A home security alarm can be one of the most important investments in your family’s safety and well-being. So before you commit your resources, make sure you know what you’re getting into! One of the first things to consider when shopping around for a home security system is whether you should get wired or wireless home security alarms. Each kind has its pros and cons—which kind works best for your household depends on your personal needs and preferences, so let’s look at both!
What is a Wired Home Security Alarm
A wired home security alarm is connected to your local power grid. This security system relies on wires from your alarm control panel to each sensor; when sensors detect movement or a break-in, they send signals back through these wires to trigger sirens and alert authorities.
Pros
- They can monitor more than just doors and windows; many also come with motion detectors for monitoring activity within rooms and glass break sensors for detecting intruders who smash windows or reach through broken ones.
- The wired detectors come with tamper switches that detect when anyone attempts to disarm or dismantle them.
- These security alarms come with fewer components, and this makes the cost of installation to be less compared to wireless alarms. However, there is a need for a professional to install it.
- You can access the video from anywhere in the world through your phone or tablet; even if there is no internet, the video is recorded so one can retrieve it whenever.
Cons
- Thieves can cut your phone line since the wired security system runs through them.
- With a wired system, you’ll have difficulty moving it around.
- Wired systems also tend to be more expensive than wireless systems because you have to hire a qualified professional to install them. While it may seem like an easier option to go with a wired alarm system at first, there are some.
What is a Wireless Home Security Alarm?
As the name suggests, a wireless home security alarm does not need to be connected using wires. Instead, it uses radio waves to communicate with its base station. It means you can place your sensors in hard-to-reach areas without worrying about how they’ll connect back to their base station. You also don’t have to worry about drilling holes into your walls or floors though you will have to plug them into an outlet.
Pros
- They’re portable, so it’s quick and easy to take your alarm with you if you move to a new house or apartment.
- They often alert you faster than their wired counterparts, an especially important benefit when smoke or carbon monoxide is present in your house.
- You can upgrade the system easily by adding additional components that suit your needs.
- You don’t need an electrician for installation; all units come with step-by-step instructions that anyone can follow. Most units can be installed within hours instead of days.
- One can integrate the system with other devices, such as cameras and smart locks.
Cons
- It requires paying maintenance fees, such as paying for new batteries every so often.
- They also take time to set up since they have several components, which reciprocate the cost.
- It would help if you kept the batteries charged. It means you’ll have to remember to change them every time. It can be easy to forget, which can lead to false alarms. Plus, if your power goes out for any reason, you’ll also lose your alarm.
- Radio waves are subject to interference from other radio signals. And they don’t travel through walls or doors very well, so if there is an intruder in your house, he could disable your system without even coming into contact with it.
If you live in an area with many trees or other tall structures around your home that block radio signals, you may find that your alarm doesn’t work as well as it should—or at all in certain areas of your house.
Which is Better? Wireless or Wired Security Alarm?
There is no definite answer to this. Before you settle on any of the two types, you need to look carefully at the cons and pros of both systems and decide depending on your needs.