When will you upgrade your burglar alarm?

When will you upgrade your burglar alarm?

Home security technology is advancing all the time, and there’s always a new model or gadget to try. Just like your smartphone, your burglar alarm will go out of date over time, and eventually it will be time to upgrade.

While mobile phone networks like us to keep upgrading our phones, you won’t be harassed to upgrade your burglar alarm. Over time, you’ll have to decide when it’s time to ditch and switch.

Signs of an Old Alarm

When housing estates are built, burglar alarms are often fitted as standard. If you have the same alarm box as your neighbours, your burglar alarm is probably as old as your home – or was installed shortly after the build.

If your alarm is ageing, some of the sensors might not be working, even though they still appear to. It can be difficult for us to find parts, which could force an upgrade, or you might find the alarm simply doesn’t activate when it’s supposed to. Alternatively, you might find that your alarm is activated too frequently, suggesting a malfunction in the sensors around the home.

We’ve seen properties built in the 1990s that had good alarms installed, and those alarms are still in daily use today. But in general, we’d say that 10 years is a good lifetime for an alarm – and at the 15 year mark, you need to think about a new solution. For intruders, older alarms pose fewer barriers to their criminal activity, and there are other reasons to upgrade too.

Aesthetics of new Alarms

If you have an old intruder alarm, it will probably show its age through its wiring. Modern alarms tend to be wireless, whereas old alarms are hardwired to their sensors. If you’ve painted over the cables, they can be difficult to replace if damaged, and they never look very nice either.

Nowadays, we recommend installing battery powered sensors and doing away with wires wherever possible. Often, as part of a smart home security setup, your alarm can even relay information wirelessly over the internet.

Smart Features

Advancements in home security are a compelling reason to upgrade, and if your alarm doesn’t have smartphone monitoring, we’d advise you to look into it. You can receive text alerts or emails on activation, and your alarm can work in tandem with a good IP-based CCTV system.

Even if you don’t carry a phone, it’s worth considering a remotely monitored solution rather than an old-fashioned audible bell. Silent, remotely monitored alarms can sound an alert at a monitoring station, giving the police time to arrive and catch the criminals before they make off with your possessions. Some alarms can even relay the position of the intruder so the police know exactly which room they are in.

First Steps

A burglar alarm that is serviced annually by an expert should last a decade or more. If your alarm is older, or it hasn’t been properly maintained, you probably need an upgrade.

When Angel Security visits to check your existing alarm, we can tell you whether we can re-use parts of it, or whether a complete replacement is recommended. A new alarm could be exactly what you need for a complete defence against burglary and intruders.