Protecting the Openings Outside Your House

Not every opening is conveniently located inside the house. A user may also want to monitor openings that are located outside the house. This could include fences, detached garage doors, barns and patio doors. When doing this, the sensor must be able to survive the outdoor environment.

Durability is a much greater concern with outdoor contacts. While most contacts are kept safe inside the home, an outdoor contact is exposed to a much harsher environment. The sensor will need to work in more extreme temperatures, and it will come into contact with water and dust on a regular basis. Needless to say, if a user tries to use a standard contact, it will not last very long.

Luckily, there are special outdoor contacts that are specifically designed to survive in an outdoor setting. These contacts typically function in the same manner as an indoor contact, using a sensor and magnet. The sensor is installed on the stationary portion of the opening, while the magnet is installed on the moving part. The magnet must be placed very close to the sensor in order for this process to work properly.

When the outside door or fence is opened, the magnet will separate from the sensor. This will cause a reed switch inside the sensor to activate. The sensor will then send a signal to the alarm system to let it know that it has been activated. When this happens, the system can then perform a pre-programmed response. This could include requiring a system disarm or sending out an alarm to a central station.

One excellent outdoor sensor for this purpose is the Honeywell 5816OD. This is a 345 MHz wireless sensor that will work with any Honeywell or 2GIG Alarm System. It is fully weatherproof, and it can survive temperatures ranging from -40° to 150° Fahrenheit. The sensor will continue to function properly, even in a very dusty or humid environment. For best results, the sensor should be placed within 1.5" of the included magnet when the opening is closed.

You can purchase this sensor from the Alarm Grid website. If you have any questions about using this sensor, you may contact us via support@alarmgrid.com or by calling us at 888-818-7728 between 9am and 8pm M-F.