Security systems are a necessity for any homeowner looking to protect their property and their family.
However, a security alarm triggered by someone in your house is great, but it also gives them more than enough time to get in, steal thousands of dollars worth of goods, hurt someone, and escape before the police get even get there. And what about the security of the outside of your home?
These issues are why many homeowners are opting for a driveway alarm.
Keep reading for all of the ways in which installing a driveway alarm could benefit you and your household.
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The Top Advantages of a Driveway Alarm
A driveway alarm is a motion sensor alarm that activates when pedestrians or vehicles enter your driveway or any of the other places you install the sensors.
These high-tech systems can be wired or wireless. They also come with plenty of options including motion sensor lights, audible alarms, communication systems, and cameras capable of storing video footage online.
1. Be Alerted to Intruders Early
First, a driveway alarm serves as an early warning system. As we mentioned above, if someone breaks into your home while you’re away, even with a security system, they could be long gone before the police ever arrive. If a driveway alarm detects them early, however, police could very well arrive while they’re still looking for a way in.
Additionally, if a driveway alarm goes off and alerts you to the problem before they ever get to the door, you can make a show of being home and awake, deterring them from wanting to enter. Alternatively, if you’re monitoring from elsewhere, you can call the police yourself.
2. Deter Unwanted Guests
However, even without your or the polices intervention, a driveway alarm system may be enough on its own to deter unwanted guests.
Your system can be set up to sound an audible alarm and turn on bright lights when the motion sensors are tripped. Typically, this will be enough to scare away anyone who’s at your house for the wrong reasons.
Alarms and sensor-activated lights signal to potential thieves that your house will not be an easy target. It also signals that if anyone is home, they’re now aware of an undesired presence.
3. Customizable Alerts
The best wireless driveway alarm you can pick should have sophisticated detection abilities. This means being able to differentiate between cars, adults, children, animals, etc.
If you have little neighborhood kids who like to play around your driveway, your system will be going crazy all day. The same can be said if your dog or a neighbor’s dog is allowed to roam the neighborhood or the area somewhat freely.
Make sure you get the best device for your specific circumstances. You can set them to sound different alarms based on the type of activity is senses or not sound at all for things you deem irrelevant.
4. Monitor and Record All Activity
Another perk of a driveway alarm system is that it allows you to see everything going on in and around your property. For example, if you come home and your mailbox has a dent in it, your driveway alarm system will likely have recorded it.
Wireless driveway alarm systems often come with cameras connect to a cloud (an online database where the recorded video is stored). Most alarm companies allow free video storage for up to 30 days. However, if you want more, you’ll have to pay for a subscription.
However, regardless of how long your video is stored for, cloud storage allows you to get on and check live or stored footage at any time, which is great considering most break-ins happen during the day while people are at work.
5. Welcome Desired Guests
On the positive side of things, a driveway alarm system can also help you welcome guests to your home.
As we mentioned above, a motion sensor that triggers lighting is a great way to show guests your home and ready to invite them in. Additionally, as most driveway alarm systems come with an intercom system, you can also talk to them from inside your home and give them directions. You can tell them to go ahead and come on in rather than knocking, to use the back door, or to not worry about your barking dog.
Alternatively, if there is someone of a suspicious nature outside your home, you can use the communication system to ask them what they’re doing, tell them to leave, etc.
6. Keep an Eye on the Local Wildlife
Sometimes, the local wildlife can be causing problems. Even if you live in a well-developed neighborhood, it’s not uncommon or your yard or garden to be frequented by rodents, rabbits, raccoons, or even deer.
Alternatively, if you live closer to nature, you may be dealing with larger animals such as mountain lions or bears. Having a driveway alarm system will capture these creatures on camera allowing you to assess if you’ve got a problem on your hands.
You won’t want your young children playing outside if there’s a mountain lion frequenting your home. For smaller animals who make a habit of making messes, an alert system will let you know when they arrive so you can scare them off.
7. Minimize Car Break-Ins and Other Outdoor Thefts
It seems like once a summer, there’s a string of car break-ins. Typically, we can blame older teenagers on summer vacation staying out way later than they should. However, you want your car and other outdoor possessions to be safe.
Installing a driveway alarm with an alert system, camera, and sensor-activated lights goes a long way towards warding off potential thieves.
8. A Safe Return Home
Finally, as a homeowner, sometimes a little extra security on your way back to the house is a nice perk. Your driveway alarm system’s lights will also work to help you get back into your house in the dark.
Whether it’s extra visibility during icy weather to keep you from falling or casting light on something that seems out of place, a driveway alarm system will get you in your home safely.
Is It Worth It?
With all the benefits of installing a driveway alarm, it seems kind of silly not to get one. You never know what will happen in life, as you can’t control other people. But if you’ve taken appropriate measures to protect you, your family, and your property, you can simply leave it to your imagination, rather than experiencing it first hand.
For more articles pertaining to home life, check out our For the Home blog page!
