Are you worried sick of after-hours break-ins or trespassers ruining your property? These high costs of stolen equipment or vandalism can really cripple your business. But a very powerful security solution can act as your first line of defense: perimeter alarms.
Perimeter alarm systems for commercial properties deter crime, detect intrusions early on, and provide valuable time for authorities to respond, minimizing potential damage and loss.
Ditch the traditional security methods and secure your business, personnel, and assets with advanced perimeter alarms.
Find out how integrating remote video monitoring can elevate the effectiveness of these alarms for your property.
Our comprehensive guide also covers the workings of perimeter alarms, compares various types, and highlights their key benefits. Learn more today!
But first let’s take a step back and find out what a perimeter alarm is! Read on!
What is a perimeter alarm?
A perimeter alarm system acts like a protective shield around your property. It focuses on securing the outermost edges, like fences or walls, to deter intrusions before they happen.
You can place perimeter alarms at areas surrounding your property that might be tempting targets such as parking lots, loading docks, or driveways.
By setting up perimeter alarms in these zones, you can safeguard your valuables and inventory from unauthorized access. These perimeter alarms sound a loud siren and are triggered by:
- the stretching of the fence panel during a climb
- strong vibrations or noise
- slow climbs
- ladder climbs
- fence cuts
When you own a large commercial building, parked vehicles and trees can act as hiding spots. While they may create blind spots in your surveillance, as soon as intruders reach monitored areas, perimeter alarms swiftly detect them before they can attempt to enter your vicinity.
How does a perimeter alarm work?
When a sensor detects unauthorized activity (movement, opening, vibration, or breaking glass), it sends a signal to the control panel.
The control panel interprets the signal and, if programmed correctly, triggers the alarm sequence, which typically includes:
- A loud siren to alert everyone in the vicinity, including the intruder.
- Flashing lights to increase visibility and deter the intruder.
- Sending an alert notification to the homeowner or security monitoring company (depending on the system setup).
How perimeter alarms system for the property are useful?
Early Warning:
Perimeter alarms provide the earliest alerts to potential intrusions, offering crucial time to respond and prevent criminal activities before they escalate into serious threats.
This proactive approach ensures you can deter criminals effectively and safeguard your premises from potential catastrophes.
If your property is surrounded by cover and concealment, then it could allow intruders to get near your building and hide there.
It could be anything from tall trees, piles of debris (bricks, lumber, etc.), dumpsters and trash bins, abandoned vehicles, or even darkness!
These intelligent alarms are designed not to activate with mere passerby activity but are finely tuned to detect any attempts to cut or breach the fence, as well as any interference with security equipment.
This sophisticated technology ensures that the system responds only to genuine security threats, maintaining high alertness without unnecessary disruptions.
Deterrent Effect:
The mere presence of a perimeter alarm system, signaling “Stay off! Property is protected,” can act as a powerful deterrent to criminals.
This clear warning indicates robust security measures are in place, discouraging potential trespassers and protecting your property effectively.
Visible security cameras and alarm boxes can make a property a less attractive target and may cause the criminals to think twice to attempt to break-in.
Also, the loud sirens that are triggered, along with the flashing lights, really scare the criminals off your property.
Increased Security for Vulnerable Areas:
Perimeter alarms can effectively safeguard specific areas around your property that might be susceptible to break-ins, such as storage sheds, loading docks, or out-of-sight corners.
Implementing perimeter alarms enhances self-storage security by effectively CCTV monitoring extensive properties with numerous access points. Self-storage units, which often contain valuable items, are particularly susceptible to unauthorized access, especially during non-operational hours.
Similarly, perimeter alarms significantly enhance construction site security, especially for sites without clearly defined boundaries.
These sites are frequent targets for theft and vandalism due to their often unguarded and sprawling nature. Perimeter alarms can reduce the costly delay and losses caused by thefts and vandalism.
24/7 Vigilance:
Unlike on-site security guards, perimeter alarms provide unwavering vigilance around the clock. This is particularly important for self-storage facilities that are often unattended outside of business hours and construction sites that may be vulnerable during off-work periods.
Having a security guard at shorter distances to secure huge shopping malls or construction sites can be really expensive.
Perimeter alarms offer a cost-effective security solution. These systems provide extensive coverage, deter crime with visible security measures, and detect intrusions early, giving you valuable time to react.
Protection beyond walls:
Unlike traditional door and window sensors, perimeter alarms secure the entire property line, offering a more comprehensive security solution.
Advancements in technology have revolutionized perimeter security. Gone are the days of needing thick walls or unclimbable fences.
Now, innovative solutions like vibration sensors, and fence-mounted cable detection systems can be seamlessly integrated with your existing mesh chain fence.
This transforms your seemingly ordinary fence into a powerful deterrent and the strongest line of defense for your property.
Optimizing resources:
By strategically placing alarms, you can optimize the use of your security resources. Fewer alarms are needed when you know the precise locations where intruders are most likely to be detected.
It also reduces the need for numerous fixed cameras, lowering the total cost of ownership for hardware, software licenses, civil work, infrastructure, and maintenance.
The system can be monitored through various types of CCTV cameras that display the breach location with a video pop-up. This allows security personnel to remotely monitor the site via mobile devices, reducing the need for on-site personnel at the control center and enhancing mobility.
Integration with the existing system:
Fence-mounted alarms, often employing technologies like vibration sensors or cable detection, seamlessly integrate with existing CCTV systems. This eliminates the need for extensive re-wiring or infrastructure changes.
Buried perimeter detection systems utilize sensor cables beneath the surface to detect tampering attempts and trigger an alarm. These can also be readily integrated with CCTV for visual verification.
Integrating your existing door/window sensors and the new perimeter alarm system into one control panel allows for centralized monitoring and management.
Combining perimeter sensors with existing door and window sensors creates a layered security approach, providing a more comprehensive defense against break-ins.
The most significant disadvantage of a perimeter alarm may be the triggering of false alarms.
Squirrels scurrying by, strong winds rustling the leaves, and loud noises from thunderstorms or rain can inadvertently trigger perimeter alarms.
These environmental factors are known to activate the sensors, highlighting the sensitivity of the alarm system to various movements and sounds.
And do you know the cost of false alarms? Depending on the city where you are located, it can be very high!!
To filter annoying false alarms the solution is a third-party monitoring of your property via remote live video monitoring.
Live Remote video monitoring:
Integrating your perimeter alarm system with remote video monitoring enables trained professionals at video alarm receiving centers to verify and coordinate emergency responses.
This integration significantly reduces false alarm dispatches while ensuring that real threats receive prompt and effective attention.
The motion detectors or sensors are strategically placed around the perimeter. As soon as the sensor trips, the remote video monitoring center triggers the alarm. The remote operators then access the security cameras to assess the situation.
The diligent operators will respond to the alarm by following diligently each client’s predefined standard operating procedures.
Perimeter intrusion detection:
Top-notch live video monitoring centers also offer a perimeter intrusion detection solution. This works by strategically placing security cameras at the perimeter, topped up with advanced AI capabilities.
As soon as the camera AI detects the intrusion, the alarm is triggered at the remote video monitoring center.
The remote operators access the cameras to assess the situation, and the operators may then intervene with audio talk-downs.
The operator acts following the pre-determined SOPs by the client e.g. contacting the required personnel, calling the police, etc.
Which Properties or Commercial Sites Require Perimeter Security?
Traditionally, perimeter security solutions were employed primarily at high-risk or restricted areas such as airports, government offices, and chemical plants.
However, with technological advancements, businesses of all sizes are now prioritizing the security of their premises and employees.
This shift reflects a broader recognition of the importance of robust security measures across various sectors.
To avoid legal complications of their employees getting hurt, many businesses are now focusing on detecting and avoiding intrusion in the first place.
If intruders do not enter, there is less chance of them causing harm!
Types of sensors that can be used for perimeter security.
The devices used for perimeter detection are mostly sensors and motion detectors.
| Perimeter alarms | Benefits |
|---|---|
| PIR (Passive Infrared motion detectors) | Detects movement of human body heat |
| PET (Pet Immune motion detectors) | Ignores the movement of pets |
| Dual-technology motion detectors | Combines PIR and another technology for higher accuracy |
| Magnetic contact | Detects separation of two magnetized components when a door, window, or gate opens. |
| Acoustic glass break detectors | Detects breaking of glass windows |
| Vibration/Shock sensor | Detects vibration or shock on walls/doors/ceilings |
| Motion sensors | Detects heat signatures or disruptions in radio waves caused by movement. |
What is the cost of the best perimeter alarm system:
The cost of the best perimeter alarm system is directly related to its numerous benefits. These include easy installation, requiring only a single pass across the fence and no field power.
Additionally, it should be resistant to tampering and unaffected by external factors such as lightning, RF interference, and electromagnetic interference.
While the market offers a wide variety of perimeter alarms, it’s not just the price but the benefits they provide that truly determine their cost.
Assessing the advantages of each system ensures that the value they bring to your security measures justifies the investment.
With prompt detection and quick action, you can spot the intruder and save the situation from becoming catastrophic!
Are perimeter alarms really effective?
While perimeter alarms can’t guarantee complete security, they act as a strong deterrent. The noise of the siren and the potential for immediate response discourage many criminals from even attempting a break-in.
Studies suggest a significant decrease in crime rates for properties with visible security systems. By detecting intruders at the perimeter, you gain valuable time to react.
You can call the police or activate security lights, making it harder for criminals to complete their plans.
Can Perimeter Alarms Be Bypassed?
Most modern perimeter alarm systems are quite sophisticated. They use advanced sensors and encryption methods to make them difficult to bypass.
However, no security system is foolproof, and determined criminals might employ various techniques.
A well-designed and professionally installed perimeter alarm system with strategically placed sensors minimizes the chances of someone bypassing it.
Conclusion:
Perimeter alarms are extremely useful in providing an invaluable layer of security for properties, acting as a first line of defense against break-ins and trespassers.
These systems offer early warning of intrusions, deter criminal activity, and ensure 24/7 vigilance, all while minimizing the need for extensive on-site security personnel.
Perimeter alarms integrate with your existing security infrastructure, reducing overall costs and enhancing efficiency. Integration of remote video monitoring and modern perimeter alarms ensures high reliability and low false alarm rates.
Contact us today if you want to secure your property’s perimeter with a proactive and advanced commercial building security solution.
