • They could be useful for students going away to University and living in halls or a flat. Check with the University first. 
  • People are also using them when traveling in their RVs or Caravans for a security measure. 

window alarm


Testing The Alarm

The alarm noise setting ought to be very loud and when testing the alarm as you will be very close. It is wise to either put it on the lowest noise setting if it has one, or cover the alarm part with a cloth to dampen down the noise or wear ear defenders.

Certainly do not stay near the alarm while it is going off for any length of time, as over time hearing can be damaged. 

It is important to test the alarms every so often, maybe once a month. If it has batteries they will need replacing after a while. The length of battery time you get from the battery may depend on if the alarms have been sounded often or not.  

 

            

At first, we were concerned that they would be too sensitive and that we would get lots of annoying false alarms but that has not been the case with ours. The window cleaner also did not set them off when he cleaned the windows. 

So it appears that with ours there has to be some force exerted to initiate the alarms. This is good for us as we have neighbours living close to us and we did not want to be annoying them or have lots of false alarms. A more rural or isolated location may not have these concerns. Some are very sensitive indeed and may or may not suit your needs. 


Features Of Window Alarms To Consider 

There are various window alarms with slightly different features. It depends on what is important to you personally and why you are using the alarms. 

Here are some features to consider whether or not they are important to you when choosing a window/door alarm. 

  • Does it have a high/low sensitivity feature and is that important to you?
  • What are the alarm sound or sounds options such as a high pitched alarm sound or bleep noise.
  • The length of time the alarm sounds may be important to you whether it is continuous until stopped, lasts only 60 seconds or repeats.
  • Do you need to switch it off manually or does it have a remote control? 
  • Does it include warning stickers or do you will need or want to buy these separately?  
  • We went for the system where the alarm has two parts you fix to the window and the frame but there are also alarms that are just one part that stick to the window pane itself, which is another option. 
  • Do check how easy or difficult they are to remove once in position, especially those you stick to the window pane glass itself and if you know you will need to remove it for moving or because you are renting. 
  • Some like the one below have a blinking light feature to alert would be burglars to its presence. 

 

My experience is with very simple affordable manual window/door alarms, but you can also buy ones that link to wifi, phone app alerts and many other features that you may be interested in considering. 

What it has given us is a little extra peace of mind. It is not and should not be the only home security measure we utilise, but it does give another layer of protection and security.


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Tuesday, November 15, 2022

Reviewing The Benefits Of Battery Motion Sensor Lights

 

Sensor Lights

 

We have had these portable battery-operated motion sensor lights for about a year now and I can say that we are so happy to have these useful lights. We have the Beams ones which we are happy with, but there are many choices depending on your needs. 

Essentially they are battery-powered lights that come on automatically when they sense movement. They stay on as long as movement is detected then quickly go off if all is still. 

They have a bright white light and for their size do give out a surprisingly useful reassuring beam of light. 


Sensor Lights
Palm-sized battery Motion Sensor Light


We have found the batteries to last a very long time with our usage.

They only come on when motion is detected and go off again quite quickly if there is no movement detected so they do not use up the battery quickly. 

They are not large and easily fit on a table, sideboard, kitchen sink, or window ledge.

We find them very light and easy to carry around in the palm of your hand. 

You can easily move them from place to place and comfortably carry one or two around with you to light the way.


Sensor Lights

 

We are used to having electrical lights whenever we need them. However, there are many potential occasions when these electric lights may fail, for example, a power cut or outage whether it is planned or sudden, storm damage or simply running out of replacement bulbs for the main light.

Some of these lights are designed for indoor use only or indoor/outdoor and some are especially suited for outdoor use and can be fixed securely to buildings so do check descriptions carefully so you get the right ones for your needs. It is probably best to have a variety to be prepared. 

Some lights you can place on a surface or stick onto a surface or have the option to be fixed more permanently, so check what suits you best. 

Keeping a few battery-powered lights around can be a real help when electrical lights fail for whatever reason. We can use candles of course but while they are lovely for a romantic meal,  I do question the safety of flames in a blackout situation and especially where older people, children and pets are around.  So we prefer to use these portable lights. 

 

Sensor Lights
Photo showing size of motion sensor lights against a coffee mug


Uses For Portable Motion Sensor Battery Lights

We have personally found many uses for them including the following.

In the hallway so that at night we do not need to switch on the main lights just to walk to the bathroom.

In the garden patio in order to light up the garden area near the house.

On the floor by the skirting board when we thought we had mice to see if any were actually around! If they ran past the light it would come on. 

On the porch where we do not have an electrical light to help when we returned home in the dark and for the postie and milk delivery to be able to see better in the early dawn 

They were very handy when there was a power cut as we had them on the stairs and hallway, living room, kitchen and bedroom to easily light our way and keep us safe from trips or falls. 

We also had a couple to carry around in the power cut as they are much safer than candles and more effective with a good strong beam of light. 

In event of a power cut or if you do not have outside lights it is useful to position a couple so that if you need to go to the bins or let the dog/cat out in the dark there is some useful light. 

Keep one or two in the car so that in the event of a breakdown or emergency, you will have some light. 


 

Further Benefits Of Motion Sensor Battery Operated Lights

We also think they are very useful and have real benefits for the following situations. 


For Elderly relatives or vulnerable people to position around the home permanently so that even if the lights are not on or they forget to turn lights on or have a power cut or outage they have light automatically. I do feel this is crucial to help prevent trips and falls and the worry that comes with darkness. 


Children to have them in their rooms or in the hallway so that if they do not turn the lights on or there is an outage during the night they can still move around safely and have some light.


Pets. If your home is in complete darkness it is all too easy to trip up over a dog or cat or any other pet that may be around. With these lights just position a couple on the floor and you will see where your pet is so you can safely avoid him or her. 

 

In a dark closet or wardrobe, cupboard or larder so you can instantly see better. 


Security- A wired-in electrical security light system is great when you have electricity. However, if you do not have any installed or if there is a power cut it is good to have a backup system. You can place a portable motion sensor light on a porch or in the patio or window box where it will detect any movement.  I would advise they are kept away from heavy rain though unless they are sold as fully waterproof. Ours which are sold as indoor/outdoor have been fine on a porch and when positioned in a large container and covered by a large waterproof plant pot so just the sensor part is visible.

However, if you want a more permanent backup system or instead of electrical security lights outside, I would think it's best to go for ones that are designed especially for outdoor use and bad weather and can be securely installed. 


 

Where I live we are being advised that there may be periods of blackouts or power cuts this winter and they are expected to last for 3 to 4 hours at a time so these lights will be essential during those times. We are going to set them up in key areas around the home so it is all ready. This will take the stress out of searching for candles or torches when it is pitch dark! 

We do not like to be without lights and I think it can be very dangerous to either try to move around in the dark or equally to carry candles or other light that may be easily flammable. These lights are so portable and give a very useful beam. 

I think these portable battery-operated sensor lights are a very useful household item, but especially if you have older people, children or pets living in your home I think they are essential. 


 


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Thursday, December 1, 2016

1byone Wireless Driveway Alarm Review

Let me tell you about the 1byone Wireless Driveway Alarm that we own and highly recommend to help keep individuals and families safe.

Give the Gift of Home Security for Less Than $20

A few years ago at Christmas, one of our thoughtful sons gave us the gift of a 1byone Wireless Driveway Alarm. Having lived here with us for most of his life, he was well aware that sometimes visitors made it all the way to the porch before we had any idea there was someone walking or even driving down our long, rather secluded driveway. What a great gift idea!

After using the alarm for just a short time, not only were we glad we had it, we knew that we never wanted to be without it. Let me tell you about this wireless driveway alarm that we still own, use every day, and highly recommend.

The brand name of the unit we own is 1byone (one by one) and the cost for the motion sensor detector and the receiver system is less than twenty dollars (currently $15.99 as I type this, price subject to change). Even adding the cost of the batteries needed to power the unit, the word "cheap" comes to mind, but I don't want to give you the idea that this is an inferior product as it certainly is not.

How Does the 1byone Wireless Driveway Alarm Work?


The driveway alarm's weatherproof motion sensor uses passive-infrared (PIR) technology. | ReviewThisReviews.com
On the left is a photo of the weatherproof motion sensor with its passive-infrared (PIR) technology mounted on a tree partway down our long driveway. When a car comes down the driveway, the unit senses both a change in temperature and motion, the light on the unit flashes as it sends a signal to the receiver inside the house, and both the alarm and the light on our unit give us a signal that we should take a look outside to see who or what has set off the alarm.

The driveway alarm's receiver with settings on the sides. | ReviewThisReviews.com
On the right are pictures of the receiver which we keep in a convenient spot on a counter where we can both see it and hear it. The unit is on and, as you can see in the photo on the bottom right, is set in the low volume chime mode. Trust me, "low" is plenty loud enough that we can hear it throughout our entire house. If we used the receiver outdoors, for instance if we moved it to the back porch while we were working in the garden, we might set it to make more noise. In some situations, we might turn off the audible signal altogether and just use the light.

In our situation, one sensor for the driveway and one receiver for the house are all we need. However, the device is expandable so that, if you have more than one driveway or area to cover, you can add on multiple sensors and/or receivers. One reviewer uses a set indoors, with the sensor in a child's bedroom and the receiver in the parents' room, so that they can tell if their toddler gets up during the night. Another reviewer uses a set by the back door so he'll know when the dogs are at the door, ready to come back in for the night. With some creative thinking, perhaps you'll come up with even more great ideas on where to set up your driveway alarm system even if you don't have a driveway!

How Long Will This Inexpensive Alarm System Last?


We received our driveway alarm three years ago and it worked perfectly until about six months ago when, thanks to squirrels (we think), the outside unit became undependable. Rather than replacing just the sensor, I simply ordered an entire new system. As for battery life, we have changed the batteries about once a year.

What About False Alarms From the Motion Detector?


Yes, we occasionally get false alarms. Our sensor is mounted on an oak tree and deer love to eat acorns, so recently, as the acorn crop was plentiful this year, visiting deer set off the alarm on a regular basis. We are aware that deer cross our driveway frequently, so we take that into consideration when checking outside after the alarm sounds. We occasionally notice squirrels in the area, too, and occasionally a neighborhood dog passes by. Neither set off the alarm often enough that we complain. An occasional false alarm from our wildlife neighbors is expected and we're fine with that.

Heat is another factor that affects the sensor and can cause false alarms. It is advised that you don't install the sensor in an area that gets direct sunlight, including near a window that absorbs heat that might set off the alarm.

Occasionally, on a particularly windy day, we turn off the alarm to avoid false alarms from blowing leaves or tree limbs. Living in a wooded area, that is just a factor we have to consider and work around.

Would You Buy This Driveway Alarm Again?


Overall, I'd rather have occasional false alarms than not have the driveway alarm. I've come to depend on it when expecting visitors and, especially, when unexpected visitors or delivery drivers arrive.

I like to know anytime someone is coming or going and since I can't watch outside all the time, and because our trusty watchdog isn't always on duty (lots of naps, you know), I am thankful that the 1byone Wireless Driveway Alarm is always on the job.

So yes, I would buy it again and I definitely recommend it to others who care about keeping themselves and their loved ones safe.

P.S. Just a reminder that a driveway alarm system would make a wonderful gift for someone whose safety you care about. This is one of the most thoughtful gifts we've ever received. 

~Susan
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Posted by Susan Deppner

Susan Deppner

About the Author

Susan Deppner is a baby boomer, a cancer survivor, and a Southerner who believes in the Golden Rule. She enjoys writing about food, faith, and fitness; health, home, and holidays; people, places, pets, and patriotism, and more. Follow Susan on Twitter, Facebook, and Pinterest.




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