Making sure your home and property is secure is paramount in a survival scenario, but comprehensive alarm systems can get pricey.

Here are some inexpensive and innovative alternatives.

One unit I particularly like is the wireless drive way alarm manufactured by Bunker Hill as well as others. These units run on batteries and usually cost around twenty dollars or less. The sensor unit takes a nine volt while the receiver unit takes three C Batteries. Range for this unit is listed at 400 ft. with both of the units being weatherproof.

Range is variable depending upon terrain although I have used these units at several hundred feet both in sight and out of the line of sight.
Beside the advantages of the unit being wireless and weatherproof, they also work well at night and during the day. Also since the sensor and receiver are two separate units, anyone tripping or activating the sensor does not know that they have d0one so as the signal is sent to the receiver.

Although the sensor unit usually comes in white it can easily be spray painted to allow for better concealment. Although this next piece of advice is most likely unnecessary I add it just in case. When painting be sure to tape over the motion sensor before painting so that you don’t block the sensors functionality, and of course also remember to remove the tape afterwards to let the unit function properly.

Additionally the box set, of one sensor unit and one receiver, function together on one channel which is often listed on the box and/or the units themselves. The advantage of this is that one is able to buy different unit with different channels for use in covering separate approach routes. For example one unit (on channel 9) could be located on the driveway while another unit on another channel (on channel 17) could be placed on a walkway or trail. Depending on which alarm sounds, you would know which approach route the intruder was taking.

Another advantage I have often found useful is that the sensor unit is set off every time someone passes it. This allows anyone with the receiver unit to count how many intruders are approaching by that route.

I have only two drawbacks that I have experienced with these units. The first is when the receiver is first turned on it beeps to inform you that is on and active.
The second is that one needs to understand that the sensor will pick up anything that passes within its range. This can be animals as well as humans depending on sensor placement.

Another type of alarm that I have purchased and use regularly is the battery operated outdoor wireless motion sensor light. These units are almost all strictly visual alarms in which the light comes on when anything gets within range and triggers the motion sensor.

By being battery operated (usually three C Batteries) they can be placed anywhere, and the light they put out can be seen from a good distance away. Most also have a time setting for how long the light remains on usually as short as 30 seconds up to 10 minutes.

Some of the disadvantages of these units will be obvious. Such as requiring batteries, although how often they need replacing is dependent on often they are tripped and how long the light stays on. Another is although they light up once tripped allowing you be alerted and possibly to also see the intruder, anyone who activated it will also know.

Finally since it is a light that activates, the unit’s effectiveness is seriously reduced during daylight hours. Along with that is the fact that most of these units have a sensor that keeps them from operating during the day when the sun is out. Yet even with these disadvantages I have found these units to be effective if properly placed.

Another type of alarm that I have purchased involves some type of motion sensor located in garden statuary. These could be visual in that they light up or audible in that they make various noises. They come in various styles and types; from flowers to animals. I have even seen some that were made to look like fake rocks. One of my favorites was a frog that croaked when someone passed within sensor range.

Some, like said, were made to function during the day or at night; so if you’re considering purchasing one of these try to get one that will work during the day as well as at night.

Some advantages to these are that some are solar powered, so they need little maintenance and are almost always ready. Another is that they can be placed in more open locations, even inside homes, requiring little concealment. This is advantageous in the event that an intruder activates the unit it doesn’t necessarily mean that they are aware of its significance as an alarm.

The major disadvantage is that they need to be placed somewhat close for an observer to see or hear them clearly. Although some, like my frog croak, can be heard at a distance it is still closer than one would like, especially if one is hoping to be alerted in advance.

Wireless window alarms are yet another inexpensive system available for purchase at most hardware or retail stores. While specifically designed for use on windows, with a little imagination they can be adapted for other locations. Constructed of two pieces, they are designed to alarm when the pieces are separated, like when a window is opened. Knowing this, with a little imagination, you can easily adapt the unit for use in other locations. Although small they do emit a loud alarm.

The major disadvantage of these small units is that once activated, or separated, the unit will continue to sound until manually turned off or the pieces placed together again. This of course requires that someone to physically do this task. Not the ideal situation if you are still dealing with intruders.

The other type of widow alarm operates by “hearing” glass break and emitting an alarm. I feel that this is a major drawback for two reasons: one most people would hear any glass breaking and two if an intruder is breaking the glass they are already breaking in. These are the major manufactured units that I have purchased and used effectively as early warning and alarm systems.

A fact of life is that your home and property can become targets for burglars and thieves under the best of situations.

Faced with a survival situation, the risk of being targeted by desperate and unprepared people becomes acute, but most of us do not have several thousand dollars sitting around to invest in a comprehensive security system.

To learn about other, inexpensive home security options, check out The Survivalist Blog.