Just like you change the oil in your car regularly, performing preventative maintenance for your alarm system is essential. While some of these tasks may seem dull, they are important in ensuring your alarm system’s long life and proper operation.
False alarms divert law enforcement resources from more urgent calls, are annoying, and cost money. Fortunately, there are ways to reduce them.
Increased Home Security
Most Americans know to change the oil in their cars regularly, but many must remember to do the same with their homes or alarm systems. Having your home or business alarm system regularly serviced prevents false alarms and can keep you safe by reducing the likelihood of a break-in.
Some common causes of false alarms include user error, installation or maintenance errors, and equipment failure. People who use the alarm system, such as caretakers, neighbors, maids, cleaning crews, and guests, must be trained to operate the equipment. They must also know and rehearse the process for canceling an accidental alarm to avoid law enforcement dispatch.
Be sure to lock all windows and doors and to avoid causing an alarm by moving plants, balloons, or holiday decorations around the property. Keeping the sensors and security cameras clean is another way to reduce false alarms.
Reduced Insurance Premiums
Homeowners can save money on their insurance premiums by demonstrating to insurers that they proactively protect their property. Security systems are often rewarded with reduced rates, while other safety features can also be eligible for discounts.
Burglar alarms can be rewarded with a lower premium as long as they are properly maintained. It includes regular testing and inspections by system users and inspections and maintenance carried out by trained engineers. These tests are typically done weekly and involve familiarising staff members, occupants, and visitors with the sound of the alarm.
Incorrect arming, passcodes, phone numbers, or procedures for canceling accidental alarm activations often cause false alarms. Preventative alarm maintenance Tallahassee reduces these errors and enables users to appeal fees or fines that may have been levied.
Increased Home Value
Increasingly sophisticated alarm systems have been developed, including motion detectors, linked video surveillance, sensors, and systems that will call the police. However, many other factors may explain why alarms do not increase household security. One possibility is offenders adapting to preventive measures and finding ways to sidestep or evade them. It is the ‘adaptive offender’ hypothesis.
Another possible explanation is that alarms work like a ‘club good’ – only yielding benefits to households with them, and once they become commonplace, they may lose their special effects. This would suggest that policy interventions are needed to minimize the externalities of alarms, such as paid permits for installation, the requirement for corroboration before a police response, and escalating fines for false alarms.
Reduced False Alarms
False alarms divert police from responding to real emergencies, cause frustration for neighbors, and can lead to distrust of home security systems. They also can result in costly fines in cities and towns that have adopted false alarm ordinances with progressive fine structures and a possibility of police response suspension for chronic abusers.
Keep contact information up to date for your monitoring company and change it anytime there is a new domestic help, house cleaner, lawn care worker, pet sitter, or contractor who has access to the property. Educate all household members and key holders on proper alarm system usage and canceling accidental alarm signals. Ask your system provider about multiple zone triggers, which reduce the likelihood of unwanted alarm signals.
Reduced Maintenance Costs
Like anything else, burglar alarm systems require care and maintenance to keep them in working condition. A preventative maintenance contract can ensure that your investment is properly maintained, which could save you money in the long run when it comes to repairs and replacement parts.
Over time, sensors can become faulty due to dust and dirt build-up, causing them not to detect intrusions or even be unresponsive altogether. The same can happen to keypads where the pin may get stuck or unresponsive, affecting the alarm’s arming and disarming.
A preventative maintenance plan can also guarantee priority response for emergency callouts to fix any issues promptly. It can significantly reduce the downtime caused by a broken burglar alarm system.
