Doing Your Part To Prevent False Alarms In Your Home Security System
by Deann Collins
One of the problems with any home security installation is the number of false alarms that require local law enforcement to respond. 10 to 25 percent of the calls to the police department are false alarms coming from home systems. This ties up the local law enforcement and prevents them from responding to real problems. In some areas, the homeowner is charged for any false alarms to which police respond. Here are some ways that you and your family can reduce the number of false alarms issued by your home security system.
1. Have the installation technician train each family member on how to operate the alarm.
Don't just pass on the information yourself or expect family members to read the manual. Each person should be trained first-hand to operate the control panel by the installer. They should also go over every function that they will use regularly.
2. Everyone should know how to disarm the system should it be accidentally triggered.
Most systems give you a few seconds to disarm the alarm before it goes off. This gives a person time to unlock and open a door, walk over to the security control panel and push in a code before the alarm sounds. Practice this with each family member until they can easily perform the operation.
Discuss with everyone how to respond to special situations. A person holding a bag full of groceries unlocks and opens the door. At that point, the grocery bag breaks, spilling the contents on the floor. A natural reaction is to stop and pick up the groceries. But this delay gives the alarm the chance to go off and the person now must deal with that. When possible, the person should continue into the house to disable the alarm, then come back and deal with the situation.
3. Have a plan to deal with an accidental triggering of the alarm.
It's likely that someone will forget and activate the alarm by accident. Alarm companies have different ways of responding to alarms. Many give you a phone number to call to cancel the alarm before they call local police to respond. You'll be asked for a password so the service can verify that you are a member of the family. Don't post this anywhere near the control panel and make sure everyone remembers the phone number and password.
4. Use motion sensors carefully.
Motion sensors can be a source of false alarms if not installed and used properly. Some of the ways the motion sensors can trigger an alarm when you don't want them to include:
- household pets jumping up on furniture
- furnace vents or a breeze through a window left open causes a curtain to move
- a birthday party balloon comes loose from its cord and floats through the room
Contact a home security company like Amped Security for more info.
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About Me
I had always thought that security guards were only needed by the rich and famous. I never expected to have to hire one for my family until our home was broken into one night. Immediately after the break-in, my children were terrified to go to sleep at night. We found a good security system that couldn't be installed until a few days later. After two sleepless nights, I decided to look into hiring a security guard to stay awake at our home for one night, so I could finally get some rest. I couldn't believe how affordable it was to have a guard at my home for a few hours during the night, and we all got great sleep knowing were safe. I hope I help others who have suffered from home break-ins. A security guard can help you feel secure when waiting for your security system to be installed.
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