Wired vs wireless alarms: which is right for your property?

The polite answer is that both are excellent and it depends on your property. The honest answer is that they fail in different ways, and knowing how they fail tells you which to choose.

Wired alarms are more reliable over decades because nothing needs a battery and nothing uses a radio link. Wireless alarms are quicker and cleaner to install, which makes them the sensible choice in a finished house where lifting floors is not an option.

A wired system uses a fixed cable from each detector back to the control panel. Once installed, the only maintenance is the panel battery every few years. There is no radio interference, no missed signals because a metal door was closed, and no need to walk around changing batteries.

Wired also suits properties being renovated, new-builds, and commercial buildings where cable can be run in trunking or ceiling voids. For a large site with 20 or more detectors, wired is usually cheaper per point as well as more reliable.

Wireless detectors talk to the panel over an encrypted radio link. Installation takes hours rather than days, there is no making good of decorations, and detectors can be added later without touching the fabric of the building. In a Victorian terrace with original plasterwork, or a listed property, that is a decisive advantage.

Modern wireless systems from manufacturers such as Texecom, Pyronix and Ajax are genuinely good. The important detail is supervision: a decent system checks in with every detector regularly and raises a fault if one stops responding, rather than silently ignoring it.

• Is the property finished and decorated? If yes, wireless is usually the practical answer.
• Is it a new-build or undergoing refurbishment? Cable now, while it is cheap.
• How many detectors? Above around 12–15, wired is often more cost-effective.
• Are walls solid stone or lath and plaster? Wireless avoids a lot of damage.
• Do you need long-term low maintenance? Wired, with battery changes only at the panel.
• Is there heavy metalwork or machinery? Radio paths need checking, and wired avoids the issue.

Detector placement, the quality of the panel, and how the alarm is monitored matter more than whether it is wired or wireless. A well-designed wireless system will outperform a badly designed wired one every time.

For monitored alarms, the signalling path is the part people forget. A system that relies only on a phone line is vulnerable to a cut cable. Dual-path signalling, using both a SIM and broadband, is what achieves and keeps police response.

Both types can be app-controlled, both can be partitioned so a garage or extension is set separately, and both can be monitored. Choose on the building, not on the brochure.