Glass break sensors or Audi Discriminators have been around for a number of years. The technology has advanced in recent years and there are now a number of different versions available. The basic concept of a glass break sensor is to detect and sound an alarm if there is a sound of breaking glass. The original concept was based around a single technology which only picked up on the sound of breaking glass, however today there are now dual frequency devices which will not only pickup on the sound of breaking glass but also on the splintering of wood. Most of the glass break sensors today will use the dual frequency technology.



The technology works by listening at the frequency that glass breaks and if this sound is detected then the alarm is activated. There are some points that need to be made clear before you decide on this form of security, firstly the technology does not work through walls, ceilings or doors. With this in mind you would need to have a sensor in each of the rooms where you have glass windows or doors. This can be a costly exercise to have sensors in all of these places and you may not wish to have this many around the house in every room.

The sensors are wall mounted and have a range of around 35 feet in all directions; therefore their coverage is good for the home environment. There are however on glass sensors that can be purchased, these are sensors that are attached to the windows directly usually using a glue adhesive. The off-glass sensors can be discreetly wall mounted and are most likely the preferred option for many people. Today it is possible to buy the devices as either hardwired or wireless units like much of the security equipment that can be brought today.

A lot of the glass break sensor units will provide many advanced features including false alarm detection which will eliminate the chance of something other than the breaking glass triggering the alarm systems. Most of the glass break sensors come with excellent guidelines on how to install the system allowing the homeowner to be capable of setting up the systems quickly and simply. Testing features are generally built into the sensors allowing the user to easily verify that they are functioning correctly; usually this is achieved by lights on the sensors.

As like any home security product it is important to follow the correct planning routine in order to ensure that the product is suitable for your requirements. Some of the most important aspects when you are looking to install glass break sensors will be the number of rooms, how many sensors will be required per room, whether a window would be accessible from the outside by an intruder. Check the features included in the glass break sensor that you are purchasing and make sure they are suitable to integrate into your current security setup. When you purchase the sensor keep in mind whether you need a wired or a wireless sensor and whether you want the off glass or on glass sensors. Always read the instructions carefully before attempting to start the installation process, you need to ensure that they are setup correctly otherwise your security could be compromised.