Sounds vs silent alarms: which is better?

When optimising your workplace security, you may find yourself questioning which type of alarm system will work best for you. With safety methods experiencing various feature enhancements – including the introduction of the increasingly popular smart system – it’s now more difficult to decide between sound and silent alarms. The risk of burglary should always be regarded as a strong possibility, even if you feel as though you’ve taken various preventative measures. With this in mind, start planning and evaluating the two now, making a decision that’ll make your premises feel safer than ever. 

How to tell a sound from a silent alarm?

As the name suggests, the difference between these two types of alarms depends on the alert style. One relies on a siren, which will alert those already in a workplace or house, as well as those close by, to the scene upon hearing its shrill tone. A silent alarm, however, will notify the local authorities if a potential break in is suspected, using other paired systems (such as a CCTV system) to evaluate the footage and swiftly dispatch a team if necessary. 

What are the advantages of sound alarms?

A sounding burglar alarm acts as a deterrent by alerting all those nearby to the scene, immediately warning them that there is potential danger. When realising that they are no longer going undetected, a burglar is almost certain to flee the scene. By an alarm detecting their entry, they are therefore prevented from continuing on through the premises, unlikely to cause any further harm to the property or steal any valuable items.  

What are the disadvantages of sound alarms?

Although it’s a positive that a criminal won’t have time to continue through the premises after triggering a sound alarm system, they are also less likely to be caught in the act. If there is a genuine emergency and the police have been dispatched, there may not be a criminal to catch when they reach the scene. 

Another disadvantage is the risk of it being a false alarm, with the loud noise produced by the system possibly disturbing all those that are close by for no reason. In 2017, it was found that 30% of false burglar alarms were triggered by insects; with something as small as this having the potential to set off a security system, it begs the question as to how many times neighbours and staff will begin to get disgruntled. 

What are the advantages of silent alarms?

Silent alarm systems are easily disguised, and although they are not equipped with a siren to scare away trespassers, they do act quickly if their motion sensors detect any suspicious activity. Rather than fleeing the scene straight away, a crook may go about their business without realising that their every move is being recorded, unaware that the police may have already been dispatched. Not only this, if you have small children in the building, they are less likely to be startled by a loud noise that may just turn out to be a false alarm. You will instead get an alert sent to your phone, which will warn you of any danger. 

What are the disadvantages of silent alarms?

If your system does send alerts to your mobile phone, it’s possible that you may not be able to check notifications straight away. So, if it does turn out to be a false alarm, you may have no way of knowing until the last minute – by which time, local authorities may have already been sent to your premises. If false alarms start to become a regular occurrence, you may end up with a fine. 

Find a security system that works best for your business

To conclude, whether you end up installing either a sounding alarm or a silent alarm, you should always take extra precautions to deter any criminals from your premises. When you pair these devices with high-tech CCTV systems, you’ll be able to catch someone in the act, regardless of whether they decide to flee the scene or not.

Make sure your building is as secure as possible with access control systems, industrial gates and car park barriers (to name a few methods), mapping out your site carefully to ensure that you’ve got all areas covered. 

If you need advice on planning a security system that works well for your business, give our team of professionals a call today. We can help you out, both with initial system installation to security system maintenance, making sure that you’ll be protected for years to come.