Driveway Alarm Reviews and Advice

With all the different types and brands of driveway alarms on the market now it can be very difficult to make a decision as to which brand and model is right for you. This blog site has been created by Absolute Automation Inc. to try and help YOU make sure you make a decision you will be happy with for many years to come.

Some questions you should ask yourself are:

Would I prefer a wired driveway alarm system or wireless driveway alarm system?

Both of the above types of driveway alarm systems have their respective pros and cons. As with any device wired can be more reliable, provided the wire is taken care of and not nicked or damaged in any way. However wired driveway alarm systems can be more difficult and time consuming to install and can be more expensive if you are running the wire a long distance.

Wireless driveway alarms are very easy to install, and with the new technologies most systems can operate off of a single 9V battery for about a year!

The three main types of driveway alarm sensors are:

1. Infra Red Sensors
2. Magnetic Probe Sensors
3. Rubber Hose Sensors

Again, each of the above types of driveway alarm sensor has it's own advantages and disadvantages. You will need to decide for yourself which is the best for you.

Infra Red Driveway Sensors

These driveway alarm sensors work by detecting moving heat. They are not motion sensors or the beams you see under garage doors, they are actual PIR (passive infra red) sensors which will send an alarm signal if they detect anything warm and moving in front of them. They will alarm if a vehicle or person goes in front of them. Their biggest disadvantage is the fact that a large animal can also trigger an alarm. These types of driveway alarms are only available in wireless models.

Magnetic Probe Driveway Sensors

Magnetic probe driveway sensors will only detect moving metal. This means you will never get a false alarm from animals, birds etc. They tend to cost about $100.00 more than their Infra Red partners and are available in both wireless and wired models.

Rubber Hose Driveway Sensors

These are the most familiar driveway alarm sensors for most people. They are simply soft slightly pressurized rubber hoses which when a heavy object (a vehicle) travels over them sends an alarm signal. They are inexpensive and easy to set up, but will not work well in areas with heavy snowfall and the rubber will, slowly, degrade over time. But there are inexpensive hose replacements available for most models.

Feel free to add your own thoughts, comments or questions to this driveway alarm and vehicle alert blog. We will be updating this page as the industry and technology changes.