How Window and Door Sensors Protect Your Home From Break-ins

Any good home security system is made of various components that work in conjunction, to give your home multiple layers of protection. And while most homeowners only think that security cameras and an alarm system are enough protection, there’s actually much more to it.

To increase security, you can have motion sensors, motion-activated lights, video doorbells, smart locks, and last but not least, door and window sensors. They’re often overlooked, but if you’re even remotely serious about your home security, you should definitely consider them. They’re actually pretty easy to implement, and won’t end up costing you hundreds of dollars, but they do give you a lot of peace of mind.

With that being said, how do you use door and window sensors to protect your home from break-ins? Is there anything you need to know about them before you buy them?

First Things First, How Do They Work?

When you’re buying an entire security system, chances are you’ll get a few door and window sensors included in it. However, whether or not they cover your entire home depends on the system and your home. In order for them to work at all, you’ll want sensors on every door and window of the home. And to keep them well maintained, you should know how all of them work.

Whether it’s a door or a window sensor, they often come with two separate pieces. One of those pieces goes on the door, or the window itself, while the counterpart should be attached to the door frame or the windowpane. Oftentimes, these pieces require no screws or anything – they’re attached by adhesive. Since they’re lightweight and small, the adhesive does keep them in place pretty well. Now, if you want to, you may screw them in for more support, but that’s honestly overkilling. The two pieces must be positioned next to each other in order for them to work.

When next to each other, they create a magnetic field. This field is only good when they’re close, i.e. when the door or window is closed. When it’s opened, the magnetic field breaks and the sensors can send a signal to the centralized alarm solution. The panel then notifies you (and potentially your security provider) that something is happening in your home. If there’s a burglary, local authorities will be notified.

Do They Only Work With Doors and Windows?

Well, not exactly. Their main use is letting you know if someone has opened a door or window you didn’t want them to. And while this is very smart, and you should have sensors on all doors and windows of your home, you go a step further and add them to places you don’t want to be accessed.

A good example would be a home office you don’t want children getting into. You can easily place sensors on it, and see when someone tries to open the door. Add a camera, too, and you’ll know who it was as well. Another popular use for such sensors is liquor cabinets or any other cabinets that you want isolated. Such a sensor can be placed on the entryways to the cabinets, and you’ll be notified if something happens.

How Important Are They to Your Overall Home Security?

The short answer is “extremely”. If talking statistics, around 95% of all home invasions will require some kind of forceful entry. And when we say forceful entry, we usually refer to a window, picking a lock, or kicking in your door.

While door and window sensors may not do much to prevent any of these situations (you’ll want the good door and window locks, and even bars on the windows for this), they do a terrific job of letting you know that someone unauthorized has gotten into your home. Add to this the fact that they’re connected to your centralized alarm system, and that they can easily alert the local authorities, and you find that they’re a great way to add some extra protection to your home. Oh, and they aren’t too expensive either, which makes them pretty much a no-brainer.