As burglar alarms design and installation specialists in the UK, we spend considerable time discussing and recommending an ideal type of burglar alarm sensor for each area we wish to protect in a property. So here goes our most comprehensive list of burglar alarm sensors, how they work, when and where to fit them, and when not to use them.

Burglar Alarm Sensors can be broadly classified into standard or regular-use sensors, specialist sensors, and external sensors.

Here’s a detailed list of the most commonly used types of burglar alarm sensors.

Standard Sensors

1.     Motion Sensors

The most popular solution for intruder detection is a motion sensor, also known as PIR (Passive InfraRed) detector.

A standard motion detector is the cheapest way to protect a typical room with multiple entry points like doors and windows compared to individual protection for each entry point.

How does a motion sensor work?

PIR-based Motion Detection detects infrared energy emitted by objects (humans and animals) in the form of heat. PIR motion sensors are small, inexpensive, low-power, easy to use, and don’t wear out. Most PIR detectors cover a 90-degrees to 150-degree range, so they are recommended to be mounted on the corner of a wall where possible. They also work well day and night as infrared energy is detected irrespective of light. Once a motion sensor detects movement, the control panel will be notified of the movement.

Recommendations for motion sensors

1. PIR detectors are to be mounted, facing key entry points like windows and doors, at 1.8m to 2.5m height depending on the make and manufacturer’s specifications.
2. It is recommended to have motion sensors in every room on the property with direct access from outside. So have motion sensors fitted on all ground floor rooms, including hallways and lobbies.
3. You would only require one motion sensor per room unless the rooms are substantially bigger or you have parallel doors or windows which cannot be covered by a single sensor, like a through lounge.

Maintaining Motion Sensors

Your motion sensors are relatively easy to maintain. They have batteries in them that are changed on service visits. Most professional grade alarms will notify the control panel if they have any faults. Common motion sensor faults include low battery warnings, tamper warnings, supervision loss, and damages caused by cleaning around them and knocking them.

2.     Magnetic Door Contact

Magnetic contact, also known as door contact or window contact, is the second most popular alarm detection device. As its alternative name suggests, it is commonly used to protect the most commonly used entry points – doors and windows.  It consists of 2 parts. A smaller magnetic piece and a typically slightly larger unit with the other magnetic piece and electronic components allow it to communicate with the control panel.

How does a magnetic door contact work?

The two separate units of magnetic door contacts are fitted on the door/ windows and its frame, so when the door/ window is closed, the two pieces sit next to each other, engaging its magnetic field. If the door is forced open, the magnetic field is disturbed, and the contact will notify the contract panel.

Recommendations for door contacts

1. Every alarm must have a magnetic contact for the main entrance – front door. When the system is ‘armed away’ or ‘fully armed,’ it is usually programmed to give a timer delay (usually 30 to 45 seconds) to enter the property and disarm the system. When the system is in an ‘armed home’ ‘part arm’ state at night, the same door contact will be programmed to set the alarm off instantly if someone tries to open the door and break in.
2. It is also recommended to have door contacts fitted for every external door of the property for the following reasons.
   • Most break-ins happen through the front or back doors, and a door contact offers effective perimeter protection before someone enters the building.
   • You cannot turn on a burglar alarm with any of the external doors left open.  Door contacts on every door are the easiest way to ensure all doors are closed before you leave the property.

Recommendations for door contacts

Your burglar alarm door contacts are relatively easy to maintain. They have batteries in them that are changed on service visits. Most professional grade alarms will notify the control panel if they have any faults. Common door contact faults include low battery warnings, tamper warnings, supervision loss, and the more embarrassing door contact falling off the door – often caused by humidity or slamming the door.

3.     Pet-friendly Motion Sensors

Pet-friendly motion sensors are motion sensors that are designed to ignore the movements of pets when the burglar alarm is armed so false alarms can be avoided.

How does a pet-friendly motion sensor work?

Most professional alarm manufacturers create pet immune filters to cover the PIR sensors, so they can ignore heat detected by smaller animals. Most burglar alarm sensors work well with pets up to 38 kilos.

There are also pet-friendly PIRs that simply mask the lower part of the detector to ignore the movements on the floor completely. These tend to work only with smaller pets (typically up to 20 kilograms), the pets that stay in-ground and do not climb on furniture and windows.

Obviously, the first category of sensors is better, and the second category does not work well if you have active or large dogs and most definitely not with cats, as they love to climb on furniture.  

Other factors affecting the performance of pet sensors are the size of the room it has to cover, the type and size of the furniture, and your pets (numbers, size, and how active they are, etc.) And please be warned, as many secret recordings have proved, your pets can behave very differently when you are away.

It is best to seek advice from professional engineers to decide if a pet-friendly sensor is suitable for the room, as sometimes it is better to go for perimeter protection to make sure you do not get false alarms.

Recommendations for pet-friendly motion sensors

1. Location and angle or sensors must depend on the size of the room, entry points they are designed to protect, furniture, and windows your pets could climb on.
2. Pets have secret lives! So, do not assume your pets only go to certain rooms or only climb on certain chairs, etc. Pets tend to behave very differently when you are not home.
3. If in doubt, and if your security installer advises you, opt for perimeter protection using magnetic contacts, curtain detectors, and shock detectors. Pet-friendly motion sensors in large rooms and rooms where large furniture is in place are a hotbed for false alarms.
4. Consider how large and how active your cat or dog will be in a few years (a month’s time in some cases) when you plan for your home security with the alarm engineer.
5. Are you planning to build extensions or make internal layout changes? Discuss the plans for designing the system so costly replacements and amendments can be avoided.

Maintaining Pet-Friendly Motion Sensors

Your pet-friendly motion sensors are just like standard motion sensors and are maintained just the same. They may require more frequent battery changes, as with pets roaming around, the sensors are more active than a standard sensor.

4.     Shock Sensors

Shock sensors, also known as vibration detectors, as the name suggests, are designed to trigger alarms when they detect shockwaves when windows or doors are broken into. This allows the shock detector to send an alert to the control panel to trigger the alarm.

Shock detectors are ideal for use in windows and sliding doors that are at higher risk of a break-in. So, locations include back or side patio doors, sliding doors, and all windows with direct access from outside.

Recommendations for shock sensors

1. If the make and model of the shock sensor allow it, adjust shock sensitivity based on the make, location, type, and size of the window/ door it is fitted to.
2. Shock sensors are ideal for perimeter protection, so use them if you have large or active pets and wish to arm the system while inside the house.

Maintaining Shock Sensors

Your burglar alarm shock sensors contain batteries that need changing during service visits. Most professional grade alarms will notify the control panel if they have any faults. Common shock sensor faults include low battery warnings, tamper warnings, supervision loss, and false alarms caused by external parameters.

5. Curtain Sensors

A curtain sensor is a type of motion detector that is specifically designed to be installed near a window and uses infrared or other technology to detect changes in the movement of the curtains or when an intruder enters through an open window.

How does a Curtain Sensor work?

The curtain sensor creates an imaginary wall and when it is disturbed, the sensor will trigger an alarm, alerting the homeowner or security system of potential intruder activity. This type of sensor is particularly useful for preventing burglaries through windows, as it can detect even subtle movements of the curtains.

Recommendations for Curtain Sensor

1. Ideal for use in the bedroom and other first-floor windows which can be accessed easily from flat-roof areas, balconies, or single-story extensions.
2. Any bedroom window that you wish to protect when your alarm is armed in part-set (homestay) mode/ partition.

Maintaining Curtain Sensors

Curtain sensors require regular check-ups, testing sensors, periodic battery replacement, and sensitivity adjustment where possible.

Specialist Sensors

When it comes to specialist sensors to serve specific purposes and protection on your property, here are the types of sensors you might be looking for.

1.     Camera Motion Sensors

The camera motion sensor is also a PIR sensor used along with CCTV cameras to detect motion. These sensors work like the PIR motion sensors alarms and detect any motion by measuring the heat emitted from different objects around them.

However, there are other types of motion alarm sensors for cameras as well. It includes the dual technology sensor and microwave occupy sensor that works on more complicated algorithms and technology.

How Does a Camera Motion Sensor Work?

A camera motion sensor will record only when there is motion around. It will save energy and bandwidth. Some camera sensors take multiple pictures and send them to the alarm’s smartphone which can play into an app.

Recommendation For Camera Motion Sensors

1. In some camera motion detectors, you can adjust the sensitivity level at the time of installation. Doing so will minimize the chances of false alarms and triggers.
2. If you have a large area of land, installing motion sensor cameras around the property perimeter gives you comprehensive protection and safer premises.
3. When choosing the camera motion sensors and detectors, make sure to choose depending on the range, mounts, sensor technology, and ease of installation.

Maintaining Camera Motion Sensors

You will need to maintain the motion sensors camera to protect it from dust and debris. It can not only affect performance by interfering with infrared signals. Therefore, use a microfiber cloth to clean the detector screen once in three months or six months. As these are completely wireless sensors, they also need their batteries regularly changed.

2.     Quad/ Dual Tech Detector

Quad sensors are dual functionality sensors and are one of the most beneficial burglar alarm sensor types. The quad intruder sensors have a combination of passive infrared technology and microwave sensor technology.

The dual-element PIR sensors with digital processing channels in these sensors increase efficiency and accuracy. The mechanism of these detectors is similar to motion sensors but best to be installed in heat rooms, garages, conservatories, or areas of extreme temperature(too hot or too cold).

If we talk about one of the best quad sensors, Visonic’s quad sensor has cutting-edge technology, a fully digital PIR motion detector, and pet immunity. It is compatible with the alarm system wired type.

3.     Glass Breaker Detectors

Glass-break detector sensors are specialized home alarm sensors you can integrate with your security alarm system. When a glass-break detector is installed, the alarm will go off whenever an intruder tries to break a glass window or door. Unlike the traditional security system that is only efficient in detecting an intruder entering the premises, the glass-break detector adds more to the security of your property.

How Does a Glass Breaker Sensor Work?

The acoustic glass-break detectors have in-built microphones that will efficiently detect the sound of glass breaking in your property. Most of the detectors have dual-sound detection that will decrease the chances of false alarms.

The dual-sound detection will detect a low-pitched sound when someone hits the wall and a high-pitched sound of shattering glass. However, these are more complicated sensors that follow a two-step process. The sensor will wake up when the sound amplitude reaches or exceeds a particular level. Then, the sound is analyzed before the alarm goes off to send an alert.

Recommendation For Glass Breaker Sensor

1. Depending on the make and model, you don’t need to install separate sensors for multiple windows, but one sensor has a decent range to cover the most area. However, you will need to consult with your security installer to ensure the product meets the specification.
2. It is recommended to install the sensor in the area of your home with large windows or sliding glass doors with the highest vulnerability to break-ins from wild animals and thieves.
3. Although the specialized service providers will know the optimal place for sensor installation, you should ensure that they install it near the windows and glass doors to increase efficiency.

Maintaining Glass Breaker Sensor

The batteries installed in the glass-break detector will need replacement often as recommended by the manufacturer. In most systems, the device is smart enough to tell you when the battery is low, and you won’t have to keep the check if the battery needs replacement. In case of other errors or problems, you will need to get specialized security providers to service the sensors for you.

4.     Ceiling Sensors

Ceiling motion sensors are a type of occupancy sensor placed in different places on the ceiling. These sensors are capable of detecting occupancy patterns across different sections of the ceiling. The sensors are designed to fit well with the ceiling décor and provide protection unnoticeably.

Ceiling Sensors provide 360-degree coverage of space and can detect the movement of objects even if they are not visible to the naked eye. They are typically installed in areas with high ceilings, such as warehouses, warehouses, and other large buildings, where traditional motion sensors may not be effective.

How Does a Ceiling Sensor Work?

The mechanism of occupancy sensors uses the PIR motion-detecting sensors and will get triggered on any motion within the given range of the detector. If no movement is detected, the space will be determined as unoccupied, and switch off the lights. The wired detector by Visonic is one example of a very accurate, reliable, and false-alarm immune detector.

Recommendation For Ceiling Sensor

1. The ceiling sensors are very accurate with the low-noise dual-element detector and 360 degrees detection. Therefore, ceiling sensors are a great choice for rooms with multiple entry points and windows in parallel walls, saving the need for multiple wall-mounted sensors.
2. When choosing the placement for ceiling sensors, choose the spaces with ceiling heights of 8 to 12 feet. Also, sensors should be mounted at least 6 feet away from HVAC vents.
3. Ensure that the bookshelves, bookcases, and other tall furniture are not preventing the sensor from working efficiently.

Maintaining Ceiling Sensor

Although you will need the services of specialized security system companies to install the house alarm sensors on the property, maintenance of your security system is also necessary. The batteries are pre-installed, but you will need to replace them after a few years.

5. Shock Door Contact

Shock door contacts are magnetic door contacts with built-in shock detectors. Shock door contact sensors are directly installed on the doors and windows.

How Does a Shock Door Contact Sensor Work?

The shock door contact sensors provide dual functionality as magnetic contact and shock detector. Whenever a door is opened, the magnetic reed detects the movement and sends the alert to the system. And if the door is slammed open or broken into, the shock detector will pick up the vibration.

Recommendation For Shock Door Contact Sensors

1. The shock door contact sensors can be installed on windows and doors alike. These sensors are usually installed in the frames of doors and windows, just like a door contact is.
2. You should prefer to choose a dual detector with contact and shock sensors in case of glass doors and windows.
3. They are recommended for the back and side doors, but not the front doors of the property.

Maintaining Shock Door Contact Sensor

The shock door contacts are usually easy to install, but you should choose a vetted security services provider to install the system for the best range and coverage. However, when it comes to maintenance, make sure that the detectors are installed at enough distance to protect from rain, moisture, heat, etc.

6.     Smoke Detectors

Smoke detector sensors are alarm sensors installed on commercial or residential property to detect any fire. The smoke alarms will detect the particles in the air with the smoke detection technologies.

How Do Smoke Detectors Work?

Ionization smoke detection and photoelectric smoke detection are two technologies used in smoke detectors. If we talk about the first one, it is more efficient and responsive than photoelectric detection.

Ionization sensors have safely shielded radioactive material installed that is electrically charged or ionized the air molecules between the metal plates. As a result, the electric current flow between the plates. The particles entering the chamber attract the ions to carry them away, resulting in reduced current. When the particles enter the chamber at a higher rate and block the current flowing, the particles are detected, and the alarm will go off.

When it comes to choosing the right smoke detector, we recommend ionization sensors for your residential properties. These detectors are more responsive and can quickly detect small black soot particles in a smoldering fire. However, the photoelectric ones are more sensitive to large size particles of white or light color.

7.     Heat And Smoke Detectors

The heat and smoke detectors are designed to detect smoke particles, temperature changes (heat detection), and even carbon monoxide levels in your property’s air. The detectors usually have triple smoke, heat, and carbon monoxide sensors.

Heat and Smoke Detector

You can also use stand-alone heat detectors to replace the all-in-one detectors. The stand-alone heat alarms are ideal for installation in the kitchen, where smoke detectors might not be the right fit. The heat detectors react to the temperature change caused by the fire. Please note, some manufacturers only offer smoke and heat sensors, while others only offer heat only detectors

There are rate-of-rise detectors as well as fixed temperature detectors. For instance, if the baseline temperature is reached and the heat rises rapidly, the alarm will go off. If the rise in temperature is more than 15 degrees per minute, the alarm is activated.

8.     Carbon Monoxide Detectors

Carbon monoxide detectors get triggered on the emission of odourless and colourless carbon monoxide, which can be a serious hazard to the lives of occupants. The home’s indoor quality decreases with the release of CO, and it can be a common instance resulting from a stove leak, furnace leak, etc.

The real hazard is the contact of CO with open flame leading to a fire outbreak. Therefore, a carbon monoxide monitoring sensor can help you ensure that your home’s air is safe to breathe and that there are no chances of fire. There are three types of CO sensors: biometric sensors, metal oxide semiconductors, and electrochemical sensors.

The biometric sensors have a gel whose color will change by CO absorption, and the alarm goes off. The second type has a silica chip that detects the CO when electrical resistance is lowered, and the alarm goes off. Finally, electrochemical detectors have electrodes with a chemical solution that detects the electrical current changes due to contact with CO, resulting in an activated alarm.

9.     Flood Detector

Flood detectors are also one type of house alarm sensor to detect any water overflow, leakages, etc., whether at home or away from your property. Having a flood detector on your property is beneficial as water damage is the second highest reason why you might need a home insurance claim.

The best place to install the flood detectors is a basement or specific areas of your home with a probability of water damage. The sensor has two metal prongs at the bottom, which detect water. If there is a water leakage, the prongs get wet, and the alarm activates.  

You will need specialized technicians to assess and install the detectors and connect them to your home alarm system. However, the areas you should consider for flood detectors can be near your laundry area, water heater, crawl spaces, and plumbing fixtures.

External Sensors

Finally, the third category of burglar alarm sensor types is external sensors. External sensors, aka outdoor sensors, are installed, as the name suggests, external to the property to stop intruders in their tracks even before they reach or break into the property. These sensors work on different or similar technologies capable of avoiding external elements that can cause false alarms and are placed in IP-rated weatherproof casings.

1.     External PIR detectors

External PIR detectors are similar to standard PIR detectors and use passive infrared to detect any movement outside your property and activate the alarms in case of unusual movement.

External motion detectors can only be fitted in back gardens and side alleyways and not to front of the property, so to avoid false alarms caused by owners or visitors triggering the alarm by mistake.

2.     External Camera PIR detectors

We already talked about camera motion detectors with PIR technology that activates the camera and starts recording when a movement is observed.

External camera PIR detectors not only allow for the installation of the fully wireless external sensor to pick up movements and trigger the alarm but by having cameras in the sensor when it picks up a burglar’s presence in the perimeter of the property, it will also take pictures. This, in turn, will be sent to your smartphone app to notify the alarm panel, allowing additional options for reaction.

Here, you can check out Visonic’s wireless tower cam PG2, an outdoor PIR motion detector.

3.     External Door Contacts

Similar to internal door contacts, the magnetic technology in external door contacts detects when the door is closed or opened, therefore, alarming you about an intrusion from outside. External weatherproof door contacts are fitted externally on doors, windows, shutter doors, and gates, of residential and commercial properties.

Visonic’s outdoor magnetic contact detector is good with PowerG wireless magnetic contact. Due to its weatherproofing, it provides efficient protection even in severe weather conditions. Besides, it is fully wireless, working on batteries.

External door contacts are excellent for front and side gates, and when alarm is armed, it can trigger the alarm and/or send notifications as soon as the gate is opened.

4.     External Curtain Detectors

Curtain detectors provide a shield against the doors, windows, and entranceways from the intrusion of alien people before they enter your property. Visonic’s outdoor curtain detector is an advanced PowerG wireless detector that is weatherproof, pet-immune, and very accurate & efficient.

You can check the outdoor curtain PIR detector from Visonic here.

5.     External Flood Light Motion Detectors

The main concern outdoors of your residential or commercial property is to prevent external intrusions by activating an alarm in case of unusual movements. You can choose flood light motion detectors that serve the dual purpose of lighting up your outdoors and protecting your property without getting noticed.

You may or may not need to purchase flood lights with motion detectors. All you need is a specialized technician or service provider to integrate the motion sensors with your flood lights.

Key Takeaways

As you can see there is 20 types of sensors in this listing. Rest assured not all burglar alarm manufacturers make all of these sensors. Typical DIY manufacturers like Yale and Ring usually only make the motion sensors, door contacts and possibly some range of smoke sensors. Depending on the property layout and your typical usage, it is important to consider what kind of sensors suit your requirements best and hence the most suitable alarm product that integrates all these products the most.

Talk to us to for a free consultation on protecting your home or business. We work with the largest choice of installed security products in UK and offers the widest choice of self-monitored, monitored, guard or police response and a wide options of smart alarms and home automation options.

We have always emphasized the need for securing your home and not advertising your possessions and holidays. Another key area to protect is yourself from identity theft.

Identity Theft

Here’s Mike’s story!

Mike says, they lived in a rented flat at the time in Ipswich and they were preparing to move to Croydon with family. He had a new job lined up. As with any flats, he put all his rubbish in the shared waste bins and never thought about it.

The move went well and after about 6 months, he received a bill from 3 mobile for pending payment and he ignored it thinking it was a mistake. A few days later a Vodafone bill arrive asking for payment of £1500, which again he ignored. He used to get odd debt recovery for old tenants in his old flat, so he assumed it was sent in error. 

A bill came from O2 came through after a month mentioning a new iPhone was ordered and then the big one hit home! A letter from Blackhorse Finance demanding repayment for a BMW 3 series. Mike called Blackhorse. They quickly established Mike was probably a victim of identity theft and recommended he contact the police. Then he contacted every other company that sent him a letter and established there were big contracts and new expensive items were purchased in his name. Mike says Vodafone was the most helpful and they recommended he also contact Experian and look at his credit file.

The Investigation

Experian asked Mike to open a credit account to look at all the credit accounts and identify ones he did not open. Experian also filed a report with the police.  Mike’s credit score at this point was 7/999. Anything this low is generally considered bankruptcy level. At this point, Mike and his best friend were planning to buy their first homes, next to each other and they were looking to secure mortgages. He had to drop the plan and wait for his name to be cleared.

Police came home and advised Mike his identity was definitely stolen but he hasn’t personally lost any money. In such cases, police write to all companies involved confirming Mike’s identity was stolen. He got responses from Vodafone, O2 and Blackhorse Finance confirming the debt is now cancelled. He hasn’t heard back from some others.

Turn Around

Experian advised him to join a credit improvement program – which is a paid service. He also put a Credit Lock on his credit file, again a paid service from Experian. Credit lock allows you to stop any lenders from accessing your file without you manually authorizing a payment. Over a period of a few months, his credit score bounced back to the high 900s.

He had to stay on the Experian program for 3 months and it took a total of 7 months to clear everything.

Identity Theft Data

Identity theft is a major crime in the UK and the last reported figures for 2019 show around 200,000 cases of identity theft cases in the UK and the cases are rising at an alarming rate.

According to CIFAS, The UK’s Fraud Prevention Community, Identity fraud rose by nearly 20% in 2019, accounting for the largest number of cases recorded by Cifas members at 61%. People aged over 31 were specifically targeted by this type of fraudulent conduct, with victims aged 60 and over on the rise. The highest number of victims (68%) were recorded in the South East region.

How to avoid becoming a victim of identity theft?

1.       Invest in a shredder. They cost as little as £20 quid and shred all important bills and documents before disposing them into the bin.

2.       Moving home? Make sure you update your new address with all service providers. Here’s our detailed blog on everything you must do when moving homes.

3.       Set up mail forwarding with royal mail – you can do it for up to 12 months, so you don’t miss out on any letters sent to your old address.

4.       Open a free credit check account, keep an eye on your credit accounts, credit associations and report anything suspicious.

5.       Identify theft often happen after a burglary. Secure your home with a professional alarm system.

6.       Secure your home Wifi and be careful on public wifi.

7.       Secure your passwords and avoid using the same passwords on different sites.

8.       Where possible move to digital statements instead of paper ones.

9.       Don’t respond to cold calling or emails you do not recognise.

10.   Be careful of what you share on social media.

How to Report Identity Theft?

If you think you are a victim of identity theft or at high risk, do the following immediately.

1.       Check your credit report with Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion

2.       If you find suspect credit accounts, contact their fraud support teams

3.       If you receive any bills or invoices you do not recognise, contact them and confirm you did not open an account with them.

4.       Consider adding a notice of correction against any fraudulent transactions in your credit file

5.       Add a notice of correction password to protect again fraudsters opening a new account without your permission.

6.       Report to police

7.       Work through each fraudulent credit account until they are cleared your credit score is back to where it was.

Stay vigilant, stay safe!

We are often contacted by landlords, estate agents, and tenants regarding property security, and there is always misunderstanding about how to safeguard the property without spending an arm and a leg and use the solutions despite tenants and maybe estate agents changing as well. We have years of expertise working on behalf of landlords, estate agents, and tenants who want to safeguard their homes and provide moving solutions. The following are our major takeaways for all rented properties.

1) Door and Window Locks

Doors and windows are the most common access and exit points in domestic burglaries. In fact, burglars have been known to force entry through a door or a window to gain access to a property. Make sure you have high-quality, hard-to-break windows and locks installed throughout your home.

Deadbolts are among the most secured locks you can use on your property. These locks involve a one-of-a-kind mechanism that provides the best protection against burglaries or break-ins. It is usually a good idea to put locks on all of your windows.

Also, make sure to use window blinds to prevent intruders from peeping into your home. Make it a point to do it at every entry and exit point to make it impossible for the burglar to get in.

You can also use smart locks that are operated through a digital code and is only accessible to those who have access to them. You can improve security by changing the password regularly.

2) Install an Alarm System

Burglar or Security alarms are an excellent way to protect your property. These alarms are designed to trigger a loud siren and alert the user when there is a break-in. Burglar alarms are paired with motion sensors that detect unauthorised movement and communicate to the control panel and trigger the alert.

Burglar alarms can have different features and specifications that allow you to protect your home in a better way. The main categories you can look at are:

• Remote monitoring through your smartphone app. You can sync your smartphone with your system, and you can control, manage, and monitor your alarm from your phone remotely.
• 3^rd party monitoring is where your house is being monitored by a third party or police authority and if there were an alert, they would instantly take an action. Highly recommended for commercial or high-value properties.
• The call-alert feature allows your system to call you on your phone when the alarm is triggered. In this case, your system uses your landline or a GSM connection to communicate to your phone in case of an emergency.
• Smart alarm with home automation capabilities that connects to your other smart devices like voice assistant devices or smart appliances and allow you to automate the task for enhanced safety and security within your home.

New tenants generally look at the properties more favorably, if they have good quality security systems installed. All our alarms on service plans get annual service visits, unlimited remote support for tenants and property managers if there is an issue and we deal with seamless transfer of alarm user ownership from one tenant to another when they move. The landlord does not have to deal with any of these issues and in fact, most landlords pass the service charges on to tenants.

3) Security lights

This is another security measure that landlords should invest in to improve house security. We all know that most burglars will wait until the night to get into your home undetected. When burglars try to approach the property, security lights such as motion sensors and floodlights have a startling effect on burglars. It is ideal to strategically place them around your property so that if someone tries to break in at night, it will scare the burglars and notify the neighbours and the homeowner that someone is trying to approach their house. You can position them in front of your entrance gate, backyard, or near your garage to deter anyone from attempting a forced entry through these areas.

4) Safeguard your Backyard or Garden

The backyard door or the garden is another area of your property you need to protect from any kind of intrusion. In some of the cases, burglars break in through the backyard door or garden. If you have a garden on your property, make sure you have put a fence around it and the door is lockable. Make sure you are trimming the shrubs and grasses around your garden. Sometimes, burglars hide behind these long bushes and wait for the right opportunity to attack. Don’t make it easier for burglars to target your property. Also, make sure you are using motion sensors at your backdoor.

5) Take appropriate measures when the property is not rented

If you’ve rented out your apartment, be sure you’re taking the necessary precautions when it’s empty. It is ideal to have a security system in place so that you can receive instant notifications if anyone tries to break in. The most vulnerable properties are those that are vacant. Burglars target properties that are empty and have no trace of tenants. It becomes simple for them to break in and finish the work without being interrupted. If the property is furnished, it may be a red flag if it is not professionally secured.

6) Check your Insurance Policy

Make sure you understand your insurance policy. People frequently fail to consult with their insurer about the implications of theft and burglary on their insurance policy. For instance, insurance companies do insist on taking effective security measures like installing a professional security system. They do not recommend DIY security systems as they are not British 2 or 3 graded systems. Also, ask your tenant that your building insurance doesn’t cover their belongings and they need to ensure their belongings with appropriate content insurance.

7) Use a CCTV system

A home camera system is another great way to take charge of your home security. It helps you keep an eye on your home and allows you to track who is accessing your property. There is a wide range of camera systems available for residential properties for internal and external use. Choose a plug-and-play camera with a smart app for indoors and, if possible, two-way audio with pan and tilt capabilities. We would recommend a professionally installed and fully customised CCTV solution for the outdoors, such as FHA ones. Remember that CCTV that does not provide local recording and relies on your broadband connection is not as reliable as CCTV with local hard-drive recording. A professionally installed CCTV system is a one-time cost solution that will rarely require additional maintenance and will provide complete protection. When possible, choose products that are secure by design and secure by default.

8) Change the locks once before the new tenants come

When you rent out your flat to multiple tenants, your property becomes more vulnerable. That means you must be extra cautious because you have no idea who is accessing your house. The best approach is to change your locks and keys before renting your property to a new renter. It is strongly suggested if you have a difficult tenant or someone you do not trust. You never know if they still have keys to your apartment and may try to get into it later.

Summary

We are a security installer who works with a variety of security systems that are customised to each property. If you are a homeowner who wants to protect your property, please contact us. We can provide a free phone consultation or a free property survey of your property. Please call us at 020 3137 8727 or 0800 193 8727 or send an email to hello@fhasecurity.co.uk.

Visonic is a global manufacturer of security alarms and is one of the leading brands in wireless security, selling in 100 countries. They have two of the most popular alarm series: Powermax and Powermaster with cutting-edge wireless technology. Both these products are designed and manufactured in accordance with the highest quality standards and comply with ISO 9001 quality management system certified procedures.

A) Visonic Powermax Alarm

Visonic Powermax is the most iconic and oldest professional alarm series launched by Visonic about 15 years ago, using their iconic PowerCode wireless technology. 

The Powermax family had four models in the product line– Powermax complete, Powermax Pro, Powermax Plus, and Powermax Express. Visonic discontinued Powermax alarms in 2019 and no longer offers them part of their current product portfolio. So, now you won’t find Powermax alarms available for fresh installations.

So if you are planning to install a Visonic Powermax on your property, our recommendation would be to consider alarms that are not discontinued. If you already have a Powermax alarm and need professional help, you can contact us. We still service Powermax alarms and can replace any faulty parts as long as they are still available in the market. However, another alternative is to upgrade your Powermax system to a Powermaster alarm to avoid any hassle in the future.

So, if you have an existing Powermax alarm at your property and are not sure what to do with it, give us a call, and our experts will be happy to provide you with the best recommendations.

B) Visonic Powermaster Alarm

Visonic introduced Powermaster alarm series in 2013, which is one of the best professional British-grade alarms. They use Visonic’s in-house wireless technology- PowerG that delivers unmatched detection accuracy, long-lasting reliability, system robustness and ease of use.

Visonic Powermaster is undoubtedly one of the best british-grade wireless security alarms. Due to their robustness and reliability, these alarms are widely used across residential properties. And the installation is quick and easy, which is certainly not the case with old traditional alarms.

Visonic alarms are open to customisation, and you can choose a custom-built alarm package based on your requirement. These systems come with advanced peripherals that offer enhanced security. You can choose amongst a range of motion detectors, perimeter protection devices, camera detectors, keypads, arming devices, and sirens. Moreover, you can even add pet-friendly motion sensors if you have pets at home. Or add a pair of camera sensors for real-time alarm verification. And you can choose any communication mode like landline, broadband or GSM depending on your network connectivity within your property. 

1) Visonic Powermaster 10 Alarm

Powermaster 10 is the oldest and simplest alarm within the Powermaster family. It is the most affordable British-grade, insurance approved alarm and is suitable for any property type. Powermaster 10 is a compact wireless telecommunicating alarm that sends alerts and notifications to the user on the mobile app. It is more advanced than a bell alarm that only triggers a loud sound and if the homeowner is not around, it will count as a lost alarm.

Powermaster 10 comes with an in-built PSTN module that uses landline connectivity and calls the user in an emergency. Another alternative to the PSTN module is a GSM module that comes with an in-built sim card. In this scenario, the control panel uses cellular connectivity for call alerts. And if you want app connectivity, you can choose an IP module that uses a broadband network for app connectivity.

Powermaster 10 can connect up to 60 wireless devices and comes with a backup battery that allows you to use it in case of power failure. All Visonic alarms are zone controllable, including Powermaster 10. You can either fully arm the system when you are not at home or partially arm the system at night.

The alarm package doesn’t come with hardwired switches, and everything is configured from the control panel itself. You don’t even need to re-open the added peripherals once fitted.

Features:

• It has a superior radio range and works well if you are installing it on large premises. And you won’t even require repeaters to boost the signal, which is usually the case in a traditional system.
• It is a robust system that comes with prolonged battery life.
• An Eco-friendly system that consumes minimum power and creates less pollution due to its adaptive transmission power.
• It offers external perimeter protection via external magnetic contacts, curtain detectors and outdoor motion detectors with camera sensors.
• You don’t need to pay any ongoing monitoring charge if you opt for self-monitoring options.

Our standard Powermaster 10 kit starts at £449, including supply, fitting, and VAT, and comes with the following items. However, the price will increase if you wish to add extra sensors and accessories to the package. The basic alarm kit is not a smart alarm; however, you can add an IP module to use it as a smart alarm at an extra cost.

• Control panel- 1 unit
• PIR Motion Detectors- 2 units
• Slimline Wireless Keyfob- 1 unit
• Rectangular Wireless Outdoor Live Siren- 1 unit
• Door/Window Contact- 1 unit

2) Visonic Powermaster 30 Alarm

PowerMaster-30 is a professional wireless home burglar alarm system suitable for advanced security monitoring applications and heavy-duty operation. Powermaster 30 also comes with two-way communication technology and has a superior range, prolonged battery life, and unmatched wireless robustness.

As a part of the Powermaster family, it is a zone controllable alarm that can connect up to 120 devices. You can either fully arm it ideally when you go out or partially arm it when you go to bed at night. It can be paired with proximity tags, saves you from punching the user codes on the keypad. You can also add remote keyfobs and panic buttons to the system.

Powermaster 30 alarm comes with an in-built PSTN module so that the alarm can be connected to your landline at home. Call your mobile phone if the alarm is triggered. It will call up to 4 numbers of your choice. You can also have it connected to a GSM sim card unit and broadband IP module.

The main features of Powermaster 30 are:

• The user gets remote access with the smartphone app (requires IP module and broadband at home) and can arm and disarm the system remotely.   
• User can visually verify alarms on their phone. The camera sensors take photos and send them on their smartphone app. So, whenever an alarm is triggered, they can check it immediately on the app. This way, it becomes easier to identify any false alarms.
• With its in-built speech facility feature, you can either listen to the alarm system or speak through the control panel.
• There is no ongoing monitoring or app subscription fee. 

This is a British standard alarm system in compliance with the latest EN50131 standards. The standard kit starts at £599, including supply and fitting and comes with the following items. Similar to the Powermaster 10, the standard Powermaster 30 kit is not a smart alarm. However, if you want to, you will have to add an IP module at an extra cost.

• Control Panel- 1 unit
• Door/Window Contact- 1 unit
• Wireless Stylish Keyfob- 1 unit
• PIR Motion Detector- 2 units
• Hexagon Live Siren- 1 unit

You can read our in-depth analysis of Visonic Powermaster 30 Alarm system here. 

3) Visonic Powermaster 33 Alarm

Powermaster 33 is again a two-way communication wireless alarm with a slick look. It comes with thin profile door contacts and has the most versatile communication modules.

Like any other Visonic alarm, it is a zone controllable alarm, allowing you to turn the full alarm when you go out and part of the alarm when you go to bed at night.

Powermaster 33 alarm has similar features to Powermaster 30. Except it comes with a separate keypad and control panel. Its wireless keypad has a nice look and can be put near your entrance. It has a big display, big enough to show all your messages and compliments your door. You can place your control panel discretely inside the house, away from easy access for anyone breaking in and ideally next to your broadband router. This allows for a tidier installation with minimal cabling and connections affecting the decor of the house.

A standard kit starts at £799, including supply and fitting and has the following items. Because Powermaster 33 standard kit is a smart alarm, it comes with a Visonic Go Smart app at no extra cost.

• Control Panel-1 unit
• Door/Window Contact- 1 unit
• IP Module- 1 unit
• PIR Motion Detector- 2 units
• Hexagon Live Siren- 1 unit
• Proximity Tags- 2 units
• Keypad- 1 unit
• Visonic Go Mobile App

4) Visonic Powermaster 360R Alarm

Powermaster 360R was released in 2019 by Visonic. It is a professional modern wireless security alarm system with optional home automation capabilities. It is suitable for residential and small to mid-size businesses looking for an advanced alarm and home automation system in a single platform. The PowerMaster-360R provides a robust and scalable solution using Z-Wave, WiFi and cellular 2G or 3G capabilities.

It comes with a compact control panel integrated with the keypad like Powermaster 10 and Powermaster 30. The alarm system can be armed or disarmed by a variety of keyfobs and keypads using special codes. The system provides you with visual status information in the disarmed state and initiates an alarm if smoke is detected or upon disturbance in a 24-hour zone (a zone that is active 24-hours a day).

A standard kit starts at £899, including supply and fitting and has the following items. Like Powermaster 33, the 360R standard kit is a smart alarm with a free smartphone app.

• Control Panel- 1 unit
• Door/Window Contact- 1 unit
• Keyfob- 1 unit
• Hexagon Live Siren- 1 unit
• IP Module- 1 unit
• PIR Motion Detector- 2 units
• GSM Module- 1 unit

The new Qolsys IQ Panel

If you are looking for more advanced security solutions with home automation capabilities, you should go for the Qolsys IQ Panel. 

Qolsys IQ panel comes with a 7″ HD Touchscreen, a built-in 5 MP camera, and a new exclusive feature: Dual SRF featuring Visonic’s Powermaster burglar alarm technology, the best wireless sensor protocol available. PowerG has 4x the range of traditional wireless, military-grade 2-way encryption, automatic signal adjustment to improve battery life and ensure a reliable connection, and interference circumvention to provide your signals never get blocked by other wireless protocols.

Because it uses PowerG technology, you can pair the IQ panel with any Visonic Powermaster alarm system or accessories. The 5 MP camera captures disarm photos, records alarm videos, and lets you peek in from the app.

It uses Alarm.com’ s smartphone app that utilises state-of-the-art security and gives you a complete insight into happenings in your home. It ensures complete protection through a dedicated connection, instant alerts on emergencies or important events, and monitors activities through visual verification. The panel has a built-in GSM module (comes with sim cards) and a WiFi module to connect to your broadband at home for a seamless connection.

You can read the in-depth review of Qolsys alarm system here. It is the most advanced smart alarm in the world now.

Summary

FHA is the UK’s leading multi-award-winning security installer based in England. We are a Visonic platinum installer and have been working with all Visonic products for the last ten years. Our product range includes multiple brands, Visonic being one of our most popular installs. This article gives you an in-depth detail about Visonic alarms. But if you still have any queries, we recommend booking a free consultation call with our experts.

People often get worried about crime statistics in their areas due to the increase in crime or hearing frequently about it in the news.

Despite local authorities’ greatest efforts to reduce and combat crime, hundreds of cases are reported daily.

Talking about crime rates, Essex is one of the most affected counties with an annual crime rate of 3.9 per 1K workday people. There were around 6358 burglaries reported in last 12 months i.e. 17 burglaries per day.

The highest reported cases are in Southend-on-Sea, Basildon, Chelmsford, Colchester, Thurrock, and Epping Forest, accounting for about 60% of all cases. In fact, Southend-on-Sea has been the worst affected area, accounting for almost 13% of the overall cases.

Looking at the trend in last year, the highest number of burglaries occurred in September. It accounted for 10.3% of the total cases, followed by October, accounting for nearly 10% of total cases.

No matter how worse the situation is, we all want to feel safe and secure in our homes. Taking proactive home safety measures significantly reduces the odds of becoming victims of such crimes.

We often hear people talking about home security and advising different ways to ensure home security. But the data shows that a significant number of cases are still reported every day.

If you haven’t taken any steps to secure your property, the situation can be alarming.

Nowadays, thanks to technological advancements, we have a plethora of options for home safety. Based on the requirements, people can select from a range of security systems. Burglar alarms, CCTV systems, Smart doorbells, and Smart Security Systems are among the most popular security systems.

Using a security system is one of the most effective ways to keep burglars off your property and keep your home secure. Even insurance companies advise you to install a professional-grade security system as a home security measure. It also helps you to get your claims in case of a burglary.

We are a security professional based in Essex, helping property owners by providing custom-built security systems suitable for any type of property, i.e., commercial, or residential.

Our Recommendations

There are many ways to protect your home, as every property is unique and comes with unique requirements.

To help customers in the best possible way, we offer a free consultation to go through the security requirements in detail. As a part of our free consultation, we do a quick property survey either on the phone or through a personal visit.

Based on the requirements and preferences, we recommend the best security solution to our customers.

What do we recommend to our customers?

1) Burglar or Intruder Alarm

Choose from our extensive range of burglar alarms or customize your own alarm kit. We deal with a wide range of wireless burglar alarms, from basic call-alert alarms to the most advanced smart alarms with home automation capabilities.

What types of alarms can you choose?

• Call-alert alarms
• Budget alarms
• Pet-friendly alarms
• Smart alarms with mobile app
• Alarms with camera sensors
• Alarms with monitoring service
• Smart Alarms with home automation capabilities

All of our alarm packages are custom-built, which means that if you want any additional add-ons, we can fit them into your alarm kit. Even during installation, you have the option to upgrade or adjust your package, such as adding add-on accessories.

2) CCTV System

Install a camera system on your property and keep an eye on things in real-time with the help of cameras placed strategically.

We collaborate with one of the leading CCTV manufacturers, Hikvision, to provide custom-designed CCTV systems for home and commercial premises. Our CCTV packages include high-resolution camera systems, motion detection records, and remote monitoring.

You can choose from one of our CCTV packages based on your requirements. Alternatively, you can speak with one of our specialists, who can advise you on the best CCTV system for your home and the number of cameras you should deploy.

At the time of order, you can also select between dome and bullet cameras.

3) Alarm with CCTV

You can also choose a hybrid system, which combines an alarm with CCTV and is highly recommended for high-value properties. Our engineers provide complete installation and can integrate both systems on your premises.

It is a robust solution that provides a double layer of resistance to ensure a high level of protection from potential intruders.

For further information, you can schedule a consultation with one of our specialists to discuss the details of this solution.

Summary

Home safety is vital, and taking proactive measures is the best way to secure your home and family.

If you live in Essex and are concerned about your home security, give us a call, and we will gladly help you with your security requirements.

We at FHA haven’t done a fully wired burglar alarm since 2012. We currently have just one manufacturer, Risco, in our portfolio who still makes a wired product designed to work as a straight swap for a legacy hard wired alarm systems. It is as labour intensive and at times costlier than fitting a brand-new wireless alarm altogether.

So, if you have a wired security alarm, what are your options? Have a look below.

1. Do Nothing!

If it ain’t broken…

There is no urgent reason for you to do anything as long as the following factors are considered.

1. Is your wired alarm system working properly?
2. Are you servicing your wired alarm system yearly?
3. Do you have all the burglar system codes needed?
4. Do you have the user manual?
5. Are you in touch with a product expert engineer or a company that can assist you with regular support and servicing of your system?
6. Do you know what to do if the system develops a fault on the weekend?
7. Is your alarm system older than ten years?
8. Has the manufacturer discontinued the product?
9. Are spare parts still available for the system?
10. Would it be beneficial for you to upgrade the system and take advantage of more advanced safety and smart living features?

It is critical that you know the answers to these questions and be able to identify whether you are prepared to handle an emergency situation with your system.

I emphasise this assessment as we regularly answer calls on weekends and late nights from homeowners with old alarms that they know nothing about. They usually panic when they are told nothing can be done without having at least some if not all information at hand.

So what are your options with an old system?

Get your wired alarm system professionally serviced regularly. Ensure everything is working fine and make sure you know how to operate the system properly. It is easier said than done, as very few technicians still work on old wired alarms. And even if you have found a good engineer local enough to you, parts and labour can be expensive. The reason being, old systems take a lot longer to troubleshoot and fix and hard wired alarm system kits are often discontinued. 

Or

Look at our other upgrade options.

2. Upgrade to a New Wired Alarm System or a Hybrid Alarm

One option is to check if you can use the existing wiring to upgrade the alarm to a more modern and technology-oriented system. It is a good idea on paper, and there are still a handful of solutions out there that can fit this requirement.

Repositioning devices, adding extra sensors, or enhancing protection on an existing wired setup is always challenging, time-consuming and costly.

It would either mean running exposed cables within the house right from the wired control panel to wired sensors or adding a wireless module to the alarm (available on some wired alarm models) to make it a hybrid (part wired and part wireless) burglar alarm system.

Possible Issues with a Hybrid Alarm System

Many security companies will not agree to upgrade an alarm with your existing wiring. It is mainly because there might be problems when you do it with current wiring. Wiring faults are often difficult to identify, time consuming and expensive to fix.

Some common problems could be realising that the cables are damaged while the new system installation is almost complete or replacing your old alarm, which is sitting pretty much inside the plastering.

Upgrading to a hybrid alarm system is a good option if you want to add extra sensors or devices. Again, the price can go up, and with two types of alarm technologies working together, you will soon find out that you have got enough choices, flexibility, and more control with wireless devices than the wired ones.

However, if the wiring is older than ten years, it may be wise to completely ignore this route and go for the other home security systems (listed below).

3. Wireless Burglar Alarm System

If your hardwired security system is over ten years old, the most sensible option is to upgrade to a new fully wireless alarm.

When we replace old wired alarms for our customers, we even help them remove their existing systems. A wireless alarm system is not only simple to use, but it also includes a plethora of features that make it a complete security package for any home. It outperforms a traditional wired intruder alarm system in every imaginable way, which depends on wires and cables.

Wireless alarms have complete dominance in the home security market now. All manufacturers have either entirely or mainly transitioned to wireless solutions for several reasons.

• Easier to Install & Upgrade:

  Because wireless home alarm systems do not require cables or wires, they are simpler to install and upgrade. Furthermore, the system’s components are easily replaceable. A typical wireless installation can be completed within 2-4 hours, while a wired system can take 6 hours to 2 days – wiring being the most time-consuming part.

• Flexible & Scalable:

  These systems are portable, and you can easily upgrade them by adding sensors to them at any time. The system can grow with your growing demands – whether it is that nice extension or additional protection for your little one’s bedroom window.

• Multiple choices of communications:

  You can choose from call alerts, text messages and notifications on smartphones using a selection of landline, sim card or broadband-based modules.

• Compatible with your Smart Home:

  Advanced wireless alarms use home automation technology, allowing them to integrate with your smart home.

• Tamper-proof and more Secure:

  Communication in a wireless alarm system is relatively fast, reliable, and secure. It is also tamper-proof. As a result, there is no danger of disabling cables or removing devices. Always make sure your new burglar alarm is grade 2, insurance approved and meets EN 50131 standards.

• Battery-powered:

  Wireless alarms work on batteries and can operate continuously even when there is no power supply. In addition, the control panel includes backup battery power if there is a power failure.

• Choice of multiple sirens:

  You can choose to have multiple internal and external sirens with the alarm. Most of our standard alarm packages come with each of these sirens. You can always choose to have additional live or dummy sirens outside for extra protection.

• Troubleshooting costs:

  Most wireless systems have self-diagnosis and trouble reporting in every device. Such information can be passed to the control panel and even to your phone if it is a smart system. Talk about convenience and ease of dealing with faults.

You can find some of the best wireless alarm system options here.

4. Smart House Alarm Systems

A smart alarm is a more advanced burglar alarm with advanced features such as remote access control and monitoring. You can either connect the alarm panel to your broadband or add a dedicated GSM or LTE sim card unit inside the alarm system to communicate with your alarm control panel.

The key features of smart alarms are:

• Arm and disarm the system from anywhere in the world with the smartphone app. Ideal for giving kids, neighbours, parents, or cleaners access into the house if you are away, without them worrying about triggering the alarm.
• Get instant notifications on alarm activation and other alarm related activities as push notifications on the app or via email.
• Add camera sensors or video cameras to keep an eye on the house or your pets when you are away.
• Sim card connections options will have an ongoing cost associated with sim top-up charges.
• Some cloud connections come with subscription charges. You would want a well maintained and secured connection with advanced encryption anyway. Look out for ‘Secured by Design’ approval on cloud services.

We, at FHA, have seen massive uptake for smart alarms in the last 5 – 6 years. About 70% of new installations we do now are smart alarms now, and we expect this only to grow with old fashioned landlines being set to discontinue.

You can read more about that here.

5. Smart Alarm with Integrated Home Automation

In the last few years, a lot of progress has been made with true smart living and integrating home security with home automation. While protocols were defined for years for Z-wave devices, there have always been challenges with integrating and getting different products with different functionalities talking to each other.

We have made loads for advancement by introducing our most advanced Qolsys (Quality of Life Systems) smart alarm home automation system. You can read our in-depth review of the Qolsys alarm system here.

It is an iPad like alarm control panel that integrates six different wireless technologies into it, allowing you to integrated Visonic’s most advanced Powermaster wireless technology with the widest choice of home automation devices approved by alarm.com’s cloud management system.

Allow me to paint you a picture!

You are coming home with kids, your pets and your shopping. Your hands are full! Your smartwatch knows you are within metres of the house and unlocks the smart lock on your door, and disarms the alarm for you. It records this information and even takes a photo when the alarm is disarmed.

It automatically turns on your lights, TV, and heating, and it can even schedule your household appliances, such as your robotic vacuum cleaner, dishwasher, and washer-dryer, to save you money on electricity.

Your system can quickly learn your usual plans and notifies you when something unusual happens. When you leave the house, it automatically locks your door and arms the alarm for you as well.

If you have a visitor, your video doorbells and video cameras with advanced analytics notify you when they get near the property, and you can talk to them, let them into the house if needed and much more.

The future looks exciting, isn’t it?

So might wonder what you would do with your spare time? Why not use this time and do what you enjoy or go back to option 1- Do nothing!

What are the benefits of using Smart Technology?

Smart technology has numerous advantages, and consumer home automation has made homeowners’ lives easier and more convenient.

Managing all of the smart devices through various smartphone apps could be difficult. This is where a smart home automation hub can help, allowing you to manage everything from a single location.

When all smart devices are linked together, they form a smart home automation hub.

A smartphone app enables you to control the smart home automation hub from your phone easily. You don’t have to manage separate apps for each of your devices anymore. Instead, everything can be managed through a single app.

The most amazing aspect of this technology is connecting multiple devices to trigger an automated action. You can, for example, integrate your alarm system with your smart door. As a result, every time you lock your door, your alarm will be activated.

Alarm.com offers a home management solution that allows homeowners to manage everything from a single platform. Thanks to its user-friendly app, you can control everything with just a few clicks.

Summary

The key takeaway from looking at your old alarm system is aware of the implications of each of these options- doing nothing, upgrading your old system or starting over with a new system- has on your home, family and peace of mind.

If you have any other questions, please feel free to give us a call at 020 3137 8727 or write to us at hello@fhasecurity.co.uk. We are always happy to chat about securing your home and protecting what matters to you the most.

Do you intend to build your ‘Grand Design’ home yourself? Or are you looking to add a beautiful extension to your existing home? Or are you purchasing a newly constructed home from a builder who is currently working on it? If you answered yes, then our self build home security guide will help you understand your project’s security implications.

In this article, we will cover the following topics in detail.

• Planning and implementing security measures for your project while it is still in progress.
• Consider installing security systems such as burglar alarms, CCTV, smart doorbells, floodlights, and home automation in your new home.
• The initial phase or early fixtures for your new home’s security solutions.
• The final stage of your chosen security solutions’ security installation.
• Consider how you will maintain and service your security solution.

We typically speak with self builders who either did not plan for home security while building their home or taking security advice from inexperienced people and wasted their time and money on outdated technology. This blog will provide you with professional advice on how to plan home security for your self build home.

When is the ideal time to plan security for your self build home?

We have frequently observed that most self builders plan the security installations at the end of the project. This results in exposed cables and limits the products’ and installers’ flexibility.

Home security and home automation planning should ideally begin at the beginning, i.e. during your project’s design stage. Consider your plumbing and electrical requirements, for example. This is the time to consult with your family and decide on your home’s security needs.

At this point, a professional security consultant can take the time to understand your project’s security challenges and risks and advise you on the various options available to you. You’d also be in a better position to budget and schedule different stages of installation.

We have security consultants at FHA Security who regularly work with architects, builders, and self build enthusiasts. We provide a free security consultation call to understand your project and answer any questions you may have. Our typical first call can last anywhere from 15 minutes to an hour, after which we will send you a few solutions to meet your needs. We can also assist you in planning the various stages of your security project. This will give you a good idea of better planning, scheduling, and budgeting for your project.

Step-by-Step Home Security Planning

Step 1: Understand your Requirements

At this stage, always begin by analysing the security risks associated with your property. Consider all security aspects, i.e. before, during, and after building construction.

Key questions to consider when planning your home security:

• What security measures should you implement to protect your home?
• How frequently will your home be vacant?
• Do you want to keep an eye on the house’s exterior?
• Do any outbuildings, garages, or gates require protection?
• Are you prepared to enjoy all the benefits of smart living and home automation?
• Do you need a fully integrated solution?
• To what extent should your system be adaptable? Do you plan on upgrading your system in the future?
• How many authorised users will be present in your security system?
• Would you allow cleaners or gardeners access while you are away?
• Do you have any pets, or do you intend to get any?
• Do you want to expand your home or construct any outbuildings in the future?

Once you’ve answered these questions, you’ll be in a better position to choose the best security solution for your self build homes. It is always preferable to have a clear idea of your requirements rather than simply purchasing what is suggested to you.

Step 2: Analyse the trends and technology

It is always a good idea to stay up to date on the latest security market trends. It will provide you with the most accurate picture of the available solutions to meet your needs, such as burglar alarms, CCTV, and so on. You will then determine which of them meets your needs or can be installed once your home is ready for occupancy.

Getting professional advice at this point will save you a significant amount of time and money. A professional expert can survey your property remotely or on-site and assist you in effectively planning your project.

Tip: To avoid being sold on a single product, always speak with professional security companies that offer multiple product lines and work with various manufacturers. At this point, you should keep an open mind about products and concentrate on finding the best solutions for your home.

This will give you an idea of what kinds of solutions you’ll need, such as burglar alarms, CCTV systems, video doorbells, external floodlights, lockable windows and doors, and home automation systems. Once you’ve decided, you can begin selecting products, making rough estimates, and planning for the first fix. This includes planning for cabling; you can determine the best location to instal security units such as a control panel, keypad, camera sensors, and so on.

Another critical decision you will have to make is whether to go with a wired or wireless system. A wired system would entail fitting and wiring, which would require planning.

Tip: We recommend wireless burglar alarms as well as a wired CCTV system. Wireless alarm control panels may still require a power source and connections to broadband and landline modules.

Step 3: Identify and choose a location for your security system within your home

Choose a central location for your security hub. Consider the following devices and their connectivity ending at that point.

• Your modem/router
• A working telephone (if you still use a landline)
• A burglar alarm control panel (prepare a power supply)
• A CCTV recorder (power supply and camera cables)
• A home automation hub
• A home network hub/ switch

You should consult with your architect and builder to determine the location of your home’s central hub. To get the best wireless signal strength, keep them away from windows and doors and in the centre of the house.

Step 4: Consult your Insurance Company

It is also worthwhile to consult with an insurance company during the planning stage. In general, insurance companies have specific requirements when it comes to installing a security system. Most, if not all, insurance companies advise you to instal a British Standard graded alarm system installed by an NSI or SSAIB certified installer. Again, depending on their company policy, property location, historical insurance claims, and risk score, some insist on this.

Home Security on the Construction Site

Security on your construction site is also critical. Most of us intend to protect our homes once they are ready to be moved. We, on the other hand, fail to protect the construction site while it is in use.

The following are some key questions to ask yourself about your construction site:

• Who is in charge of the site’s security?
• Does your insurance cover theft and damage while the project is being built? Make sure you notify your insurance company about the house renovations.
• Is the property going to be empty at night and on weekends?
• Are the sites and valuables secured every night?
• What kinds of valuables are typically left unattended on the job site while the project is underway?
• Who should be notified if a break-in occurs on the property?

Intruders target construction sites searching for scrap metal, pipe fittings, toilet fittings, or anything else worth selling. It could also be one of the new deliveries you’ve ordered for your residence.

People believe that burglars are more interested in cash, jewellery, and other valuable items. Most of us probably don’t bother protecting the construction site because we think there’s nothing valuable burglars can steal. And this is where the majority of us go astray. A 2016 research study of 1,100 construction industry professionals survey found that 92% reported theft on a weekly, monthly, or yearly basis. According to Allianz Cornhill, it cost £800 million last year alone.

Here are some preventive measures that one should take on their construction site.

• Request that your building contractor or project manager keep an eye out for new people wandering around your property.
• Consider installing a temporary alarm system that activates every night and alerts you via a GSM sim card inside the alarm.
• If it is a high-value property, consider installing a CCTV system to monitor your site 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
• Request that your project manager or the builder lock up all tools and equipment or take them home at the end of the day if possible.
• Keep track of all deliveries to your site at all times.

Home Security Solutions – Your options

We now have advanced security solutions that meet our needs thanks to changing technology and automation integration.

Let’s look at some of the most popular security solutions.

1) Burglar alarm

Burglar alarms undoubtedly are one of the best burglar deterrents. Loud siren alerts not only the homeowner but the entire neighbourhood. Its remote monitoring feature allows you or a third party to monitor your home and take immediate action whenever an alarm is triggered.

With changing needs and technology, burglar alarm has evolved into a complete security solution with a host of capabilities that allow you to manage, monitor and control your home security.

Read our blog on burglar alarm systems and learn more about the critical features to consider in your alarm system.  

Here’s a step-by-step guide to selecting the best burglar alarm for your needs.

2) CCTV

There is a wide range of camera solutions for internal and external use available for residential homes.

Some important considerations to bear in mind.

• Where will the camera be placed?
• What level of recording and access are you looking for?
• Do you want the camera to pan and tilt?

Choose a plug-and-play camera with a smart app for indoors and, if possible, two-way audio with pan and tilt capabilities.

We would recommend a professionally installed and fully customised CCTV solution for the outdoors, such as FHA ones.

Remember that CCTV that does not provide local recording and relies on your broadband connection is not as reliable as CCTV with local hard-drive recording.

A professionally installed CCTV system is a one-time cost solution that will rarely require additional maintenance and will provide complete protection.

3) Smart Doorbells

A smart doorbell is a relatively new product on the market that is a useful smart device. The following are some of the critical features of a smart doorbell.

• Motion-triggered notification
• Push notification through a smartphone app
• Optional built-in cameras can send live video notifications and support 2-way video communications.

There are numerous smart doorbell devices on the market, some of which are from unknown brands and costs from as little as £20. But, among all of them, the Ring doorbell stands out as one of the best. If you want to watch historical videos, these devices have a variety of subscription options.

Tip: All smart doorbells make use of your home broadband as well as your smartphone. You should only connect trusted smart devices to your broadband, and you should only install secure apps on your phone. The reason for this is that there are security risks associated with hacking. In fact, there have been reports of security breaches where ring products were hacked.

4) Flood Lights with motion sensors

Floodlights are high-intensity lights that are used to illuminate your property’s perimeter. Because of their startling effect, motion sensor flood lights are best used to deter burglars. These floodlights are activated by any movement around them, making them ideal for protecting property from intruders.

5) Deadbolt doors and lockable windows

Several surveys and studies have revealed that burglars frequently use doors and windows to gain entry into a property. That means you must use high-quality, difficult-to-break locks on all of your doors and windows.

Using a deadbolt door is an excellent way to secure your doors. Its locking mechanism provides excellent protection against forced entry. Standard locks are easily broken by burglars using weapons such as knives or crowbars; however, deadbolt locks are difficult to break. Burglars would have to work harder to get past them, providing good security.

Securing windows, on the other hand, is another way to ensure complete security. Windows typically have a standard lock; however, additional locks can improve the security of your windows. There are various types of locks available on the market that are appropriate for various types of windows.

To select the best locks for your home, consult with a professional. It is an excellent way to add an additional layer of security to the security system.

With so many options to choose from, it may be challenging to select one that meets our needs.

Read our blog to learn about some popular security systems and which one is best for your needs.

Latest Trends in Home Security

• In the last 15 years, wired alarms’ market share in the residential market has fallen from around 90% to less than 5%. In some cases, wired alarms are only used to replace older wired alarms. The majority of leading burglar alarm manufacturers have either discontinued or relegated their wired alarm range.
• Smartphone penetration in the UK market increased from 76% in 2005 to a consistent 95% in recent years, with the impact visible in the burglar alarm market. At FHA Security, we’ve seen interest in smart alarms rise from 34% in 2014 to 78% in 2020, and we expect the trend to continue.
• CCTV remains the second-best defence against burglaries, mainly vandalism and vehicle theft. For complete protection, we still recommend fully wired CCTV that covers all entry points into the house.
• Video doorbells did not exist until entrepreneur Jamie Siminoff invented the well-known Ring video doorbell in 2013. They are currently expected to grow at 48%, making them the fastest-growing product category in the security industry.
• Another popular security range to consider is home automation. Home automation products that use z-wave wireless technology have been available for some time. FHA’s latest home automation series integrates smart burglar alarms with the full range of home automation suites, smart locks, smart video doorbells, and various smart internal and external cameras with unprecedented data and analytics. Its integration with alarm.com’s sophisticated cloud services truly transforms it into an effective all-in-one home management solution. It is a system that adapts to your changing needs, and you can control it with voice-activated devices such as Amazon Alexa, Apple Siri, Google Voice Assistant, your smartwatch, and many others.

Home Security Installation Stages

After you’ve had your initial security consultation with us and determined which solutions you want to instal, it’s time to plan and schedule the installation.

First Fix

Most security solutions still entail the use of a power supply or wired connections. Suppose your construction project includes the rendering of walls. In that case, it is best to finish the first fix of laying cables before beginning the rendering work – similar to how the plumbing and electrical wires are laid.

Discuss with your FHA Security consultant and builders how to identify and configure the necessary cables. Some cabling is simple enough that it can be laid by your electrician or builders. Alternatively, our expert engineers can perform the initial cabling installation for you.

Please keep in mind that you will be required to select and lay the appropriate cables based on the type of system you will be installing later.

1) The first fix cabling for a burglar alarm.

Choose the system (make and model) that you want to install in your home. All alarm systems require some form of power supply and connection to some of your home’s services. Some alarms have a separate control panel and keypads, whereas others have integrated keypads.

A power supply is required for an alarm control panel. If you have a dedicated breaker in your electric fuse box, you can hardwire it. A dedicated fuse spur for the panel’s power supply is part of the alarm’s first fix.

If you have a smart alarm, consider running concealed cat-6 cabling between your control panel and your broadband connection. This works well if you need a hardwired network connection between the control panel and your broadband router or if you want to keep your alarm control panel separate from your router. Consider running telephone cables between the control panel and the master telephone socket if your alarm is linked to a landline to call you.

You should probably do these wirings in the early stages of construction. It would be ideal if the cables were concealed before the plastering and decorating. So, try to complete the wiring before moving on to the electrical and plumbing work.

2) Concealed wiring for CCTV

All CCTVs capable of continuous recording and storage are hardwired. They may have a separate power supply cable and data cable or use a single cable for both power supply and connection to the house’s CCTV recorder. With all of the cabling involved, it is always advisable to lay CCTV cabling as a first fix.

Key things to consider before fitting your CCTV

a) The number of cameras required: We recommend a minimum of one camera per external wall. A mid-terraced house would need at least two cameras, an end-of-terraced or semi-detached house would require three, and a detached house would require four.

Tip: If there are any unusual extensions or protruding walls that prevent cameras from fully covering the property, consider installing additional cameras on the same wall.

b) Recorder location: There are two recommended locations for a CCTV DVR or NVR.

Option 1: Place your broadband router right next to it and connect to it directly via a smartphone or tablet for  remote access.

Option 2: A secret location, such as a loft. You’d need a power supply and, ideally, a network cable running from the attic to the broadband router. Alternatively, you will have the same electric circuit shared between these points, so you can send data to the router using electric cabling.

c) You’d need cables running from each camera location to the recorder’s location inside the house.

d) Select either a CAT 6 cable or a coaxial cable. We recommend using a CAT 6 networking cable.

e) Leave at least 1 metre of cable outside for extra flexibility during the final fix.

3) Internal network cabling

You should also consider whether you will have additional networking points inside the house to connect any devices that require hardwired internet connections. Computers, printers, smart lighting hubs, smart thermostats, and other similar devices are common examples.

With the availability of wi-fi range extenders and wireless devices, the need for internal cat 6 cabling is diminishing unless you have specific reasons for installing it. Otherwise, they’d be like the extra phone lines that everyone installed for their landlines before high-quality cordless telephones rendered them obsolete.

4) Telephone line

Nowadays, most people only use mobile phones, and if you have a landline, it is usually a cordless landline phone with a base that connects to the master telephone point. According to a recent Ofcom survey, only 4% of the UK population currently uses a landline, and traditional landlines will be phased out by 2025.

The majority of us use landline connections to connect systems such as burglar alarms, panic alarms, and broadband routers. Consider installing additional phone points only if they are necessary. For these systems, GSM/LTE-enabled sim cards are an option. It will, however, incur additional sim card charges.

5) Internet connectivity

The location of your broadband router is critical for ensuring reliable wireless connectivity throughout your home. Consider the following factors when deciding where to put the router.

a) Which devices should connect physically to the router. Consider computers, alarm control panels, smart TVs, sound systems, printers, smart lighting hubs, smart thermostats, and other home automation controllers.

Tip: Most routers only have 2 to 4 ports for connecting devices. If you require more ports, consider installing a hub or switch next to your router.

b) The distance and strength of the signal in and outside the house. With more and more devices connected to the internet, you’ll want to ensure that you have a strong wireless signal in and around your home, garden, and outbuildings.

Tip: Check for wireless signal strength outside the property, next to external walls and in and out of any outbuildings such as sheds and garages. Make sure to test signal strength at ceiling heights.

c) Please keep in mind that walls reduce wifi power and the ability to establish and maintain reliable wi-fi connections everywhere.

d) Wi-fi Extenders – You can avoid using extenders and repeaters if you plan ahead of time to locate the internet router and purchase a high-quality wi-fi router.

6) Doorbell cabling

If you want to have a smart doorbell, it’s worth considering installing the cable, so you don’t have to worry about recharging its battery. Please keep in mind that most smart doorbells require a transformer to convert the AC power supply to DC, usually between the power supply and the bell. And if you don’t get this right, you might damage your doorbell. Therefore, ensure that the transformers you intend to buy are compatible with the doorbell you plan to buy.

7) Home automation cabling

If you intend to install home automation devices, decide which components will require wiring. You’d want extensive wiring done in the same way electrical wiring is done. And you’d like it done by professional installation companies.

TIP: Consider creating a separate zone for your home’s central station. Build a dedicated cabinet for all of your controllers if possible.

Final Fix

After all other work on the property has been completed, the final fix or completion of installation stages will begin. This includes painting, decorating, and arranging furniture in the rooms.

If you neglected to plan your security requirements at the outset, this is where we would begin.

The various stages of the final fix are as follows.

1) Connect your landline and broadband in advance.

Consider getting your broadband connections up and running a few weeks ahead of time. Broadband connections are notoriously slow, and installation lead times can range from weeks to months in some cases. There are also last-minute cancellations and delays to consider. Because most of your security installations will require communication connectivity, we recommend installing your communication network a few weeks in advance.

Tip: If you are moving your existing broadband package from your old address, you may get downtime of a few hours to a few days before it starts working in your new home. Speak with your provider to see if they can activate your new property’s connection without disrupting the existing connection. Alternatively, before terminating your current connection, consider signing a new contract for your new home. However, you might lose your old phone number and hopefully stop getting those nuisance calls that used to come on your old number.

2) Complete security installations

This is when our engineers return to complete the final installations.

a) Burglar Alarm:

At this point, the control panel and all other internal and external devices will be installed, configured, and enabled for you. This includes installing apps on your phones and tablets and training you on how to use the system.

Assume you neglected to plan your home security. In that case, a wireless burglar alarm is a better solution because it causes the least amount of disruption.

Choose one of our smart alarm ranges that include separate keypads and control panels, such as the Risco Agility 4 and Visonic Powermaster 33 alarms.

Burglar alarm Tips

• Always choose a wireless alarm over a wired alarm. Wireless alarms are more advanced, secure, and easy to install. Whereas, wired alarms would take longer to install and are more expensive to maintain. Burglars can easily tamper with wired systems by cutting out the wire. As the technology evolves, it will be difficult to upgrade a wired system later because it has limited upgrade options.
• Use alarms that use cutting-edge and future-proof smart technology. A smart system would enhance your home security by allowing you to manage and control it remotely. You can also integrate your smart alarm with your other smart devices. Wireless alarms are portable and easier to move from one location to another. The best part is that you can even automate the response by connecting all of these devices. Like you can link your smart doorbell to your alarm system. So, whenever someone knocks on your door, you’ll receive a notification on your app. And you can instantly respond from your app no matter where you are.
• Ensure that you have a stable internet connection to use your wireless alarm. This means that you’d need to set up your Wi-Fi connection ahead of time to get good coverage within your home.
• If you have multiple smart devices in your home, we recommend going with an integrated solution that connects all your smart devices in one place. It is preferable to manage all of these devices on a single platform rather than juggling with multiple apps. A comprehensive solution allows you to manage everything from a single app and automate the majority of the tasks.
• When purchasing a new alarm system, ensure that you have complete ownership of the system. Some companies provide security systems on a lease, which means you do not own the alarm system.

b) CCTV:

Once you’ve set up all of the cameras and recorders, as well as the complete networking and remote access setup, your CCTV installation will be done. At this point, the installer will connect your smartphone app to the CCTV system.

CCTV selection tips:

• Shape of the CCTV camera: Bullet, dome, and eyeball (turret) cameras are standard options. However, we always recommend using an eyeball camera.
• Colour of CCTV camera: The camera’s default colour is white (off-white). Some models are available in black, brown, or grey. They may be slightly more expensive and in short supply. So, if you need a specific colour, please request it ahead of time.
• CCTV Camera Resolution: While there are enough jargons to confuse you about CCTV systems, our best advice is to focus on camera output quality. We recommend 5MP cameras for now, with the option of upgrading to 8MP cameras later. Because 1 MB is considered high definition, 5MP is superior to 4K output. In comparison, the camera output quality in 2012 was around 600 to 700 TVL. So the output has improved about 8 times since then. The higher resolution enables you to zoom in further and see video output in your smart app more clearly.
• Recorder Capacity: We would not recommend storing footage on your local recorder for more than four weeks.
• Cabling: For CCTV installations, use CAT 6 cabling whenever possible.

Conclusion

Home security is essential, but planning it at the right time is even more critical. People frequently place a greater emphasis on the design and interiors of their ideal home. However, home security planning is frequently overlooked.

This guide will teach you how to plan security for your newly self build home in detail. It provides you with a detailed plan on your security requirements at each stage, assisting you in constructing a fully secured self build home for you and your family.

If you have any questions or would like to discuss your security needs in greater detail, please contact us, and one of our experts will contact you shortly.

Home Security has become an integral part of most of the homes in the UK. Over 1000 burglaries were reported every day in England and Wales last year. With burglaries on the rise, no matter how secure your area could be, people do not want to take any chances. Most of us are turning to professional home security systems as the number of burglaries increases year after year.

It is undoubtedly one of the most effective methods of deterring burglars and ensuring complete protection of your home, loved ones, and possessions. Professional security solutions boost your home security and provide a high level of protection against opportunist burglars.

Even insurance companies ask homeowners to take adequate precautions, such as installing a security system, especially if the property is high-risk. In fact, insurance companies frequently deny claims if there is no professional security system on the property.

Most of us can find it tricky to choose the ideal security system for our property especially when we have no knowledge about these security solutions.

Our quick guide to home security is a great way to learn about home security’s most important aspects and the best security solutions. This guide will go over how security systems work against burglars, the various security solutions available, and their key components.

It will provide you with a clearer picture and a better understanding of home security, allowing you to make an informed decision.

How do burglars target homes?

Burglars are professional experts who know how to carry out a burglary. While many studies show that some burglaries occur on the spur of the moment. However, in the vast majority of cases, burglars conduct extensive research on their victims before targeting them.

Burglars are experimenting with new and creative ways to target potential homes. For instance, they might disguise themselves as salespeople or local government members and approach people on their doorstep to access their properties. This type of burglary is known as Distraction Burglary.

Burglars are even using social media platforms to identify soft targets, often known as Social Media Burglary. There are certain things that get the attention of burglars and lead them to target specific homes or people.

• No one is at the property:

  Burglars find it more convenient to break into an empty house without confronting anyone. The ideal time for burglary is when people are either out on vacation or during the day. 

• Doors or windows are open:

  Around 20% of burglaries happen through unlocked doors and windows. Therefore, make sure you lock all your doors and windows before you go out or go to bed at night.

• Unattended mails at your mailbox:

  A pile of mails lying at your mailbox could signal burglars that the owner is away. And a vacant property is an ideal target for burglar as vacant homes is their primary target. 

• Open Backyard:

  Burglars try to slink through the unfenced backyard. It is easier for them to break in especially during the night without drawing anyone’s attention. Therefore, properties with an unfenced backyard are always at a higher risk.

• No sign of a security system:

  As per research at the University of Carolina,  a burglar alarm or any indication of a security system would discourage burglars from proceeding. Most burglars tend to look for an alternative property if they find properties with an alarm system.

• No sign of a Dog:

  Burglars prefer to stay away from home with a loud, barking dog. Dogs tend to get the attention of homeowners or neighbours when they see strangers trying to access the property.

• Valuable items are visible from your window:

  People frequently keep their valuables in plain sight, which can be seen through your window. It may attract the attention of opportunistic burglars passing by your home. This will notify them, and your home may be on their hit list.

• Targeting the same property again:

  Burglars tend to target the same property as targeting a new property puts them at greater risk. And you could be at risk if you haven’t upgraded your home security. 

Burglars target homes with the sole purpose of getting as many valuables as they can.  The following are some of the most common items burglars look out for.

• Cash- Simple to carry and use without being detected.
• Jewellery- Extremely convenient and easy to carry, and it can get burglars a good deal on the sale.
• Electronics- Burglars often look out for expensive electronic items such as mobile phones, laptops, computers, or tablets.
• Luxury Cars- If you have an expensive car parked in your driveway, a burglar may be looking for the keys to your vehicle.
• Personal information- They are also interested in gaining access to your personal information, such as your bank account information. This gives them access to your accounts, which is a serious risk.

It is always best to keep your valuables in a safe place and out of sight. Burglars might sneak peek into your home through windows to find out if it is worth targeting your property.

Are home security systems effective?

People often talk about using simple tricks to deter burglars. Some may suggest getting a loud and barking dog that guards the home. Some might prefer to use motion sensor lights to startle burglars who might try to slink into your home at night.

No doubt, these tricks do work, but the most important question here is, can these tricks ensure home security all the time?

This is where you would require a security system that can monitor your home 24*7.

Some people often question the effectiveness of these home security systems. A security system is designed to offer you complete protection and deter burglars. However, the effectiveness of the security system will also depend on your security requirements.

There are several security systems available on the market equipped with the latest technologies. However, every security system is designed to fulfill different needs. You must always assess these security systems and see which one would be a good fit for your requirement.

Latest trends in Home Security

• In the last 15 years, we have seen a decline in the wired alarms’ market share from over 90% to less than 5%. A majority of the leading burglar alarm manufacturers have either discontinued or relegated their wired alarm range.
• Since 2005, smartphone penetration in the UK market has risen from 76% to a consistent 95%. As a result, the burglar alarm market has seen a noticeable impact. At FHA Security, we’ve seen a rise in interest in smart alarms from 34% in 2014 to 78% in 2020. We anticipate that this trend will continue in the coming years.
• CCTV cameras remain the second-best defense against burglaries, mainly vandalism, and vehicle theft. For complete protection, we still recommend fully wired CCTV that covers all entry points into the house.
• Ring video doorbell has become a popular security system since its recent invention in 2013 by entrepreneur Jamie Siminoff. They are one of the fastest-growing product technologies in the security industry, with a 48% expected growth rate.
• Home automation is another popular security solution that has recently gained momentum. Home automation devices that use z-wave wireless technology have been around for a while. FHA’s latest home automation series integrates smart alarms with the full range of home automation suites, smart locks, smart video doorbells, and various smart internal and external cameras with unprecedented data and analytics. Its integration with alarm.com’s sophisticated cloud services truly transforms it into an effective all-in-one home management solution. It is a system that adapts to your changing needs. And you can control it with voice-activated devices such as Amazon Alexa, Apple Siri, Google Voice Assistant, your smartwatch, and many others.

Types of Home Security Solutions

1) Burglar Alarm

Burglar alarms or intruder alarms were first invented in 1853 to help people secure residential or domestic homes.

Burglar alarms have evolved over time into a more intelligent system that proactively monitors and protects your premises from intruders.

They are one of the best security systems used across the UK to resolve burglaries’ security concerns.

Burglar alarms are available in various packages from different brands. Each of them offering a bundle of features and capabilities from standard to advance.

In general, burglar alarms are available as wireless alarms and wired alarms.   

Tip: We always recommend all our customers to opt for a wireless burglar alarm. It offers plethora of benefits to the user with advanced capabilities and features, and is more secure than a wired system.

Read our previous article that talks about why wireless alarms are better than a wired alarm. 

Key Features of Burglar Alarms

1) Ease of operation

You can use an alarm system either using a keypad fitted on the wall or a proximity tag that requires a single tap on your control panel. Alternatively, you can also use a key fob and control your system from anywhere in the house. It is the most convenient way to arm your system during night. Therefore, it is critical that you choose the best way to operate your alarm system that suits your convenience.

2) Zone Partitions & Controllability

With burglar alarms, you can zone partition your home partially or completely depending on your requirement. Zone partitions decide how a security system should control the sensors within your property. These sensors are dedicated to each zone that trigger the alarm in case of an intrusion. The control panel immediately then displays the zone number on the screen. It is always good to install the sensors at all the critical entry and exit points to ensure complete protection.

3) Communications

Telecommunicating burglar alarms enable the control panel to send you an alert in the event of an intrusion. These alarm systems include a communication module that can connect to a landline, GSM, or broadband connection. These network connections enable the alarm system to reach you via your phone.

4) Remote Monitoring

Remote monitoring is one of the most important features of the alarm system. It allows you to keep an eye on your home from anywhere through your smartphone app. The app will enable you to monitor and control your system remotely. You can also arm and disarm your system from anywhere. Its visual verification feature allows you to verify the alert virtually via the photos it sends every time an unauthorized movement triggers the alarm.

There are 4 types of alarm monitoring services you can get with your alarm system.

• A self-monitoring alarm gives you complete control of your home security. It connects your security system to your smartphone app and allows you to monitor your home remotely. It sends alerts to you directly in case of a break-in.

• 3rd party monitoring allows a third party to monitor your home security 24*7. The alarm system directly connects to the alarm receiving center (ARC). in case of a break-in to take an immediate action.

• Keyholding service monitoring allows a private security company to monitor your home. In case of a break-in, these guys will access your property and take the necessary action. It is most suitable for high-risk commercial properties.

• Police monitoring allows the system to alert the police directly. However, it could create a problem if there are frequent false alarms at your property. The police sometimes either downgrade your property to a lower level or can blacklist. This means you will not get an immediate response when the alarm triggers next time. It is most suitable for high-risk properties.

5) Add-on accessories

The alarm system supports a wide range of add-on accessories that help you fully protect your home. Following are some of the critical add-ons you can pair with your alarm system.

• Door/window contact sensor that detects unauthorised movement across the doors and windows.
• PIR motion detector connects to your alarm system and detects the movement within the armed zone. You can always choose a pet-friendly motion detector that ignores any pet movement within the house up to a certain level. This helps in the reduction of false triggers as a result of pet movement.
• Smoke sensors trigger the alarm system in the event of a fire. 
• Carbon monoxide (CO) sensors detects the concentration of CO within the house and transmits alerts to the control panel.
• Shock sensors activate when an impact exceeds a predetermined level.
• A panic Button is a wireless device that connects to your alarm system and triggers the alarm when pressed in the event of an emergency.
• Curtain sensors offer perimeter protection without triggering the alarm and protect doors, windows, and all-glass walls. This detector causes the least false alarms as it distinguishes human motion from other disturbances.
• Flood detector detects water in basements, yachts and many other residential and commercial applications, providing early warning of developing floods.

2) CCTV or Home Security Cameras

There are many home security camera systems available for both indoor and outdoor use in residential homes. There are a few things you should consider before making your purchase.

• Where do you need to place the camera?
• What level of recording and access are you looking for?
• Do you want the camera to pan and tilt?

Choose a plug-and-play camera with a smart app for indoors and, if possible, two-way audio with pan and tilt capabilities.

We would recommend a professionally installed and fully customised CCTV solution for the outdoors, such as FHA ones.

Remember that CCTV that does not provide local recording and relies on your broadband connection is not as reliable as CCTV with local hard-drive recording.

A professionally installed CCTV system is a one-time cost solution that will rarely require additional maintenance and will provide complete protection.

Tip: Ensure that you follow the CCTV laws if you plan to use a CCTV system at your residential property. 

3) Smart Doorbells

A smart doorbell is a relatively new product on the market that is a useful smart device. The following are some of the critical features of a smart doorbell.

• Motion-triggered notification
• Push notification through a smartphone app
• Optional built-in cameras can send live video notifications and support 2-way video communications.

There are numerous smart doorbell devices on the market, some of which are from unknown brands and costs from as little as £20. But, among all of them, the Ring doorbell stands out as one of the best. If you want to watch historical videos, these devices have a variety of subscription options.

Tip: All smart doorbells make use of your home broadband as well as your smartphone. You should only connect trusted smart devices to your broadband, and you should only install secure apps on your phone. The reason for this is that there are security risks associated with hacking. In fact, there have been reports of security breaches where ring products were hacked.

4) Floodlights with motion sensor

Floodlights are high-intensity lights that are used to illuminate your property’s perimeter. Because of their startling effect, motion sensor flood lights are best used to deter burglars. These floodlights are activated by any movement around them, making them ideal for protecting property from intruders.

5) Deadbolt doors and lockable windows

Several surveys and studies have revealed that burglars frequently use doors and windows to gain entry into a property. That means you must use high-quality, difficult-to-break locks on all of your doors and windows.

Using a deadbolt door is an excellent way to secure your doors. Its locking mechanism provides excellent protection against forced entry. Standard locks are easily broken by burglars using weapons such as knives or crowbars; however, deadbolt locks are difficult to break. Burglars would have to work harder to get past them, providing good security.

Securing windows, on the other hand, is another way to ensure complete security. Windows typically have a standard lock; however, additional locks can improve the security of your windows. There are various types of locks available on the market that are appropriate for various types of windows.

To select the best locks for your home, consult with a professional. It is an excellent way to add an additional layer of security to your security system.

6) Home Automation

The integration of home automation into security system has unveiled efficient ways to manage and secure your homes. This comprehensive all-in-one smart security system, blends well with your smart home. It comes with a bundle of capabilities and features that prove to be the most efficient security solution for your smart home.

It integrates with your other smart devices like smart lights, thermostats, heating systems, etc., and you can manage and control everything from your smartphone app.   

Our new Home Automation Alarm Kit from Visonic is the most advanced solution available on the market that enhances your home security and is a crucial security device for your smart home.

It comes with a smartphone app that gives you full remote access to your system. It allows you to monitor, protect, and automate your home from your phone. And its dedicated connection gives you reliable and uninterrupted protection even when the network is down.

Benefits of Home Automation

1) Complete security

With smart security systems, you can get updates anywhere, anytime. Unlike the traditional alarm system that only works when it’s armed, it gives you real-time updates on your phone. You can quickly get a glimpse of your home when you’re out and relaxed, knowing that everything is safe and secure.

2) Reliable and Resilient

These systems are more reliable than the traditional wired alarm system. A standard wired security system can easily be tampered with by cutting out the wires from outside. The alarm control panel and accessories work on dedicated wireless frequency. They are not affected by failures of power supply or telephone lines. You can add multiple communication channels, so even if your broadband fails, a multi-network sim card in the alarm can continue to communicate with you.

3) Proactive approach

Smart security systems are advanced and intelligent systems that use a proactive approach. It continuously sends you alerts if you have forgotten to take the necessary action, such as arming your alarm system or locking your smart door.

4) Convenient and easy

Because your alarm system is connected to your smartphone, you can efficiently operate and monitor your House remotely. It doesn’t require your physical presence at home to control your devices.

5) Integrate into your smart home

You can now integrate your security system with other smart devices, such as smart lights, door locks, smart thermostats. By doing this, you can manage all your smart devices centrally. It can further automate the responses that make your life easier and happier.

Professional Security vs DIY Systems- Which one is better?

While evaluating different security solutions for your home, one common question is,

“Which security system would be better – DIY or Professional system?”

It all depends on your security requirements.

Every system has its pros and cons, and you must always evaluate each one of them to find out which one best addresses your security requirements.

DIY security systems

DIY systems are simple to install and as the name implies, anyone can install the system and make it up and running. It usually comes with a user guide that explains how to install and use the system in detail.

Renters prefer these systems because they are portable and do not necessitate the installation of a third party. They are also less expensive, and you only have to pay a one-time fee for the system.

Professional security systems

Professional security systems, on the other hand, need assistance from an expert who takes care of the installation process. These systems are grade 2 and grade 3 systems that are audited and labelled based on their ability to detect intrusion.

Professional companies that work with these systems provide you with complete assurance that the system adheres to quality standards and complies with industry regulations.

Read our blog Professional security vs DIY systems and learn more about these systems in detail. 

Tip: DIY security alarms, such as Yale alarms, also require professional assistance. We’ve spoken with several customers who were unable to install their DIY kit and ended up contacting us for the installation. DIY kits may appear to be simple to install at first glance, but they are not, especially for people with no prior knowledge of these systems. A professional installer can help you avoid a similar situation and get your system up and running as soon as possible. They even provide maintenance services to ensure your system’s long-term productivity and performance.

Our Recommendations

1) Wireless Burglar Alarm

A wireless burglar alarm can be best used as the first line of defense. With changing needs and technology, burglar alarm has evolved into a complete security solution with a host of capabilities that allow you to manage, monitor and control your home security.

To start with, you can always choose a wireless burglar alarm which you can eventually upgrade by adding other devices or sensors.

We highly recommend the following wireless alarms that go with all types of residential properties.

a) Visonic Powermaster Wireless Burglar Alarm

Visonic Powermaster is one of the best professional wireless burglar alarms. It is one of the superior ranges from Visonic that is most suitable for advanced and heavy-duty operations. 

Visonic has used its in-house wireless technology- PowerG that makes them highly secure, super reliable, and robust systems that deliver high-performance. 

Key features of the Powermaster alarms:

• Robust and Reliable- It uses FHSS (Frequency Hopping Spread Spectrum) technology that eliminates any wireless appliances interference. Its two-way communication ensures the messages are not lost. Moreover, they are AES-128 encrypted that makes them more secure and reliable.
• Remote Control- You can remotely control the configuration, review, and diagnosis of these systems.
• Quick Installation- It has an easy set-up process that makes the installation faster and quicker. Moreover, it has a long transmission range. Therefore it doesn’t need repeaters.
• Green Technology- Its long battery life reduces pollution and saves energy.

b) Risco Agility 4 Wireless Burglar Alarm

Agility 4 is a multi-layered smart alarm system that offers multi-dimension security and provides complete protection, both outdoors and indoors. 

Critical features of Agility 4 systems. 

• Enhanced performance-It is robust and reliable with enhanced RF performance capabilities.
• Advanced communications-It supports all sorts of communication modes (3G/IP/PSTN/GSM) that makes communication resilient.
• Visual verification-It comes with integrated camera sensors. They help in real-time event verification through the iRISCO smartphone app. This also helps in eliminating false alarm triggers.
• Compact design-It comes with a stylish, sleek keypad that compliments your home interiors.

c) CommPact Wireless Alarm System

CommPact is a cost-effective alarm system ideal for both homes and offices. It comes with a live video verification feature and uses integrated camera sensors. The real-time video verification feature will help you to check every time there is a trigger. And you can easily eliminate false alarm triggers, if any.  Moreover, the iRISCO app gives you complete control over your property. And you can also remotely arm and disarm your system.

CommPact alarms are convenient to use, easy to install, and super reliable.  It is ideal for people who are looking for a standard budget alarm.

d) Yale 6400 Wireless Burglar Alarm

Yale is a popular brand with a wide range of wireless alarm series, Yale 6400 being one of their best selling alarms.

It is a cost-effective, user-friendly system with a simple keypad to use. It has all the basic features you would need to protect your home. And if you’re someone who wants a simple, easy-to-use system, then this is the best alarm system for you.

These systems, however, can be customised and upgraded based on your requirements.  

2) Wired CCTV System

A wired CCTV system is ideal for surveillance purposes. A fully functional CCTV system compliments any property, and strategically placing cameras deter opportunist burglars. It allows you to monitor the property using your smartphone app remotely.

FHA offers various customised CCTV packages that include the camera of your choice at no extra cost.

3) Home Automation System

Most of our customers frequently ask us about an integrated solution that can manage alarms, cameras, and doorbells.

Our new home automation kit, “Visonic Qolsys home automation security system,” combines Visonic’s most advanced wireless alarm technology PowerG with alarm.com’s most efficient home automation platform in a stylish iPad-like control panel by Qolsys.

You can integrate a wireless doorbell, smart door lock, various internal and external cameras, and a variety of existing and new smart home automation devices.

Check out the exclusive product with an introductory pricing offer here.

Conclusion

Choosing home security systems can be difficult, and this is where FHA can assist you by identifying the best system that fits your property’s needs.

If you are looking to buy a security system for your home, book a free consultation with us. Our team of experts will talk through your requirement and provide you with the best recommendations. If needed, we can also conduct a free survey of your property to identify critical security concerns.

If there’s one thing we consumers demand, it’s choice. We want a range of options, whether we’re buying shoes or cheese. And we want to take our time making up our minds. Quite right too. The same goes for selecting a home security system. There is a dazzling array of technologies available, offering a variety of services and levels of protection. So, how do you know which home security system is right for you? Here’s our handy guide to finding the right home security system for your Essex property.

What’s your property?

Your first step is to look at your home and decide what level of security it needs, as well as how easy it is to operate. Do you want a code-based keypad or a handy keyfob option? How many zones inside your home will you need to cover? If you have a flat roof or extension, will your bedrooms need sensors?

If you live in a bijou Essex apartment, you won’t need Fort Knox-level protection. But you should talk to your landlord and neighbours before taking any action. Especially if you want to install a loud siren alarm. 

What’s your budget?

We recommend putting a sensor in each room of your home that someone can directly access from outside, as well as one on the landing if you have one.

Of course, the size of your property will have an impact on how much you need to spend. But not being able to splash out doesn’t mean your choices are limited to poor-quality home security systems.

Our Yale range starts at £399 and it’s suitable for residential and commercial properties across Essex. It can be expanded whenever required and even made pet friendly. While for a little extra, the Visonic Powermaster 10 gives you a transmission range far greater than the industry standard.

Alternatively, one of our most popular options is the Risco CommPact wireless home smart burglar alarm. It comes with a free remote access app.

While the Powermaster 33, also our Visonic range, is ideal for business uses and for for residential users who look for a stylish smart solution , yet don’t want to advertise their home security system to the rest of Essex.

Levels of home security

A basic home alarm will let everyone in Essex know someone has entered your home. But little else, so it’s worth investigating smarter systems.

Sensor-based devices, such as the Visonic Powermaster 30, allow you to keep an eye on your home and manage your alarm when you’re out and about by communicating with your mobile.

The system will inform you when the kids get home from school, and also call keyholders if the alarm is triggered. It’s like having eyes in the back of your head.

If your Essex family is growing, then you can future-proof their security by integrating your internet and home security system with the Visonic Qolsys home automation alarm kit. This cutting-edge solution can be controlled using the touchscreen pad, or your smartphone, tablet, smartwatch, Amazon Alexa or Apple Siri.

The area we cover is vast and our range of security systems reflects the obvious fact that no two homes are the same – no matter what they look like on the outside. The Risco Agility 4 Wireless home security system is a custom solution that matches your every requirement.

Eyes inside and out

Cameras are among the most popular home security systems in Essex, acting both as a deterrent to criminals and a way to gather evidence should someone enter your home.

Integrating camera sensors into your home security system will take photos the instant an alarm is triggered, evidence which can be passed on to officials if required.

Our packages range from two to eight cameras, and our expert team will advise you on ensuring external cameras comply with current data protection laws, shielding members of the Essex public who may be inadvertently recorded.

Additional security

You can also enhance your home security and CCTV system with extras including door and window contacts or a shock sensor, giving your home maximum protection.

If you need any advice about home security systems in Essex, or want to know more about CCTV or alarm systems, visit our website or drop us a line at chelmsford@fhasecurity.co.uk and we’ll do all we can to help.  We cover all locations in Essex including Chelmsford, Colchester, Romford and Southend.

‘Hello! Can you help me! Our alarm is going off! No, you didn’t fit it. We don’t know who the installer was! We have only been here for the last nine months! Sorry, we don’t have any codes or manuals! No, we don’t know what make and model it is! So, there is nothing we can do about it? It may go off all night???!!!’——- This was the call we took on a Saturday night around 8 p.m. from a distressed lady who eventually became a wonderful customer. We have often received similar calls from other customers, where people are struggling with the alarm system already installed on their property and want to switch to us for alarm maintenance. However, such situations can always be avoided if you are moving to a new home with an existing home security alarm already in place.

Get the information from previous owners and agents

Once you move to your new property, make sure you get all the details you need about the security system from either the owner or the agent.

If you are not sure of the details, you should have, please refer to the list below.

• Make and model of the burglar alarm system.
• Details about the company that installed it, particularly their name and contact details.
• Check out what customers are saying about the company’s services. You can quickly get this information through review websites like Google and Trust Pilot.
• Find out what all the communication modules are available with the alarm system installed.
• Find out if they have a system code from the owner. It is critical because the system code is required at the time of the alarm service.
• Look out for additional add-ons, such as key-fobs, tags, or portable devices that might have come with an alarm.
• Find out if the owner has any ongoing maintenance plan for the alarm system and get the details.
• Check if the alarm is monitored and a monitoring plan is in place.
• Another critical information is whether the alarm is owned or leased.
• Try to get any further information you can about the alarm system.

When the information is not available 

In some cases, the owner will have no clue about any of the details mentioned above. In that situation, you can refer to the following points.

• Find out the details of the company on the external bell box. In general, security installers install a bell box with their brand on it and install it on the property’s outer premises. You can also look for the company’s name or the alarm’s model number on its components, such as control panels, keypads, and keyboards.
• Alternatively, you can check the invoice or user manual to find out the company’s details if you have received it from the owner or agent.

If you can’t find out anything about the alarm system, please send us an email to hello@fhasecurity.co.uk with a few photos of the alarm you are using. Take a snapshot of the control panel or keypad and send it to us with your contact details. Our specialists can help you identify your product.

Once you have got the details about the make and model of the alarm

Great, if you managed to find out more about the make and model of the alarm system. Please contact the company and check if they are still operational and can support the system. Ensure that you get an accurate quote from the company because some companies are notorious for overcharging alarm takeovers.

Whether you decide to proceed with the existing security provider or switch to us for your alarm service requirements, you must stick to the following process for your alarm take over.

• Arrange an engineer for your burglar alarm servicing and learn from the expert how to operate the system. You ought to know how to use the critical features of the system.
• Get the code changed on the system. The user code of the system must only be available to you and your immediate family members. There is always a risk associated with the codes passed to you by the previous owners.
• Check if the batteries are working fine or need replacement, especially if the system has not been repaired for the past 12 months.
• The alarm is of no use unless it communicates to the user in the event of an emergency. Please ensure that the system is set up to communicate with you if and when the alarm is triggered. If you are using a smart alarm, you need to enable cloud connectivity via the smartphone app.
• The best way to manage your alarm is to have a maintenance plan in place. Ongoing maintenance will ensure regular health checkups and instant service call-outs from the technician. You will have professional assistance and support available in case of any faults and errors.

Our alarm maintenance package provides an all-inclusive service plan including your annual service, battery repair, free calls, and technical support, all at a fixed rate.

What other things you can consider

1) If the burglar alarm system is outdated

The home alarm systems have an average life span of 10 years. Due to technological changes, it is recommended that the alarm system be upgraded every five years as companies often discontinue their old systems with a new generation alarm series. In that case, you might find it challenging to get support for the older system, and you might end up paying a considerable amount of money. It is sometimes cheaper to start with a new alarm system with the latest technology and advanced communication features.

2) Upgrading the existing alarm system

You can upgrade most of these alarm systems by adding motion sensors and add-ons. If you are willing to upgrade your alarm system, make sure you know what you want from the upgraded system before adding devices to the old system.

Conclusion

If you are in a similar situation and want to switch to a different security provider but are uncertain how to proceed, please contact us.

We are an award-winning security installer working with a wide range of wireless burglar alarms. Our team of engineers are professionally trained on alarm repairs and alarm maintenance of some of the leading brands- Yale, Visonic, Risco and Infinite Prime.