Best Door and Window Alarms
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Every homeowner wants to know that their property is safe and secure. Unfortunately, a break-in can jeopardize your home security and rob you of your peace of mind. If you’ve been searching for an affordable way to better protect your property, consider installing a few door and window sensors inside your home.
Door and window alarms are easy-to-install security door devices that sound a loud alarm when triggered. You can use sensors in conjunction with a home alarm system or independently, depending on the model. Additionally, if you have small children, door and window sensors can prevent them from opening their windows when unsupervised.
Because there are dozens of door and window alarms on the market, we’ve ranked our top three door and window alarms and created a quick guide to help you choose the best alarms for your property.
Compare Door and Window Alarms
Ring Alarm Contact Sensor | Noopel Magnetic Door and Window Alarms | Secrui Wireless Door Open Chime |
|---|---|---|
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The Ring Alarm Contact Sensor effortlessly links with the Ring home security system, offering homeowners advanced app-based features and alerts. |
Homeowners looking for an affordable alarm will love the easy-to-install, wireless contact sensors from Noopel. |
Secrui’s wireless door and window alarm has a powerful range detector and a simple peel-and-stick installation, making it ideal for both homes and businesses. |
What Is a Door Alarm?
Many people have alarms installed in their homes in case someone were to try and break in. A door alarm is an alarm that is specifically set to go off when a door is opened. Door alarms are simple to install and are useful for both deterring intruders and monitoring children—for example, parents may place a door or window alarm in their children’s bedroom to prevent injury.
Some additional benefits of installing alarms on your doors and windows include:
- Easy connection with your home security system—Door alarms are easy to connect to your current home security system. If you have a smart home security system, it can send out an alert notification if your door is opened, even while you’re away.
- Wireless installation—Most door and window alarms work on a wireless system, connecting to your home system using a cellular or broadband internet connection. This means that you don’t need to place your door and window alarms near outlets.
- Affordable—Door and window sensors add an additional layer of security to your home without professional installation. They’re also significantly less expensive than installing an entire home security system on your property.
- Remote operation—In many instances, door alarms can be operated while you’re away from your home. You can set your alarm system to only send you notifications when the contact sensor is triggered, meaning that you can monitor your system efficiently while away from home or on vacation. Should you need to let someone past your door alarm, you can typically disarm the device, as well.
Types of Door and Window Alarms
Here are some of the most common types of door and window sensors you’ll see on the market:
- Contact sensors—Contact sensors go off when the contact between the two parts of the alarm is broken. For these alarms, one contact is placed on the door or the window, and the other is set on a nearby piece of molding or wall. When the contacts touch, there is no sound, but when the contact breaks, an alarm goes off.
- Motion alarms—These alarms go off whenever motion is detected. Motion alarms work in a similar fashion to motion lights. When someone moves in front of the door or window, an alarm is triggered. Some alarm options have the motion sensor pointed toward the room of the house the alarm is connected to. There are also some motion alarms that have built-in pet detection, allowing a pet to walk around in the house without triggering unwanted alarms.
- Door and window sensors—These small alarms go off when the door or window they are attached to get moved. Door security sensors are designed to detect even slight movements and can be great for keeping intruders out. Most traditional home security systems come with a set number of door and window sensors.
Top Door Alarm Features to Consider
Each door and window alarm offers its own unique benefits. Here are some of the characteristics you might want to look for when you shop for alarms:
- Remote accessibility—Most people want an alarm they can arm and disarm remotely. Look for an alarm with a corresponding app so you can turn it on and off when you’re away from home.
- Pet protection—If you have a pet, you might want to look for a door alarm with pet protection. These motion sensors know the difference between an intruder and a pet and prevents the alarm from going off when the pet is walking around the home.
- Camera access—Some door alarms come with a built-in security camera. This could be incredibly useful if you’re away and want to monitor your home from afar. Door alarms with cameras could also help pinpoint intruders.
3 Best Door Alarms
Now that you understand how door and window alarms work, let’s take a look at a few of our favorite options.
Ring Alarm Contact Sensor
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
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Integrates with the Ring Alarm app to notify you when doors or windows are open |
Requires a Ring Alarm Home Security System to operate |
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Works well with smart home devices |
Door sensor itself cannot sound an alarm |
|
Backed by a limited, one-year warranty |
The Ring Alarm Contact Sensor integrates with the Ring Alarm Home Security system, which offers a range of smart home features. When the door or window sensor is triggered, you’ll receive a notification on your phone from the Ring app.
The Ring security system includes simple DIY installation and connects with other smart devices in your home, including smart lights, thermostats, and Amazon Alexa devices.
Noopel Magnetic Door and Window Alarms
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
|
No larger home security system required for use |
No notification options |
|
Has a very loud alarm that’s ideal for larger spaces |
Doesn’t have pet settings and will sound whenever the contact is broken |
|
Low battery warning automatically alerts you when power is running low |
If you’re looking for an affordable way to scare off intruders, consider Noopel Magnetic Door and Window Alarms. Each Noopel alarm can sound a loud 120 db alarm when triggered, and the alarm will go off whenever the contact sensor is broken. The ultrathin design works will with any door and, with easy wireless installation, it’s a great solution for renters or travelers.
Secrui Wireless Door Open Chime
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
|
Wide range of chime and volume options |
Doesn’t have notification options |
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Can detect movement from over 400 feet |
Cannot be disarmed remotely |
|
Simple peel-and-stick installation allows the sensors to be placed anywhere |
Homeowners who are looking for a softer alarm (for example, to place in a child’s room) may want to consider the Secrui Wireless Door Open Chime. Secrui allows you to choose between 52 alert chimes that go up to 110 decibels. You can also choose a specific chime and adjust the volume, which can be ideal if you want to set a different tone for each door and window.
The Secrui Wireless system also has a very wide range; the alarms can detect movement from up to 400 feet, which makes it ideal for larger rooms and businesses.
Looking for comprehensive security packages for your home? Check out our recommended provider:
Frequently Asked Questions
How do door and window alarms work?
These alarms are meant to detect when a door or window is opened. They all have a detection system, such as two points of contact or a motion detector. When movement is detected, an alarm will sound.
How much does a door alarm typically cost?
Door alarms range in price from under $50 to several thousands of dollars. Pricing ultimately depends on the features you include with the door alarm, how many doors you need to cover, and whether or not you want to integrate your sensors with a larger security system.
Do I need sensors on every door and window?
The answer to this depends on your situation and personal home security needs. If you’re using alarms to keep people out, you may want an alarm on all entry points to keep yourself safe. If your goal is to prevent a toddler from escaping your home, you may only need sensors on specific doors and windows.
Our Rating Methodology
We back up our home security recommendations with a detailed rating methodology that we use to objectively score each provider. Our research includes analyzing product specifications, reviewing service and plan information, speaking with customer service representatives, and analyzing customer reviews. We then score the provider against our review standards for system options, special features, installation options, connectivity and smart-home automation features, pricing, contract terms, warranty, usability, availability of a trial period, and trustworthiness to arrive at a final score out of 100.
To share feedback or ask a question about this article, send a note to our team at reviews@thisoldhousereviews.com.