As I began writing this post today, I realized that alarm sensors are very aptly named. That is, their name pretty much explains what they do. “Motion Sensor:” Senses motion. “Smoke Alarm:” Senses smoke. “Glassbreak Sensor:” You guessed it, senses breaking glass.

But how, exactly, does a glassbreak sensor detect breaking glass? Well, to start off, there are two different types of glassbreakage sensors: Seismic and Acoustic. A seismic, or shock sensor is mounted on the window itself, or close to it, so that it can feel the vibration of breaking glass. These are useful sensors, as they are very reliable, but they often look cumbersome when installed in a home. The sensor must be on the glass itself.

The other type of breakage sensor is an acoustic glassbreak sensor. In my opinion these are a better sensor because you can cover more for the same cost. The acoustic sensor is tuned to specifically pick up the frequency of breaking glass. These sensors are much more discreet and can be easily installed in your home. An acoustic sensor is a great part of a home security system as it enables you to cover an entire room of windows with one sensor. Here’s how it works: Sound moves in a wave pattern in all directions from the source of the sound. The sensor needs to be placed in a manner that it can cover all the windows in a room. APX Alarm specifically uses acoustic sensors, and our technicians are trained in installation so that they can be placed in the proper area to provide maximum coverage.

And that is all I have to say about that. (Sorry, I watched Forest Gump last week and I find myself dropping quotes every so often).