A door alarm (also called a door sensor) is an essential part of a home security system to keep your home safe. A door sensor keeps track of whether a door is open or closed. These alarms alert you audibly and/or with a text notification when a door has been opened (depending on your settings). With a door alarm, you can know that your home is secure and that no one is coming or going without your knowledge. The same technology used for door sensors can also be used on windows. This technology is simple, reliable, and affordable, making it ideal for DIY home security systems.

The sensor itself is a two-piece device. One part of the wireless door alarm is attached to the edge of the door, and the other part is attached to the door frame. Both parts are mounted with an adhesive strip. The two pieces are parallel with one another, almost touching. When the door is opened, it breaks the invisible connection between the two parts of the sensor, tripping the alarm.

To elaborate, one part of the sensor has a magnet inside, and the other part contains a magnetically sensitive trigger called a "reed switch." The reed switch houses two magnetic wires that are prevented from completing a circuit when its sister piece is next to it. When the part of the door sensor that contains the magnet moves away from the other half of the sensor, the two wires of the reed switch are able to touch, which triggers a signal to your Cove Touch Alarm Panel.

What type of sensor is best?Expandsection

How many security alarms for doors do I need?Expandsection

Can door sensors be tricked or hacked?Expandsection

How to test a door sensor?Expandsection

We recommend wireless door sensors because of their simplicity, reliability, and customization. Cove uses wireless sensors because their wired counterparts are quickly becoming outdated. The hassle involved in installing wired alarm systems usually requires many hours of setup time by a trained professional. This can be an expensive nuisance. Additionally, wired systems are often more conspicuous and susceptible to failures or tampering.

Security systems for doors are essential to the safety of your home. We recommend sensors be installed in every possible access point to your home. You’ll want them installed on all doors and windows so that there is no way a thief, burglar, or home invader can enter your home without triggering an alarm. Door alarms and window sensors are essential to a complete home safety system. Sensors on any possible entry points keep you and your security monitoring service in the know about any potential threats so that you'll be protected.

To begin deciding on how many door alarms you need, assess the layout of your home. Get to know how your windows open and how your doors lock and what they look like from outside the house. Case your own home like a potential burglar would, and you'll know where and how many magnetic door alarms or window sensors you'll need.

Once you know how many wireless door and window contact sensors you'll need, you'll want to find a security company that offers the best door alarm sensors as part of a comprehensive monitored package. To get the best results and the least amount of headache, you'll want your hardware to come from the same security company. Cove will provide you with both affordable security equipment and unbeatable alarm monitoring. If there ever happens to be a security threat at your residence, Cove will be alerted, able to verify the threat and contact emergency services on your behalf if the situation requires it. We’re committed to providing effective security without breaking your bank.

Can door sensors be tricked or hacked?Expandsection

How to test a door sensor?Expandsection

This depends on the type of door sensor you are using. Although wireless door alarms (like those made by Cove) are very easy to set up, don't let their simplicity fool you into thinking they're easy to bypass. Because they're so small and don't require direct contact, the two halves are almost always out of view from the outside of the door.

This means shady characters won't be able to know where the sensor is located. Even if an intruder did know where your sensor was, it isn't possible to disable them from the outside. The door only needs to move about an inch to trip the alarm, and tampering with the sensor will set off the alarm. As we mentioned above, magnetic door alarms can't be seen from the outside of a door and are more reliable. Furthermore, buttons wear down after a while, and if they aren't installed properly, they can even break with a forceful slamming of a door or window. This is why we recommend magnetic sensors.

And as stated earlier, even wired entry door sensors (without a button) can be hacked or tampered with by a particularly skilled burglar, and if the power gets shut off, they are easily bypassed. Since magnetic door alarms don’t have any moving parts or external power sources, you can avoid this risk of premature hardware failure, unlike their cohorts with buttons or wires.

See our Complete Sensor Signal Test instructions here.