Unpopular opinion: Most residential zones dont need a glass break detector

I was installing a system near Austin last month in a 3000 sq ft house. The homeowner insisted on glass breaks in every room. That is overkill. Glass breaks are useless if the windows are already laminated. I should have pushed back harder. Anybody else skip glass breaks in certain builds?

3 comments

3 Comments

kelly.charlie24d ago

Changed my mind on this a few years back after a similar job. Put a glass break in a living room with big windows and it kept going off every time the neighbor started his motorcycle in the driveway. Took me three trips to figure out it wasn't the dog. Now I only put them near sliding doors or single pane windows that actually break clean. Most burglars just kick frames in anyway so door sensors get my budget first.

murray.jana24d ago

Used to think glass breaks were always worth it but a few years back a customer had them in every room and the alarm kept tripping from the dog barking. Laminated windows are common now too so the glass just cracks but doesn't actually break open. Most residential burglars are just kicking in doors anyway so the glass break is pointless if the window holds. I skip them in bedrooms and just put one near the big sliding doors or a window that actually shatters. Save the money for better door sensors or a panel that texts you.

bennett.evan23d ago

That laminated glass thing is real, I didn't realize how common it was until a buddy tried to break into his own house through a basement window and the glass just bent like plastic. Do you ever run into customers who swear their old windows break easy and then you test one and it's laminated but they had no clue? Seems like half the time the homeowner doesn't even know what type of glass they have until you try to demo it. Makes me wonder if glass breaks are basically a gamble unless you scope out every window first, which nobody has time for.