Preventing False Alarms at Home

The number one issue police and first responders face each and every day concerning burglaries and break-ins in homes around America is responding to false alarms. Despite the fact that manufacturers have developed advanced technology, false alarms do happen on an ongoing basis unfortunately. This is the reason that many municipalities have adopted codes to register each and every active and monitored home security system and have now developed standards for fining homeowners for alarms which police respond to that are in fact a false alarm. Every time an officer has to break away from their standard duties and is called to check out a home or commercial alarm activation from a security service if the alarm is false, it takes them away from being able to perform their proper role of protecting others.

The majority of reasons home security systems generate an alarm that is false usually is the result of faulty equipment, weak or dead batteries, improper installation, user error, or any number of other issues that could exist. In Jacksonville, the local government has developed a policy for handling false alarms. For any residential or commercial property that generates more than 7 false alarm occurrences in a calendar year, the user will be fined $250 dollars for each false alarm occurrence henceforth. Additionally, police will not respond to a burglary or any alarm activation, except they will respond to all alarms reporting a robbery in progress or a panic or silent alarm in progress. Home and business owners are urged to have a professional security alarm company in Jacksonville Fl review the proper system use and maintenance which can help cut down on false alarms and help avoid those hefty expenses.

ESI, Emergency Systems Inc. a security alarm company dedicated to reducing false alarm activations has been leading the fight to ensure its customers’ alarm activations are in fact real security breaches and active. Here are a few tips that ESI recommends to reduce the chances of false alarms:

#1. Arming and disarming the security system properly

It’s important to arm and disarm your system properly, as improper use of the system is the number one cause of creating a false alarm to begin with. User error of disarming and arming systems actually accounts for 38% percent of all false alarm activations. Home and business owners are responsible for keeping track of everyone who has a code and has had the proper training in turning on and off security systems. If you or any user isn’t sure they’ll remember the code, try and choose a security system that also comes with remote key fobs. These devices can arm and disarm the security system. Still, even fob device users will need to know the code as a backup, just in case the key fob batteries fails.

#2. Choosing the right security company and equipment

ESI recommends that it is always a good idea to choose security cameras that come with smart features, such as motion detection and people detection. Security devices like Videofied that can show in real time if the security breach is real or triggered by something else. Having these types of detectors will ensure that the camera won’t send you an alert because of a pet strolling across a room, animal intrusion in a rural application or even a car driving by on the street. 

#3. Keep the area around motion sensors clear

Any objects that can rolling past a sensor can set the alarm off. Helium balloons left unattended are notorious for causing false alarms when they float by a security system that is active with motion detectors applied. Keep the entire area free of any clutter and tie down anything that could be blown around by an air conditioning vent or active fan.

#4. Remember to change batteries on a regular basis

Changing batteries that support the security system in your home on regular intervals. Low or even weak batteries can lead to false alarms. Typically, the equipment will notify you that the batteries are running low, but it’s also a good idea to consult with your monitoring company to see if it recommends regular battery testing.

#5. Keep devices well-maintained & up-to-date

It’s as important to choose the right security equipment, as it is to maintain it properly. If you aren’t making sure your safety devices work properly, you won’t know when they aren’t working, either.

#6. Educate any houseguests or children learning the security system

If you ever have people over, let them know how the security alarm system works. You would be surprised at how easy it is for a friend or even a young family member to accidentally trigger an alarm, by touching the security system screen. Remember, all false alarm activations are the responsibility of home and business owners and it is up to us, to take the proper measures to ensure, the police aren’t called when a real emergency is not present.

For over 40 years ESI has been the leader in providing state-of-the-art commercial grade equipment and security alarm protection for home, business, and office settings. Visit our website for a complete list of our products and services at GetEsi.Com

Give us a call at 904-388-3975 for a free, no-obligation security analysis for your home or office. We will be glad to answer any questions you may have about equipment, security systems for home or office, product warrantees and monitoring services.