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Step 1
Mark the location on the door and door frame where you want the alarm apparatus to go. This should be somewhere unobtrusive which can connect to the remainder of the alarm system easily. Ideally, it should be on a stud so that you can anchor the alarm components properly, but it doesn't have to be.
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Step 2
Attach the switch to the door frame using screws or drywall anchors. The sensor should be flush with the door so that it doesn't interfere with opening or closing it: the switch itself can be positioned on the interior of the frame, jutting out into the room.
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Step 3
Use screws and a screwdriver to attach the trigger to the door itself so that it is right next to the switch when the door is closed. They needn't necessarily be touching--they just need to be close enough to depress the switch on the door frame. As with the switch, you should make sure that the door can still open and close normally once the trigger is attached.
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Step 4
For alarms that are wired to a central control box, strip the insulation off of the end of a set of conductor wires (about 3/4 of an inch) and wrap the exposed copper ends around the terminals on the switch. The terminals should be labeled to let you identify which wire goes to which terminal. Run the wires along the outer edge of the door frame to the floor, then along the side of the wall to the control box. Cut the wires to length, leaving at least 6 inches of addition length at the end. Strip the insulation off the ends and wrap them around the appropriate terminals in the control box. In an alarm-ready house, conductor wires may already run through the walls, in which case you can simply connect the switch and the control box to their appropriate ends.
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Step 5
For wireless or locally operated door alarms, insert a battery into the appropriate location on the switch and check to make sure it is secure.
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Step 6
Activate the alarm and then open and close the door to ensure that it is working properly.
