Your Burglar Alarm Questions Answered

At LDN Security Solutions, Burglar Alarm systems are one of our core products, having designed and installed hundreds since we launched.

Below, we have collated the commonly asked questions from our customers to create a practical and informative guide to burglar alarm systems.

A Burglar Alarm, also known as an Intruder Alarm, is a great first line of defence when securing your property from potential break-ins. Most people opt for a highly visible bell box which acts as a deterrent due to the fact that when activated, it will make a loud audible noise; alerting everyone in close proximity that there is a potential issue with the property.

How do burglar alarm systems work?

Burglar alarms are connected to a mains powered  control panel inside the property and are activated and deactivated with a numeric pin or a fob on an internal keypad, or by using a connected app on your phone. 

Within the system you can have different types of sensors connected. These sensors are strategically placed around the building or area and are designed to detect any movement or changes in the environment, such as a door or window being opened. These sensors are connected to a control panel, which processes the information and triggers an alarm if an intruder is detected. The most common ones are:

Movement detectors (PIRs): These are most often fitted at ceiling level and detect movement within the room. The amount required per room is dependent on the size of the room. You also don’t necessarily need one in every room, it is dependent on the property and the accessibility of each room.

Door contacts: Usually connected to external doors and detect when a door is opened.

Vibration sensors: Most commonly used on windows, but sometimes on doors, and detect forced entry. 

All of these can be hard wired or wireless.

What are the types of alerts available?

If the alarm has been set and any one of these sensors is activated, the alarm will activate, triggering the external bell box, alerting the Alarm Receiving Centre (for monitored systems) and sending a push notification to the App if in use.

There are options when it comes to choosing how an activated alarm is responded to:

Bells only: This is when a system is not monitored by an external company. Therefore if the alarm is activated the user will get an alert on their phone and the bell will ring on the property. It is down to the user to respond to the alert.

Monitored system: In a monitored intruder alarm system, the control panel is also connected to an Alarm Receiving Centre (ARC) that is staffed by trained professionals who are available 24/7. When an alarm is triggered, the ARC  is automatically notified and will take appropriate action such as contacting the registered key holders or contacting the Police (if it is a Police Response system).

Can I have a wireless burglar alarm?

Most of the technology required for a burglar alarm system such as the key pad, various sensors and bell box can all be installed wirelessly and require batteries to keep them fully operational. The only element of the system that needs to be hardwired is the control panel’s connection to a main electrical supply.

Will my dog/cat set off the alarm if it is set and I’m not in?

We can supply and fit pet-friendly detectors that ignore the regular movement of pets. This is effective unless your pet is particularly large or boisterous. If this is the case, it is possible to omit the detectors in the room the pet is kept in whilst you’re out.

Using contact and vibration sensors to protect the perimeter doors and windows of the property is another good option here, especially if your pets have free run of the entire property.

What if I want to set it at night time but I still need to move around the house?

You can have pre-programmed set-ups for different use cases. For instance, you can have a night time setting to exclude the bedrooms and landing.

Can I have multiple users without sharing my PIN?

Yes. You can set an individual pin or fob for each user. Each pin or fob can be programmed with the user’s name so you know who is using the alarm.

What happens if the alarm goes off whilst I’m on holiday?

If you have a monitored system the alert will be transferred to an Alarm Receiving Centre who will contact a designated key holder to alert them or contact the police, depending on the type of response  that you have. If you have no monitoring set up but have an app, you can set notifications on your app to notify you of any alerts.

How can I be sure that my burglar alarm is always working?

If you take out an annual maintenance plan with us for your alarm system you will receive an annual systems service carried out by one of our fully qualified engineers who will:

The maintenance plan also includes around the clock assistance, 365 days a year and up to 20% off any additional service calls required.

If you would like to discuss a burglar alarm install, takeover or maintenance plan, please contact us.