Which alarm should I install at home? A guide to choosing a system

The question “which alarm should I install at home?” is not answered by a brand. It is answered by a few decisions, taken in order: your property, a wireless or wired system, the sensors, control from your mobile and the way the system will alert you. This guide explains each of them.

Start with your property: flat, detached house, shop

The right alarm follows from the floor plan of your property. First count the entry points, that is doors, balcony doors and windows that open, and then the rooms you want to cover. This tells you how many magnetic contacts and how many motion sensors you will need.

Lists of the 10 best alarm systems do not know your home. A system for a detached house with a garden has different needs from a flat on the third floor, so a comparison only makes sense once you know what you want to cover.

Wireless or wired system

The difference is the way the sensors talk to the control unit: by cable or wirelessly. If the house already has the wiring, or will have it installed during a renovation, a wired system is a good fit. If the house is lived in and you do not want work done on the walls, a wireless alarm needs no cables for the sensors.

In a wireless system, devices such as the NEXUS wireless keypad and the wireless outdoor siren run on batteries, so changing batteries is part of maintenance. For power cuts, the NEXUS control unit has a built-in backup battery for up to 16 hours of operation.

The two solutions are not mutually exclusive. VEDO control units accept mixed zones, so during a renovation you can run cable where possible and fit wireless sensors everywhere else.

Which sensors you need

Every home alarm system is built on two types of sensor: magnetic contacts on doors and windows, and motion sensors in the rooms. Everything else is added according to the home and its risks.

If you also want to see what happened, you can opt for an alarm system with camera. In the NEXUS system, the motion sensor with a built-in camera takes up to 3 consecutive images for each alarm, and thanks to its infrared LEDs it gives a picture even in the dark.

The siren completes the system. The wired VEDO range has a self-powered Grade 2 outdoor model with a flashing LED lamp. In the wireless system, the volume and duration of the outdoor siren's sound can be changed remotely, without opening it.

Control panel, keypad and mobile app

The control panel is the unit that all the sensors report to, and you operate it from a keypad, a remote control or your mobile. If you want an alarm with an app, check whether the app only sends alerts or can also configure the whole system.

The NEXUS control unit is fully configured from the Comelit Nexus App, which acts as the system administrator. For those who also want buttons on the wall, there is a soft-touch wireless keypad with 4 indicator lights that show whether the system is armed, whether there is a fault and whether there is an alarm.

The SECUR HUB control unit has a built-in backlit keypad whose lighting can switch off completely when the system is on standby, and it is programmed via USB, LAN and the cloud. With the optional 4G module you can also manage it from the Comelit app.

With the wired VEDO system you choose between a keypad with an alphanumeric LCD and a 5-inch Safe Touch touchscreen keypad with a built-in RFID reader to identify users.

Communication: GSM, 4G, IP

Communication determines how you will find out that the alarm has gone off while you are away. Over the mobile network (GSM, 4G), the control unit makes calls and sends SMS messages, while over a network connection (IP, WiFi) it sends notifications and lets you manage it remotely.

If the house has no fixed internet connection, you need a mobile connection with a SIM card. If it does, IP adds notifications on your mobile and remote management. The GSM card in VEDO units works as the main or backup dialler, and the SECUR HUB 4G module as the main or backup connection alongside WiFi or LAN.

What to ask the installer before you decide

Before you accept a proposal, ask the installer to see the property and answer six questions:

1. Which security grade is right? The EN 50131 standard classifies alarm systems into 4 grades. Grade 2 is aimed at more experienced burglars with tools, and its sensors are considered suitable for homes.
2. How many sensors, and where? Ask for a floor plan showing the positions of the magnetic contacts and motion sensors.
3. What happens in a power cut? Ask whether the control unit has a backup battery and how many hours it lasts.
4. How will I be notified? By call, SMS, mobile notification or all of these, and what happens if the internet goes down.
5. Can it be expanded? The number of zones left free in case you later want an outdoor sensor, a camera or a smoke detector.
6. Who carries out maintenance? Ask about battery replacement, system checks and technical support.

Installation is carried out by authorised Comelit partners. The cost depends on the areas and entry points to be protected and on the number of sensors and contacts. It also matters whether the system will be wired or wireless and whether a ready-made kit is used.

Frequently asked questions