Security For My Home

An alarm system can be an intimidating thing to understand.  A very helpful way to think about a system is to consider its various parts.  Essentially every alarm system is comprised of three parts – the control panel, the sensors, and the alerts (alarms).  They work together as follows: the sensor is the point at which the system is triggered.  Once triggered, the sensor sends a message to the control panel, which in turn sends out the predetermined alert.

Control Panel

The control panel is the brains of the security system.  The control panel, as the name suggests, controls the system.  It receives the signals from the various sensors (see below) and then sends out the predetermined alerts.  The means of controlling the panel is primarily the keypad.  Sometimes a key fob is provided to very easily and quickly control the system. This allows the system to be activated, deactivated, or delayed.

Sensors

The sensors are the part of the system that detect whatever may be the potential problem.  The basic security system includes motion, door, and window sensors.  Motion sensors are designed to detect movement inside and/or outside the house. Door and window sensors send an alert with a door or window is opened.  In the case of glass break sensors, the signal is activated by shock.

Sensors come in various types and are designed to sense a variety of potential threats:

Motion

Door or window opened

Glass breakage

Smoke

Carbon Monoxide

Alerts

Ok, this isn’t really a part of the system, it is what the system does.  Once a sensor has been triggered, a signal is sent to the control panel at which point an alert of some predetermined type is sent.  For instance, a siren might be sounded, a telephone call may be made (to the police department or your cell phone), a light may turn on, or the alert may be a chime or beep.

How the various parts of the system work together is determined the particular needs of the security system installed.