Driveway Alarms: the Front Line of Home Security

Whether you need to know if someone's trespassing on your property, setting up one more red flag for would-be burglars, or if you need to be warned that your in-laws have arrived, driveway sensors and driveway alarms are important pieces of your home security system. Driveway alarms are most commonly used to monitor driveways, but they can be placed to monitor any area of your property. While you might think a burglar may not enter your property through the driveway and, it's true they may not, often a burglar will use a vehicle and your driveway to haul away your valuables. More than just a driveway sensor, the ability to set that sensor to emit a bright light or loud siren can frequently be enough to scare off your would-be burglar.

Common Driveway Sensor Specifications

Transmitter Range—Older transmitters may have a range that tops out at 1000ft. Newer models now have ranges of several miles from transmitter to receiver. The vast majority of transmitters are now wireless, but underground wired-sensors are still available. Different sensors can be triggered by motion or metal detection detection. Some even use magnetic fields. These detection ranges can be tailored to your driveway and the placement of the sensor installation. Specialized sensors can also be installed to make them more difficult to see.

Receiver Types—A receiver system can also be tailored to your needs. They have different chime, whistle and other sound options. If you have multiple transmitters monitoring different areas of your home, each transmitter can have its own distinctive ring. Multiple receivers can be installed so you can be alerted anywhere in your home. Portable receivers are also available, as well as the ability to use the receiver to talk to someone at the transmitter.

Alarm Options—When you're away from home, you'll want more than just to be alerted to someone's presence. Inexpensive driveway alarm options include continuous or strobe bright lights. Sirens can sound at various decibels and lengths. Also, for extra protection, a phone dialer can be purchased that will automatically dial emergency, a security provider, or a set list of friends or contacts that will alert people to an intruder's presence.

Additional Security and Driveway Options
Further options should be considered in conjunction with your driveway sensor and alarm system. Solar driveway markers light up your driveway for added security and convenience in finding your driveway's entrance late at night. Electronic watchdogs can add a realistic and more formidable appearing alarm that will bark and snarl at home intruders. Fake security cameras can scare away intruders and deceive other intruders into disarming the wrong device.