Wireless Home Security 101 – Wireless Garage Door Sensor

The magnetic door sensor is the most common alarm system device (I really like the wireless door sensors), and every alarm system has at least one door sensor. That only makes sense: the door is the most common form of entry for burglars, by a wide margin. But now there’s a really powerful addition to the home security arsenal: the wireless garage door sensor for the overhead door. Since a motion sensor is not the most reliable way to protect the garage, especially summer or in warmer climates, it’s great to add the garage door sensor to your roster of security options. And if you think it’s too hard to break into your garage this way, check out this video – it surprised me, even after all these years dealing with home security!

Explaining the Garage Door Sensor

The garage door sensor has been with us for some time, but it has traditionally been a clunky hard-wired device that mounted on the door’s rail and used oversized magnets – and was so tough to install that it was rarely used. The new wireless sensor is smaller than your thumb, and has a weight switch that’s activated as the door is lifted and moves from vertical to horizontal. The sensor communicates wirelessly to your control panel as the door is opened and closed. This sensor can even be programmed to alert you if the garage door is left open longer than a certain period of time that you can choose – and since many families keep items of value in the garage, it’s good to know when that door is opened – or left open.

Placement

Unlike the old school garage door sensor, this couldn’t be easier. Simply place the sensor at the top of the garage door, on the inside surface, using simple double-sided tape. As soon as the door is opened even a short distance, the sensor will notify your control panel and trigger an alarm – that means a burglar can’t pry the door part way up and crawl under undetected.

For FrontPoint, adding this sensor to our offering of GE wireless security equipment was an easy choice – and I ‘m happy to use one of them in my own home. The garage door sensor exemplifies the innovative approach to interactive, wireless home security that has earned us rave reviews all across the US and Canada. If it makes your home safer, and your alarm system smarter, chances are you can get it from FrontPoint. And now I have to go home and try to break into my garage, like that guy in the video!