How to Make a Window Alarm

Keeping you and your valuables safe often means encouraging those you don't want in the house to stay on the outside. A simple window alarm that costs only a few dollars in supplies and takes five minutes to build can help protect what is yours. It's small enough to throw into an overnight bag to also use on hotel room doors and other away-from-home events.

12-inch length of thin, insulated wire similar to what you would see in an ear bud
9-volt battery
Battery operated buzzer
Electrical tape
Sharp knife
1/2-inch alligator clip
Cardboard about 2 inches long and 1/4 inch wide

Instructions

- 1
  Slide the cardboard between the alligator clip jaws to prevent them from touching. The cardboard should stick out about 1 3/4 inch.
- 2
  Cut the wire into three pieces, one at 6 inches, the other two at 3 inches each. Strip about 1/4 inch of insulation from each end of the three wires with the knife.
- 3
  Attach one end of the 6-inch wire to the “crown” post of the battery and the other end to one of the bare metal handles on the alligator clip with small pieces of electrical tape. Make sure the wire attachment is secure and will not fall off.
- 4
  Tape one of the 3-inch wires to the smooth post on the battery, and the other end of it to one of the screw posts on the buzzer. Tape the remaining 3-inch wire from the other screw post on the buzzer to the remaining handle on the alligator clip.
- 5
  Pull the cardboard from the alligator clip jaws to test the alarm. While the cardboard is removed, the buzzer should sound because the electrical circuit is complete, and when it is put back the buzzer will stop.
- 6
  Tape the battery, alligator clip and cardboard to your wall and window so that when the window is opened, the alligator clip will stay taped to the wall but the cardboard will be pulled from the clip with the opened window, which then sets off the alarm.

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