A driveway alarm is a great way to extend your home security system. It gives you an extra layer of security and may be key in preventing a break-in and robbery. While you may have a home alarm system already installed, think about this, would rather be aware of an intruder before they get to your door, or after they've climbed in through the window? Having a driveway security alarm is like having a moat. It protects your perimeter. It makes you feel safer, more secure. It's the perfect addition to any home security system.

A driveway alarm acts as the first red flag-and that's not just for unwanted intruders either. A driveway alarm will let you know when your out of town in-laws have arrived. It will alert you when the neighborhood kids come to egg your house or steal your garden gnomes. And, although they are called driveway alarms, they don't work just for driveways. You can install them anywhere; so while a thief may not actually come through and enter via your drive way, you can still place a driveway alarm near the perimeter of your house to detect any intrusions; also consider that they may take your car as the getaway vehicle, in which case using the alarm as a driveway alarm makes perfect sense.
Driveway Alarm Types

There are several different types of alarms that you can choose from, depending on your home security needs. Most alarm systems can easily be hooked up to your home alarm and they can easily be tailored to fit your preferences. All driveway alarms are essentially remote alarm systems which are triggered anytime anyone enters the driveway or garden or yard. They are simple to install and they can be pretty cheap.

Driveway alarms consist of two main parts, the transmitter and the receiver. The transmitter is used to detect any presence, usually via infrared technology; you are alerted of this presence via the receiver. Some receivers allow you to communicate with the visitor. Many receivers can be custom tailored. You can be notified via chimes, whistles and other sounds. You may have multiple transmitters monitoring different parts of your home and each transmitter can be set up to have a unique ring. You can even install more than one receiver so that you can be notified of any occurrence anywhere in your home. Portable receivers are also an option.

The range of your transmitter depends on what you buy. Older versions usually can only detect presences within 1000 feet. New models tend to be pricier, but they can detect within miles. Most transmitters are wireless, although some underground wired versions are available. Most utilize motion or metal detection, others use magnetic fields. Any of these home alarms use motion sensors so that small animals won't trigger the alarm. You can also adjust the height sensors, so that pets and other animals won't set the alarm off.