Sometimes there is a need to install a simple and inexpensive security alarm. Without unnecessary bells and whistles that manufacturers add to it in order to expand the functionality of their system and somehow distinguish it from other competitors. A cottage, a garage, a household outbuilding or even a greenhouse; in such places it is not always advisable or profitable to install a full-fledged security system.
In this article we will look at several devices that claim to be simple and accessible to anyone who wants to protect their property from intrusion by uninvited guests.
What should such an alarm be able to do?
- react to an intrusion (some external influence - movement, the door was opened, hit, etc.);
- sound a sound signal to scare off the intruder;
- have the ability to arm and disarm;
- It is advisable to consume little electricity.
The purpose of this device is not so much to block access to the house, but rather to scare away the thief. Having heard a loud signal, he will not want to take risks and will not climb into the room; in addition to the psychological impact, it may also attract the attention of neighbors.
Benefits and disadvantages of a DIY alarm system
Having manufactured and installed the alarm yourself, you can note some advantages over a factory-purchased alarm:
- Saving financial resources.
- Autonomous operation.
- Security during installation, you don’t have to be afraid that someone will enter additional keys and passwords.
There are also disadvantages to a homemade alarm system:
- There is no connection with a private security agency.
- Suppression, hiding the signal.
- If the alarm system breaks down, it may not be repairable.
Also, creating a homemade alarm requires good electrical knowledge and special skills.
Advantages of a homemade signaling system
As noted, homemade systems have two advantages. The first is the low price. Radio elements for the control circuit are inexpensive, and sensors from the light and sound warning device are already in the car.
The second advantage of homemade products is uniqueness. It will be a big surprise for the thief that the car will not have a standard and well-known alarm system, but an incomprehensible lock. Most likely, he will not want to deal with your system and will choose another car as his target.
What kind of alarm can you make yourself?
You can make more than one type of alarm with your own hands, for example:
- alarm system for a summer residence with a siren;
- alarm with time relay;
- GSM alarm system for a dacha, private home;
- signaling using a controller;
- laser alarm for a garage or private home;
- alarm system for a dacha with a motion sensor, can also be used for a garage, office, home.
There are also various options for homemade alarms.
Remote security
If an expensive car or tool is stored in the garage, then it is better to resort to installing a professional security system, since it has the opportunity to set up the alarm in such a way that the call goes straight to the security console. If this happens, a task force is dispatched to the scene almost instantly.
People's reaction is another key parameter on which the safety of property depends. Therefore, you need to carefully choose a security agency. There are 2 types of companies:
- Private.
- State.
But it's impossible to say which is better. But according to statistics, in the last few years the activity of government security has decreased, and people prefer private companies.
Before drawing up a contract, you need to find out more information about the company. Ask its clients, and check all certificates. This is normal preparation, but the contract (especially the installation and maintenance of the security system) needs to be given special attention. The contract should contain the following points:
- Organization of work using special equipment and team visits.
- Responsibility. Payment if damage has been caused (clear amount).
- Payment for services (monthly).
- Procedures for accepting and removing an object. Other parameters for the organization.
Autonomous alarm
An autonomous alarm system for a country house or garage is best suited. It operates on the most common batteries, so in the absence of electricity it can remain in working condition for a long time. The main tasks of autonomous alarm systems are:
- Reaction to invasion.
- Turning on the siren during an intrusion.
- After the response, the alarm should return to operating mode.
This type of alarm is quite inexpensive; you can do it yourself by watching the video instructions or find a detailed work plan and assemble the device according to it.
Theft in summer cottages
Practice shows that in winter everything is stolen from dachas - food, clothes, tools, household appliances, building materials, etc. Moreover, they can dismantle the dacha itself. For example, thieves can remove windows, doors, and pull out radiators. Cut off the electrical wiring, or dismantle the log house or log house log by log. Of course, thieves act so brazenly and openly only in dacha settlements, which are empty in winter or if the dacha itself is located on the outskirts.
Before you buy a dacha, find out from potential neighbors how things are going with theft in the village. Think ten times about whether it’s worth purchasing cheap real estate if there is an unfavorable crime situation in the dacha settlement and there are individuals near your site who lead an antisocial lifestyle, alcoholics, etc. If yes, then refuse the purchase, your nerves will cost more!
In addition to “their own” and “good neighbors”, the dacha can be robbed by the so-called. “tourists” are people who specialize in stealing from dachas in winter. They operate in groups of several people. They have tools for opening locks and doors, and trucks for removing stolen items.
MA S FORUMHOUSE user
I had a tool stolen from a container that I bought over 4 years. They figured out two locks and took everything out within 24 hours. Here is the list:
- diesel generator;
- electric chain saw;
- transformable staircase;
- petrol mower;
- welding inverter;
- “chameleon” welding helmet and 50 m extension cord;
- hammer drill;
- perforator;
- boots, a rubber hose and a cast iron cauldron.
A criminal case has been opened, but I don’t think it will do any good. I will look for tools myself at pawn shops. How to deal with theft?
SergeiSmirnovFORUMHOUSE user
And here in SNT theft is terrible. In January alone, they broke into the house twice. And back in December. In 2022, they were robbed three times. They come in cars and take everything away. They can't find it. Our SNT is small. We cannot raise money for security.
RuszhimUser FORUMHOUSE
And here in the Moscow region, in a new dacha village, they opened up all the cabins and took out everything they liked - tools, building materials. I don't think they were locals. They obviously arrived in a truck. Police reports from those who were robbed were not immediately accepted! Like, you yourself must take measures to ensure the safety of your property. My first mother-in-law, in the fall, took everything from the dacha to Moscow.
So, saving drowning people is the work of the drowning people themselves. Let's look at ways to combat theft at dachas that were suggested by portal users.
Alarm with time relay
In order to make an alarm system with a time relay with your own hands, you do not need a lot of time and special skills. The work plan is quite simple:
- Remove the panel from a push-button mobile phone.
- Enter the desired subscriber number to the shortcut key.
- Attach 2 wires to the shortcut key contacts.
- Carefully solder the ends of the wires and bring them out through a small hole in the mobile.
- Attach the wiring to a 12 V time relay.
- Apply voltage.
With this simple course of action, you can easily make the most budget-friendly alarm system for your dacha or garage.
Application of a security system linked to a mobile phone and other devices
The system is installed in cases where the owners of a house or garage need to be informed about events such as:
- entry into the home, garden, garage of unauthorized persons;
- power outage;
- smoke in the room;
- gas leakage from the gas pipeline in the apartment;
- water leak;
- lowering room temperature;
- the need to disconnect a household appliance, such as a heater, from the power supply.
Video: how to make a water leak alarm
Wireless alarm
A wireless alarm system for a country house or private home is the best solution, especially if you do it yourself. This alarm system has a number of advantages over simple wired ones, and making it is not so difficult.
When placing alarm sensors, they must not be mounted in the following places:
- opposite boilers, gas stoves;
- in an area where pets move;
- opposite the window, fan;
- opposite the mirrors;
- near metal objects that may weaken the radio signal;
- It is impossible for any objects to interfere with the field of view of the sensor.
Why do it yourself?
Firstly, the main reason for creating a security system with your own hands is the high price of factory solutions. There is an unspoken rule that the price of an alarm system should not exceed 5% of the price of the car. If you have a new or expensive car, then it would be reasonable to install a good factory system, but if your personal vehicle costs less than 50,000 rubles, you are unlikely to want to spend five to ten thousand on it (excluding installation work, which is most often equal to system price). And the components for creating the signaling yourself will cost a maximum of 1000-1500 rubles.
Secondly, car thieves have already learned to bypass popular low- and middle-class alarm systems so well that it may be even easier for them to steal a car with such a system than just a locked one. The command signal from the key fob is intercepted by a scanner (code grabber) and decrypted. And then the criminal simply opens your car without arousing suspicion among people around you.
And even if the alarm system contains engine locks, installers often place them in the same places. According to this experienced hijacker, it does not take much time to disable them. But even if he fails in attempts to start the engine, he can steal valuables and documents from the interior, the loss of which can cause damage even beyond the value of the car.
Let's look at what functions a basic car alarm should perform:
- The system must respond to unauthorized opening of doors, hood or trunk. This can be monitored through standard limit switches (door opening sensors), they are found on any car. But the hood and trunk may not have sensors, but it’s not difficult to install them yourself.
Reference! And if you add an inexpensive household infrared sensor to the system, it will be able to detect entry into the interior through broken glass.
- After the alarm system has detected intrusion, it must notify others about this with sound and light alarms. You can use a standard horn as a source of loud sound, but it is better to purchase an autonomous siren, which will be another line of defense. And to attract attention with flashes of light, you can connect to headlights or turn signals. These alerts should last two to three minutes and then automatically turn off.
- Also, once triggered, the alarm must somehow prevent theft. Block engine starting, fuel pump, and so on.
- The system should not consume a lot of energy from the car's battery, excluding its accelerated discharge during long-term parking in security mode.
- The circuit must have a toggle switch that turns off the system while the car is in use.
- The activation mechanism must have a delay for activating the security. 20-30 seconds is enough to calmly get out of the car and lock it.
Photo of alarm system for home and garden with your own hands
Methods for intruders to enter the garage
A thief is able to get into the garage using the following methods:
- Cutting off the hinges or the padlock itself. The popularity of this method is due to the fact that it is the least noisy and as simple as possible. You can not only cut the padlock, but also use large wire cutters, a sledgehammer or a classic crowbar.
- Undermining is extremely rare, but is still used, so attackers need to block the passage by concreting the floor and fixing the walls so that they cannot be lifted with a jack.
- Creating a hole is allowed if the garage is metal. In this case, the principle of opening a tin can applies, and among the tools used are a classic grinder, hydraulic shears or an autogen. Sometimes the metal structure can simply be bent.
- Using master keys or paper clips to open a lock, selecting keys. To be on the safe side, it is best to avoid installing a rack and pinion lock as it is too simple. There should be two locks.
- Penetration through the roof is possible if it is jacked up or broken, especially if there is a corresponding projection above the walls. Car theft in this case is doubtful, but you may lose valuable property.
- Brickwork break. The speed of hacking in this case will depend on the quality of the bricks. In some cases, a small scrap will be enough. This method is often used to break into a neighboring garage if nothing worthwhile was stolen from the first one.
In fact, there are even more possible methods of hacking, so installing an alarm system is a mandatory measure. Comprehensive protection, involving the installation of floor, wall, roof, and vibration sensors, is an ideal option. It would not be superfluous to install warning sensors about the opening of gates or doors, or movement inside the garage.
Despite the abundance of ready-made models on the modern security systems market, an alarm system for a garage can be made independently. To do this, you need to know what requirements the finished device must meet.
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