One of the biggest concerns with glass break detectors is false alarms, so we tested some typical household noises and even the actual sound of breaking glass on the TV. None of the noises triggered the alarm, so we decided to smash the real thing. After breaking a piece of glass with a hammer, the alarm went off instantly. (CBS Austin)
5.4.19 – KEYE TV CBS Austin –
Clever crooks know the most vulnerable spot in many home security systems. But new technology can stop them in their tracks.
“We do have a lot of windows,” said Matt Cisneros.
Cisneros just moved into a home in Southwest Austin. One of the first things he wanted unboxed was a glass break detector. It can pick up the sound of glass breaking 20 feet in any direction.
“It’s an access point that most people probably don’t think about,” said Cisneros.
Cisneros wants a detector near his backdoor. But security experts say another area that needs protection is the master bathroom.
“There’s a lot of break-ins that occur through a master bathroom window,” said John Jarvis, vice president of operations for True Protection.
Burglars know motion detectors are rarely installed in bathrooms and bedrooms. Photos from one break-in shows how a crook smashed a window and was able to ransack the bedroom and bathroom without one alarm going off.
“So, they’ll just break in through that master bathroom fixed window that’s usually above the bathtub and ransack the master bedroom, master bathroom, master closet and then go back out the same window undetected,” said Jarvis.
One of the biggest concerns with glass break detectors is false alarms, so we tested some typical household noises and even the actual sound of breaking glass on the TV. None of the noises triggered the alarm, so we decided to smash the real thing. After breaking a piece of glass with a hammer, the alarm went off instantly.
“The older technology that glass break detectors used to use, false alarms were a bigger issue because they were not as smart,” said Jarvis.
The updated technology requires two sounds and they must happen in a specific order.
“First a loud thud of someone throwing a brick at your window and second a high frequency glass shattering,” said Jarvis.
Glass break detectors don’t guarantee a burglar won’t smash your sense of security, but they are an extra layer of protection. Most detectors cost between $40 and $60 each.