False Alarms: Why You Need A Pro

  If you type “Home Security” into any Search Engine you will probably find a page from your Local Police containing their policy on False Alarms and how important it is that they not spend unnessessary time responding to False Alarms.

 Through the use of Quality Products, Industry Trained Professional Installers and System Designers and by using Professional System Monitoring there should never be a need for Law Enforcement to be dispatched to a False Alarm.

False Alarm vs Real Emergency

  First let’s clarify. The term “False Alarm” suggests that the equipment malfunctioned, so it would be safe to say that by using Quality Products installed by Professional Installers we eliminate the occurrence of False Alarms.

BUT!!!

  What the Local Police are calling “False Alarms” would be more accurately described as “Non-Emergency Events”. The Local Authorities do not want to receive calls for alarms set off by Non-Emergency Events. Over the years we have seen many things that have caused alarms to trigger and in every case there has been an actual cause.

Some examples:

  Helium Balloons from a birthday party left in the coverage area of a Motion Detector and a bit too close to the Furnace Vent. The Motion Detector reported movement and signaled the panel, triggering an alarm.

  A home with a cat where special Motion Detectors designed to ignore small pets had been used without incident for months. Then came the day that the cat knocked over the Christmas tree.

  In both of these cases it is obvious to the Monitoring Station that they are receiving random signals from one Sensor and nothing from the rest of the Home, they will call you to verify that there is no Emergency.

 Of course there are times when occupants forget the system is armed and walk into a protected area or open a protected door.

In all of these cases the Local Authorities need not be involved, disarm or reset the system and have a quick chat with the Monitoring Station.

During a Break in the signals received by the Monitoring Station look more like this:


  • Glass Breakage – Front Hall
  • Audible Alarm Activated
  • Sensor - Front Door
  • Motion - Front Hall
  • Motion - Living room
  • Motion - Living room
  • Motion - Living room
  • Motion - Kitchen
  • Motion - Kitchen
  • Sensor - Back Door

  In cases like this the Monitoring Stations first call is to the Local Authorities and then down the list of Emergency Contacts that you have provided until they contact someone who can meet with Authorities at the scene.