Whilst serving as a police officer one of the most frequently asked questions I would encounter from victims of burglary (or their neighbours), would be, “Which burglar alarm should I install?” To answer the question about which wireless alarm to choose I will deal with some very effective DIY wireless burglar alarm systems available.
But first ……
Which wireless alarm not to choose
Victims of burglary are also easy targets for scams and I would strongly recommend that you do not buy your alarm from somebody who cold calls on your telephone or is door knocking. Whilst I’m sure their must be some reputable companies out there carrying out this type of activity, it is unfortunate that the only ones I have had the misfortune of coming across are those that promise the world and but whose aim is to fleece the victim. They are particularly good in targeting the elderly where they emphasise the fear of crime. Invariably, the scam will involve the company giving away a sub standard wireless alarm system for free only for the victim to discover in the small print that they have signed a contract demanding very expensive monthly maintenance payments over a very lengthy period of time
Wireless Alarm – The Deterrent Effect
Since you are reading this you are already aware of the deterrent value of having a burglar alarm system for your property. Potential offenders are far less likely to break into a house where a burglar alarm system is fitted. And if an offender does decide to try his luck with an alarmed property it’s usually because something else has attracted his attention such as an open window, an unlocked door or easy access to the rear garden where he is less likely to be spotted.
A.R.C.
Now before choosing an alarm I want you to Think A.R.C. Going back again to my days as a police officer, it was my experience that the average victim of burglary tends to over-react when it comes to considering installation of crime prevention measures AFTER an attack. This type of reaction is understandable but my advice to anybody carrying out any type of crime prevention work – not just when fitting a burglar alarm – is “THINK ARC”. That’s think A for APPROPRIATE, R for REAISTIC and C for COST EFFECTIVE. In other words their is no point in fitting an all singing all dancing alarm system costing £thousands when your first floor bedsit is burgled. Likewise it is no good expecting a cheap import being sold at your local car boot sale to be reliable enough to protect you and your family in a 3 bed semi or detached property.
So what do you look for in a DIY Wireless alarm?
British Standards for Wireless Alarms
Well the first recommendation would be that the wireless alarm is constructed to British Standard 6799 (and the European equivalent), and it bears the kite mark. This is a sign that the manufacturers believe in their own system enough to put it through the rigorous testing involved to obtain a British Standard mark. Consequently, it gives reassurance to the customer of a quality product.
RF Operating System for Wireless Alarms
Secondly, because you are looking at wireless alarms it is important that the radio frequency (RF) operating system is the best available. The two most popular ones used by wireless alarm systems are 433 MHz and 868 MHz with the 868 MHz being my preferred choice for reliability.
Monitoring of Wireless Alarms
Lastly, I would always recommend that the burglar alarm is monitored or at least somebody can react to an activation. Until relatively recently the only way to have an alarm at your house monitored was to pay one of the large security companies to install the alarm and then have them monitor it for you. This was invariably expensive to set up and almost certainly involved a monitoring fee of about £25 per month over an initial contractual period of at least two years. But technology has moved on and nowadays it is possible to very simply install your own wireless alarm which, when plugged into the telephone socket, is able to dial pre-set numbers and relay a pre-recorded message when the alarm has activated. The beauty of this type of system is that the alarm can dial you, a member of your family, a local friend or even your next door neighbour, any one of whom can respond to the alarm.
So, which wireless alarm have we chosen that successfully incorporates all three areas above? Well the only wireless alarm we have reviewed so far that we can class as a genuinely wireless DIY product and includes the above criteria is the Friedland SL5 (shown on the left) and its big brother the Friedland SL6 as seen here. Although the Response SA5 (shown on the right) comes very close with a 433 MHz operating system instead of the 868 MHz.
And if you don’t want a monitored wireless burglar alarm which wireless should you then choose? Well the other type of alarm is what is classed as “bells only”. On activation of a bells only alarm the siren will sound and anybody in the immediate area will be aware of the issue. This may have the desired effect of making the offender take to his heels but unless a neighbour takes an interest in the activation it is unlikely that anybody will react positively.
But if it is a bells only system you need then we would recommend the Friedland SK3 (pictured left) or if the 433 MHz operating system is acceptable to you, then the SA3 (pictured right) still incorporates the British Standards and is definitely worth a look.
You can compare bells only similar products from Friedland, Response and Yale here
Well I do hope this has assisted you in making your decision now simply click here to see the reviews for which alarm system you may be looking
If you want any more information or advice about home security and burglar alarms, please check our other articles or contact me.
Neill MacKenzie
www.wirelessalarmsreview.co.uk
Did you find this article about which wireless alarm to choose useful? Would you like to include it in your website or blog? Please feel free to copy the article in full and publish it appropriately however, we do request that you leave intact the authors name and the link back to our site.
Thank you.
Neill MacKenzie, Wireless Alarms Review