Many view alarm systems as a niche add-on to their homes that while tempting, must be too much of a pain to install. Many also feel as though they need to install a hardwired system due to complaints of past wireless technology being unreliable and devices lacking the battery life for it to be a convenient enough option.
Although with today’s technology, wireless devices are at their all time best and are only improving with time, as well as having alarm installation never having been easier. This is because of multiple systems having technology that can automatically detect devices, or making it super simple to do so manually. Guides for system programming have also been refined to make a simple step-by-step process. These features include things like auto enrollment of nearby wireless sensors, or even install wizards, which are programs that essentially do all the work for you and just leave you to do the personalized detailing of your system.
Most people pay exorbitant amounts of money to have a system installed in their house, this could also be why many consider alarms to be more expensive than they really are. As an example, installation companies could charge thousands of dollars for a simple system installation that you could perform yourself in a day, on top of that many non-DIY companies give personalized quotes that could range up to tens of thousands of dollars based on what they perceive the wealth of the customer is. Being that we let the customers do the work in installing, this lets us keep our prices low.
PowerG:
The best up to date form of wireless communication is through PowerG, all of the wireless equipment we recommend the most is all PowerG. They can communicate with devices from up to 1.2 miles away open air as well as, due to more efficient communication, have an average battery life on their devices of up to 4 years.
Qolsys:
While being a DIY customer sounds like it would entail a lot of time and effort. Today’s systems have been built for the average person who doesn’t have all the time in the world to spare. For instance our most preferred wireless system, the Qolsys IQ Panel 4, is a breeze to install. Thanks to an install wizard, the panel will automatically search and add devices near it to the zone list. Being that the sensors are all wireless the only work you would have to do is place them and name them in the system. As someone who has set up a Qolsys myself, it is easily doable in about 30 minutes to an hour based on how many sensors you need to place around your building. I should also mention that even though the system is built for wireless, it is also possible to add a hardwired converter if you do like the idea of adding hardwired sensors.
We sell 4 versions of the system, the first 3 come with transceivers that can communicate with different legacy sensors if you have any from a previous system. To summarize, the 319.5 mHz model is compatible with interlogix sensors, the 345 mHz is compatible with Honeywell and 2GIG, while the 433mHz is compatible with legacy DSC devices. The 4th option is a package made for those looking for a first time installation with no previous equipment, this package comes with 2 door contacts and a motion detector and is perfect for anyone brand new to alarms.
Devices:
One thing I should get out of the way for wireless systems is if you have a hybrid system such as the NEO, you will need to purchase a transceiver, while these can be bought individually, I would highly recommend buying a keypad that has one built in, the most common one I see would be the HS2LCDRF9ENGN keypad. However if you decide on getting a Qolsys panel, you can rest easy knowing a transceiver will come already built in.
While everyone's needs are different when it comes to choosing which sensors to buy, a good place to start is with door contacts. The standard for wireless door contacts are the
PG9303 contacts or the recessed
PG9307 contacts. Both fulfill the same purpose, however the PG9307 is more hidden due to it being drilled into the door. For special cases such as a garage door it can be a slight bit more complex. You would want to get a wired overhead door sensor such as the
Tane 66WG, you could then plug that sensor into the auxiliary port on a
PG9945, this would then make the sensor behave as a wireless one.
As for motion sensors, there are two main types to consider, normal PIR motion sensors such as the
PG9914, and dual tech motion sensors such as the
PG9984. Both work perfectly fine, it is mainly an extra upgrade for those that want more accurate detection which will cause less false alarms. This mostly comes into play only if you were to place the sensor somewhere where false alarms could trigger, such as in front of a heat source, or facing a window. Assuming you place it in a location with little to no potential of an accidental alarm, a single tech sensor is perfectly viable. Another sensor type that you may consider important are glass break sensors, for those I would recommend the
PG9922.
We also offer sensors that provide security in other ways than just burglary. We offer sensors like the
PG9936 which sense both smoke and heat. We also have carbon monoxide detectors such as the
PG9933.
Monitoring Service:
Another added level of security you may wish for is to have monitoring service. Whether you wish to
monitor yourself through an extensive phone app, or have a
central station always on standby ready to call your local police station on an alarm, we have a service that fits for you. Our most common service we sell would be alarm.com, who offers a great app available on mobile devices. It allows you to set and disarm alarms remotely, view cameras and much more. We would recommend this to anyone who wishes to have greater and easier control over their system from afar. The other most common service we sell is central station monitoring. If you’d like a guardian angel watching over your system at all times then they are your best bet. When an alarm is triggered they will call you to verify the alarm, and decide whether or not to dispatch, if the alarm is false, they will also make you verify yourself as well with a password of your choice.
Summary:
Overall, In today’s climate wireless alarms are a very competitive choice as they have every bit as much quality as normal hardwired systems. Add to that the fact that wireless is the future when it comes to most all technology, and it seems a very tempting idea to get into it now rather than later. If you have any hesitation at all getting into alarm systems due to complexity, I strongly urge you to look into the Qolsys IQ 4 Panel. With that, I ask if you have any other questions, feel free to contact us to learn more.
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