Over the past couple decades, the popularity of residential alarm systems has grown tremendously. As you know, we strongly recommend that any homeowner install this valuable security measure. Most people think of these systems as a way of catching burglars once they breach a property. Of course, this feature represents one of the top aspects of installing this security. However, we also surprise customers with one of the more recent security advantages to our security systems in the form of outdoor security! Installing exterior alarm devices adds an important security measure that goes beyond your house’s four walls and helps you secure your entire property. In this post, we review some of our most effective outdoor alarm security products for your home.
First, we’ll focus on some wireless alarm sensors that you can use to secure your yard. We’ll also review some popular destinations to install these devices. From there, we’ll discuss how adding interactive alarm monitoring can also help secure your yard. This monitoring offering has turned into our most effective and popular security monitoring solution, and we’ll explain why. Finally, we’ll look at the security experience you can expect when installing smart cameras. These user-friendly cameras can create a new level of security and peace of mind. Now, let’s dive in by seeing how improvements in wireless alarm technology has made securing your yard an achievable goal!
Using Wireless Alarm Sensors in Your Yard
The advent of wireless alarm sensors marked a major turning point in the security industry. Previously, homeowners installed hardwired alarms with wires running to every security contact. Ideally, alarm companies had access to homes before the installation of drywall. In fact, we still occasionally “pre-wire” homes for a completely hardwired alarm system. However, installing alarms in completed houses proves both difficult and costly. Doing so involves “snaking” wires behind walls from customers’ basements up to doors and windows.
DCS’s Power G series of alarm sensors allows us to install sensors further away from your alarm panel than ever before.
About 25 years ago, wireless alarm sensors immediately changed the industry. These sensors use radio frequencies, rather the wires, to communicate with the alarm’s main panel. Therefore, homeowners with finished homes could still install reasonably-priced alarms. However, wireless sensors still had their limitations. For a long time, these sensors had a fairly limited wireless range. Therefore, locations such as exterior garage and shed doors had to remain unsecured. Moreover, sensors installed far from the alarm panel would also have periodic issues after installation.
The new Power G series of sensors by DSC has changed all of that. Power G sensors provide a uniquely powerful signal that can communicate with panels at great distances. This product, and others like it, have made it possible to secure large buildings with wireless sensors. Additionally, DSC makes weather-rated versions of these wireless sensors. For this reason, they stand as one of our most effective outdoor alarm security products. Let’s look at a couple locations that make great landing spots for these sensors.
Securing Detached Garages and Sheds
In the past, homeowners have often found themselves disappointed when they hear they cannot secure their detached garages and sheds. However, the advent of the groundbreaking wireless sensors described earlier have erased this worry. Now, we frequently install contacts on exterior garage doors. In turn, these contacts help secure cars and machinery housed in garages. Some thieves do their work solely in garages without ever entering a home. Now, we can secure these areas with your existing home security system. The same goes for sheds that house power tools, bikes, and other possessions worth securing. We can install the same types of sensors in these areas as we do in your home. Namely, door and window sensors, motion detectors, and glass break detectors can now secure any exterior structures on your property. Next, let’s look at how adding sensors on exterior fences can increase outdoor security.
Adding Valuable Fence and Gate Security
Most people do not consider their fence gates as particularly vulnerable areas. This especially rings true for homeowners who simply install fencing for privacy. However, many homeowners install fences for the benefit of their pets. Fenced-in yards allow dogs to roam without homeowners having to keep their eyes peeled for an overzealous pet attempting to escape. In these cases, a gate popping open or remaining open after someone leaves can spell danger. For this reason, we recommend that homeowners secure their exterior fence gates with security sensors.
Additionally, we also recommend putting alarm sensors on pool gates as well. Pools create a safety hazard for young children, and adding sensors to them can greatly increase security and peace of mind. Furthermore, this can also keep unwanted guests from using your pool in your absence. As you can see, adding weatherproof, exterior alarm contacts to your fence and gates can add a unique layer of security to your home. Let’s take a look at a monitoring option that can take this security one step further!
Taking Advantage of Interactive Security Features
When we created a post sharing Signs You Need a Security Upgrade, we mentioned the fact we prefer to utilize interactive cellular monitoring when we install or upgrade an alarm. Our cellular dialer powered by Alarm.com provides this unique service. Interactive monitoring allows customers to control their alarm remotely using the Alarm.com app. Furthermore, it also provides customers with the ability to receive text alerts based on alarm activity. So what does this have to do with adding outdoor security? Well, more than you may think!
Homeowners use Alarm.com alerts to stay informed about any type of alarm activity they wish to know about. For example, alarm activations and system arming and disarming events make popular notifications. Furthermore, Alarm.com customers can receive alerts for certain doors opening and closing as well. They can receive these alerts even when the system is not armed! This means that sensors installed outdoors can create notifications to alert homeowners to activity around the home at all times. Now you can receive an instant alert if your yard has an open gate or if someone approaches your pool even if the alarm system is disarmed! Obviously, this ability to create full-time security in your yard creates tremendous value for any alarm customer. Our Alarm.com cell dialer also works with the last of the outdoor alarm security products that we’ll describe today.
Smart cameras, such as this one by Alarm.com, can monitor your property and send you instant video alerts upon detecting motion.
Adding Smart Surveillance
When we install a security system with Alarm.com interactive monitoring, we often install Alarm.com smart cameras as part of the security package. In the past, people considered installing cameras more of a “commercial” security measure than a residential one. Part of the reason for this lies in the relatively high price point for installing cameras. In addition to purchasing camera equipment, traditional camera systems also require you to pay for technicians to run wiring from each camera location back to a centrally-located recorder. However, surveillance equipment has lowered considerably in price, and we no longer have to install cameras in this manner. Now, we can install Wi-Fi-connected Alarm.com smart cameras that do not require us to run wiring back to a recorder! Instead, these cameras store recorded video clips to the cloud to allow you to review them using the Alarm.com app.
Our smart camera customers experience several unique security features. Like any cameras, smart cameras provide the ability to both deter crime and to help you solve any crime that occurs on your property. Additionally, smart cameras also provide many benefits that traditional security cameras do not. For example, these cameras can send a live video notification to your phone upon detecting motion. This allows you to check in on any issues you may experience in real time.
As an added bonus, our Alarm.com smart cameras also feature the power of video analytics. This allows your cameras to recognize the difference between motion caused by a person, an animal, or a vehicle. In turn, this makes it easier for you to create effective video searches when looking to find video of a particular event. This means that you can create notifications if a person or vehicle approaches your garage. However, you can have your cameras skip sending you live footage of your dog running around the yard while you’re at work! These options make Alarm.com cameras one of our most effective outdoor alarm security products.
Putting Our Outdoor Alarm Security Products to Work for You
We hope that this post helps you find outdoor alarm security products that work for your own home. Moreover, we also invite you to contact us with any questions this post may raise for you. We will happily answer any and all of your security-related inquiries. Additionally, we also encourage you to take advantage of our free site survey program. We offer free security walkthroughs and equipment quotes to any homeowners looking to bolster their home security. During our visit, we can address any security concerns you may have. Furthermore, we can also make suggestions based on our own observations of your property. We’ve helped over a thousand customers create complete security plans over our 36-plus years in business, and we’d love to help you as well. Together, we can create and execute a security plan to keep you, your home, and your family as safe and secure as possible.