Driveway Alarm Systems

Driveway Alarm Systems basically consist of sensors that are set up along your drive way, or any area that you would like to monitor. An alarm is triggered by the sensors when it senses someone approaching. It's like having a dedicated helper with nothing to do but sit and watch for an on-comer. As soon as it senses someone coming down your drive it sends a signal to you in the house. These driveway alarms are very beneficial if you do not want to be surprised by visitors or possible intruders. Driveway monitors are a simple, inexpensive DIY addition to any home security system that not very many people know about.

Many Uses for Driveway Alarms

There are many ways you can use this type of monitor.
They are ideal for:

• Homes
• Entryways
• Business Entry Alerts
• Driveways
• Wild Game Alerts
• Building Protection
• Mailbox Protection
• Intruders on Your Property
• Parental Control

Parents use them to help keep track of where their children are playing, if they have gone in an area that they shouldn't the sensors will see them and an alarm will let the parents know. Hunters and wildlife photographers use them to alert them of game approaching.

They have been very useful for singles living alone. A friend of mine who lives 15 miles out in the country all alone, worries, as many do, about her safety. She set up an alarm sensor in a concealed location within a wooden post at the beginning of her lane. Whenever anyone drives or walks down her lane the warning signal goes off in the house warning her without them even knowing they went through the sensors and set it off. She has come to rely on it and loves it.
More safety tips for Singles living alone.

Businesses use them to alert them when customers arrive. Another friend of mine has a green house business and found her driveway monitor saved her from missing customers. Since her business is outside her home she also eliminated the problem of always having to run to a window to see if any customers had arrived outside. This would also work in the doorways of a business, for example it could be used on the front door where customers enter or the back door where deliveries are made.

Types of Driveway Alarm Systems

Motion Detecting Sensors also know as Passive Infrared (PIR) - This type of alarm uses infrared sensors that detect motion. They will detect any movement from automobliles, people, or animals big enough to cross through the invisible beam.

Metal Detection Alarm or Metal Sensing Probes - These types of monitors uses a magnetometer sensor instead of a motion sensor that will only alert you when a large metal object such as a car has crossed it's sensor. The sensors have a magnetic field surrounding them and will set off an alarm when the magnetic field is interrupted. This system will not be set off by animals or people like the motion detecting driveway alarms or rubber air hose options will. They are available in both wireless and wired system options. The wireless alarm system is less expensive than a wired alarm system.

Rubber Air Hose Driveway Monitor - This type of driveway monitor is the type you see at a full service gas station or drive-thru restaurant. These are usually used at a place of business to send an alert to employees of the approach of a customer, but they could also be used in the home if you would prefer this type of system.

Wired and Wireless Driveway Alarms - Both the motion detecting alarm and the PIR alarm systems are available in wireless and wired versions so you will need to decide if you would rather have a wired driveway alarm system or a wireless driveway alarm system.

• Wireless - The wireless systems are easier to install and are less expensive since, unlike the wired system, they do not require that you run wiring from the sensors to the receiver inside the house. The receiver (or alarm) can be placed anywhere in the house or place of business but keep in mind that with each system there will be a limit to how far you can place the the sensor from the receiver in the house. Make sure you know ahead of time what that limit is. Also keep in mind that the wireless motion detecting systems sensor and receiver both require batteries.

• Wired - The wired monitors are less of a hassle because you will never have to worry about changing the batteries. Also, with wired systems you never have to worry about buildings, trees etc. getting in the way of the wireless signal.

Additions and Options

• Alert Sounds - Before you choose one consider what kind of alert sound you would like. Some driveway alarm systems come with alert that are a pleasant chiming sound only heard in the house, some have a louder alarm sound that can be heard from a distance inside a larger house and some have an even louder alarm that is heard inside and outside the house.

• Lights -The receiver can also show an ALERT light that flashes to alert you with or without the alert sound. You can also choose to have outside lights automatically come on. The latest improvement is driveway monitors powered by solar energy which help conserve energy.

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