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While a home security system is a popular way to theft proof any abode, are they still effective if you already share your home with a furry friend or two?
In addition to creating a safer home environment, many property owners are often surprised to learn that installing a home security system can be a way to pay less for home insurance. Although this stance does vary depending on the provider, adding things like alarms, cameras, and deadlocks will help to make your home more secure and therefore less likely to have theft related claims.
However, a home security system is often triggered by movement and motion sensors. In theory, the aim of the game is to trigger an alarm when someone is in your home or backyard when they shouldn’t be, alerting the homeowner or even law enforcement agencies. While this is an effective way to theft proof a property, what happens if you share your home with pets and wish to avoid triggering a false alarm?
Today, there are almost 29 million pets in Australia – more than the estimated human population of 25 million. If 61% of Australians are pet owners, then it should come as no surprise that there’s a market for home security systems specifically designed with the furry members of our families in mind.
For a home security system that isn’t tripped by the presence of pets, the good news is that there’s actually a wide range of products already on the market. While they are surprisingly similar to traditional security systems, there is one major point of difference: the inclusion of pet friendly PIRs.
PIRs – or passive infrared motion sensors – ignore any movement or motion changes for body heat that comes from an animal under a specific weight, often 35kgs. While the remainder of the sensor components are the same as a normal home security system, small pets like cats and dogs typically don’t emit enough infrared radiation to trigger a pet-friendly PIR since they don’t alter the thermal levels in the environment as a human would.
However, if you own a larger than average breed of dog, you may have to think outside of the box when it comes to tackling home security, but a door or window sensor can provide a solution. These devices work by using a reed switch and a magnet, and will only activate the alarm once they lose close proximity to each other.
Homeowners can also consider installing glass break detectors that listen to tapping or glass breaking sounds to detect forced entry inside your property, which can also provide a viable option for those who have pets that exceed the weight limits of pet friendly PIR security systems.
As pet friendly security systems often come with a height restriction, it’s important to consult your security specialist when positioning pet friendly motion sensors. As a general rule, they should be positioned 1.8 metres away from any potential interference from your furry friends as a means to reduce the risk of false alarms.
Thankfully, pet-friendly home security systems and alarms aren’t that much more expensive when compared to a traditional alarm system. Since both of these share similar components, the technician you choose to install the new system will often only have to swap out the standard PIR sensor for a pet-friendly alarm with little to no cost.
If you’re on the hunt for assistance to help install a new pet friendly home security system, finding a reputable and local electrician to bring your vision to life can feel a bit like finding a needle in a haystack. Thankfully, the team at Shield Electrical offer a solution.
Here at Shield Electrical, we are a Brisbane based electrical contracting company, and pride ourselves on being shockingly good at watt we do. For us, friendly and reliable customer service isn’t just a nice add on – it’s how we do business. Don’t take our word for it though, just ask our clients.
Established in 2015, Shield Electrical is lighting the way when it comes to providing electrical work with world class customer service. With our headquarters based in the central suburban pocket of Coorparoo, our team of qualified industry professionals are readily available to deliver quality workmanship, fast quotes, and affordable pricing.
Whether you’re on the hunt for an electrician for domestic services, residential, commercial and industrial construction, security systems or even just further energy saving tips, get in touch with us at Shield today to source practical solutions that don’t break the bank.
