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ride525's profile

Sunday, December 15th, 2019 3:03 PM

Glass Break sensors

I have a kitchen with a big bay window.
And a sliding glass door with two vertical windows on each side.
And the small dining area with four windows.

Will one or two glass break sensors be ok in here?

Second, the Living Room is open to the kitchen/dining area.
Living Room has glass slider with 4 x 7 fixed window on side.
Glass Break Sensor ok here?

Thanks for your help.

Captain

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5.4K Messages

4 years ago

@ride525, I have two break sensors; one facing our laundry room door that is half glass. Has an entry sensor and the break sensor. Layers of protection.

In the kitchen a 3 window bay window quite large.  One glass break sensor facing it and a motion sensor. Layers of protection.

Yours should be covered by two break sensors, in my opinion, in your kitchen, and one for the slider, with an entry sensor and then motion sensors.  You may consider this "over doing it" but worth the expense.  You can always can buy less and then add later.

Note any curtains, blinds etc will cut down on the effective coverage distance on the sensor and should be tested.

172 Messages

4 years ago

Captain,

Thanks to taking the time to answer my question.

"Yours should be covered by two break sensors, in my opinion, in your kitchen, and one for the slider, with an entry sensor and then motion sensors. You may consider this "over doing it" but worth the expense. You can always can buy less and then add later.

So for what I talked about, two glass break sensors in kitchen, with all the windows.  And one more glass break for the living room slider.  Some entry sensors for the two sliders, and a couple of motion detectors.

Did I understand your answer ok?

Thanks

Captain

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5.4K Messages

4 years ago

@ride525  yes, but only if you can afford it.  While the prices for the senors are reasonable, my wife and I debated my reply to you. She, and my kids, think us having as many sensors as we do is a bit over the top. Remember, other than shipping, you are not out any extra money doing this in stages and, most importantly buying only 2 break sensors at first and try them, one in each area. You can get them for the same price at Best Buy, just get two, not three, and see if they work. If not, then get one more.  As far as the motions and entry sensors. layers of defense is best.

I had a neighbor (who had no alarm) get hit and the crooks used a glass cutter! Cops said the person(s) were a pro. In that case, glass break would be defeated but not entry sensor or motions.

Please post what you ended up doing, and good luck.

172 Messages

Captain11,

In the Kitchen I will have one Glass Break Sensor that will cover Kitchen Glass.

Perhaps one glass break sensor opposite dining windows, but also within 20 feet of Living Room slider.

1 Message

4 years ago

I really wanted to send a small word to say thanks to you for the fantastic points you are writing on this site.
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172 Messages

4 years ago

But, Captain, but....

Simplisafe says to AVOID putting glass break sensors in the kitchen.....

And we talked about having TWO of them in my kitchen......

172 Messages

4 years ago

Captain11,

Three BR Question: I have a question about protecting front three bedrooms.
Two face the street, one of those has just a front window, other has front and side window.
Third bedroom has side window only
Windows are pretty much always locked shut.


There is also a glass slider on other side of hall.  
Right now (pre Simplisafe) just protected with motion detector in hall, that all three open up to.

Thanks,

Advocate

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2.8K Messages

4 years ago

I don't think a motion sensor in the hall is enough, I wouldn't count on it to cover three bedrooms, if you want layered security.  If your three bedrooms are all on ground level, please, cover them appropriately - i.e., a combination of entry sensors and glass breaks, for example.  The entry sensors are a lot cheaper than glass break sensors, maybe as Captain suggests, spread out your purchases as you can afford them.  If you don't want the added cost of glassbreak sensors (since you're currently deciding on what to do with your kitchen/dining/livingroom), keep the motion sensor in the hall and use entry sensors on the bedroom windows, for example.

For your other glassbreaks, I'd recommend angling your glass break sensors at the corners of the wall to cover a wider area, as long as they are facing the majority of your windows/sliders, etc.  I have mine on shelving, angled, so they face the windows, doors, etc.  Again, layered security would be optimal if you can (include a motion sensor in that area, that is near or coming from an entry area, or consider your spending options on entry sensors for windows and sliding doors combined with a motion or glass break sensor).

As for glass break sensors in the kitchen, I don't recall where SS has suggested against that - but if they have, most likely due to the kitchen having a ton of dishes where a person can drop, break etc and possibly set off the sensor.  If you're concerned about that, consider entry sensors for the windows in the kitchen instead.

172 Messages

Coltmaster1,

From Simplisafe 32 page setup guide, page 5:

"Avoid placing your Glassbreak Sensor in
the kitchen, as glasses knocking into each other could trigger a false alarm."

172 Messages

4 years ago

As far as the three bedrooms go, they all have pretty positive locks on the windows.
So....it would be hard to open the windows, I thought the entry sensors might not be needed there?

The front bedrooms are not occupied, just the Master.

I welcome all your thoughts on making things secure.

Thanks

Advocate

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2.8K Messages

4 years ago

If they are on ground level, and easily accessible, then they could be access points for a burglar/intruder.  On the other hand, they could also be smashed instead of opening the window.  (my point is anything at ground level, should be protected).  I guess you could use glass break sensors or motion sensors in those rooms.  You don't want to rely only on the hall sensor, because it won't sense anything between walls, and you want to prohibit any entry and hope to sound an alarm at any access point before someone has a chance to get further into your home.

172 Messages

4 years ago

Thanks for your thoughtful reply, coltmaster1

Advocate

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2.8K Messages

4 years ago

I don't want you to think I'm trying to persuade you into one thing, or recommending against another thing, just wanted to give some examples of combining if you want layered security.  Maybe start at your front door, or any access point, think like an unwanted visitor, look around your home for areas you would want to trigger before that someone could get any further.  Granted, if a burglar didn't give one iota about an alarm blaring, it isn't going to matter that much (unless you have incredibly attentive and watchful neighbors who would report it if you're gone), but any deterrent is better than nothing.  Of course, cost has to figure in, as well, a number of components can get expensive if you're doing everything at once.  The good thing about SS3, one can have up to 100 components :)

172 Messages

4 years ago

I WANT suggestions on how to best protect my home.

I would like to protect it BEFORE the bad guys enter.  But the only company that I know of that does that is Deep Sentinel, who video monitors, and questions any questionable behavior.  But my wife did not like it idea of someone watching our home via video all the time.

Please keep up your suggestions.

Advocate

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2.8K Messages

4 years ago

I think many of us here would go Deep Sentinel if we could afford them!

I'm kind of partial to the entry sensors on doors and windows (including patio doors) and glass breaks for rooms with large numbers of windows or any window a burglar might think is an easy access (perhaps hidden from view from the street) - I think of it as sort of a first-line defense to trigger an alarm.  After that, maybe motion sensors in the room to trigger next, or, if for some odd reason, a door/window sensor failed, then another component would catch someone.  For some, the simplicams are handy to see what's going on if a motion sensor triggers and you can use the phone app to check the camera.  (I don't have the simplicams and don't plan to).
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