subject: Home Burglar Alarms - How to Prevent False Alarms [print this page] Home Burglar Alarms - How to Prevent False Alarms
False alarms from your home security system are not only costly to you and your local emergency services, but they can delay help to more serious 911 calls. In addition to checking and testing your system regularly, consider the following to greatly reduce and hopefully eliminate false alarms for good.
If you accidentally trip your house alarm, immediately call your alarm monitoring service to let them know of the mistake. If they have already dispatched emergency services, they will cancel the call. You may want to request that your monitoring company call you first before calling the authorities. This gives you the chance to report that it was indeed a false alarm and saves the time and resources it takes to cancel a call in progress. If the alarm company does not hear from you, they will proceed as normal.
Memorize your pass code so when you make this call, the cancellation process is quick and easy. All family members should have the pass code memorized as well.
Make sure that you and all of the users of your alarm system know how to use it. Most systems are very easy to work once you know what buttons to push. Every family member and other users should know how to arm, disarm, and cancel false alarms. It probably goes without saying, but do not post instructions or leave them laying around anywhere near the alarm's control panel; especially your pass code which is used by the alarm company to identify you and other authorized users.
Regularly check to see that all doors and windows are tight-fitting. Adjust door hinges so that a door can only move about 1/4" if pulled or pushed. Sensors that accomodate wide gaps can prevent false alarms commonly caused by older or loose-fitting and misaligned doors and windows.
Make sure all doors and windows are closed and locked properly when you are away. Secure them all before setting the alarm.
In rooms where motion sensors are installed, be sure to secure anything that can move and turn off anything that can stir the air. Consider plants, window treatments, balloons, hanging decorations and air sources such as fans, heaters, and air vents. Make sure pets do not have access to rooms where motion sensors are activated. Set the sensitivity sensors on motion detectors and sound detectors in such a way that they do not pick up sounds such as thunder, traffic, noisy neighbors, and construction that might be close by.
Set the arming delay at 60 seconds or more to give you time to exit the home. You can also instruct your alarm company not to call the authorities if your alarm goes off immediately after it has been set.
If you expect workers, delivery personnel, real estate agents, or anybody else to be arriving at your home while you are not there, do not set the alarm unless you make plans to meet them there to deactivate it. You may also want to consider setting up temporary codes for these individuals so they can deactivate the alarm themselves or cancel a false alarm should it occur.
Keep in mind that your system may send a silent distress alarm to the monitoring company if an incorrect code is repeatedly entered. Make sure all authorized users of your alarm carefully enter the correct code. If you believe a silent alarm has been sent, call your alarm system immediately as they may not always call you in this case before dispatching the authorities.
If it is not obvious to you what the cause of a false alarm was, call the alarm company to find out. This knowledge is crucial in preventing the same from happening again.
