Doorway Chimes Can Be Part of a Good Home Security Plan
One part of both personal and home security is to stay alert and be aware of what's going on around you. Doorway chimes let you know when someone is on your premises. Also called driveway alarms, driveway sensors, or (if you want to get technical) wireless annunciators, these devices help to keep you alert to what's going on around your property. Doorway chimes use PIR (short for "passive infrared" which is a technology used in motion sensors for detecting movement) to sense the heat created by people and animals. If someone approaches your house, chimes or a prerecorded voice warning will sound inside where you place speakers. If you're worried about pets setting off the sensors, look for systems that are only set to go off when someone approaches who weighs 80 pounds or more.
Though their names (driveway alarms/doorway chimes) can lead you to believe that the sensors are only for monitoring the path to the door, these alarms can in fact cover your whole yard. Because today's alarms are wireless, doorway chimes are easy for homeowners to position for best coverage. Some of the wireless annunciators today can be programmed to deliver much more than chimes; depending on which part of the property someone is coming from (i.e. backyard, front yard, side of the house), the system can give you a voice message, telling you just where someone is approaching from. This can be especially handy at night, or for anyone who likes to have advanced warning for when someone is coming to the door.
Doorway chimes and wireless annunciators start at about $150. Most are battery
powered, but there are some solar-powered driveway alarms available today as
well. There are systems with a range of more than 200 feet and numerous features. You can basically get exactly what you need.
The Reporter Wireless Alert System for Your Driveway
Solar-Powered Driveway Monitor