How Commercial Alarm Systems Work
If one has ever been an employee closing at the end of a business day, he might have locked the doors without thinking much about the security of the company after he goes home. Perhaps he knows how to set the commercial alarm system, but he does not think much about how it works.
Commercial alarm systems are expertly designed to protect a business owner's assets and inventory during the hours the company is not operating. A central computer called a control panel is the mind behind the commercial security system. After the closing employee arms the system and goes home, it is hard at work.
The business alarm works by various sensors attached to the control panel. These sensors are connected to locations throughout the building. When they detect something amiss, they signal the control panel. Operators at the central monitoring system can be reached through the control panel. These operators dialogue with a company representative and decide if authorities should be contacted. If the signal is not a false alarm, the operators quickly and efficiently inform the proper emergency workers about the situation.
When it comes to arming a commercial security system, the business owner has two options. If he has a closing employee arm the system as mentioned in the above scenario, he can be assured that it is a simple job. All the employee needs to do is enter a security code and push a single button to arm or disarm the system. Good commercial alarm systems will allow the employee to see the alarm's status at a glance so there is no confusion as to whether it is secure.
Alternately, a company owner can set the alarm himself without even being on the premises. He can arm or disarm the system using any telephone including a cell phone. As long as he has the security code, he can even double check on the efficiency of an employee and find out the status of the system.
So just how do the signals work in a business alarm? The doors and windows are equipped with magnetic contacts. Simply put, when the magnet is shifted away from its contact point in the door or window jam, the control panel is alerted.
On the occasion that an intruder enters the premises of a business, commercial alarm systems use a passive infrared motion detector (PIR) to sense motion or body heat. If a guard dog is also used, the system can distinguish between a pet and a human so the animal will not set off the alarm.
Before an intruder has the opportunity to enter, however, security systems can deter him by "glass break" sensors. There are two types of these. One actually "listens" for the sound of breaking glass and alerts the control panel as well as the intruder. The other attaches to the window itself and "feels" the shock of the glass breaking before alerting the system and the intruder.
02/16/2012
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