According to a recent report, 86% of police calls made by homeowners are due to false alarms. It is a serious issue that results in loss of police department resources, their valuable time and services. Therefore, many local authorities have imposed heavy fines to reduce such damage.
As a homeowner, false alarms are more than a nuisance. They result in great mental stress. Imagine you are sleeping at home and your security system sounds the alarm system for no reason. This would not only make you tensed but will also cause you embarrassment while facing your neighbors and the police. Fortunately, the modern home security alarm system has helped reduce this issue a lot.
Advanced home alarm equipment is based on Passive Infrared (PIR) Technology which helps rid you from false alarms caused by your pets. Moreover, novel home security alarms come with state-of-the-art cameras for better monitoring. These cameras allow visual surveillance to homeowners about any unwanted activity, if any, which helps them to analyze the situation in a better way before contacting police.
Causes of False Alarms
There are many other tricks that can reduce false alarm risks. Before we talk about them, following are some major causes of false alarms:
- Pet movement indoors
- Faulty home security equipment
- Incorrect code entry
- Untrained elderly family members
- Items hanging around motion sensors
- Storm, wind or other acts of nature etc.
Among all the causes, the most important cause of false alarms discovered is human error. Therefore, it is crucial to understand the proper use of your home security alarm devices to avoid false alarms.
5 Tips to Avoid False Alarms
1. Train Your Family
A home security alarm system is based on modern technology. It is simple to use and extremely easy to operate. All you need is to be aware of the alarm devices and how to use them. Train your family members to operate the home security equipment smartly. They should be aware of the functions of all the devices. Moreover, train other regular home visitors to operate the home alarm equipment too. Your babysitters, close friends and family should also know how to use your home security alarm gadgets properly.
2. Remember Your Password
About 50% of homeowners complain they forget their home security system passwords. One of the best ways is to save your password in your mobile phone. So that you can recover your password anytime you need it.
3. Update Your Contact Info
Your contact information should be up-to-date. This helps the monitoring team to contact you easily for alarm confirmation. If you are not at home and the contact information is not updated, chances are the monitoring agents will dispatch emergency services at your home and you will be hit with a false alarm penalty. So never miss out on keeping your credentials updated.
4. Keep Your Visitors Informed
When your close friend visits you at home and he has no idea about your home security monitoring system, he may try to mess around with your smart equipment. Therefore, it is better to inform your close friends about it. So you don’t have to pay for another false alarm fine.
5. Maintain Your Home Alarm Equipment
Proper installation, activation and maintenance of your alarm equipment is highly important. Many home security companies offer installation and activation free of charge to help avoid false alarms. Besides, proper maintenance of your alarm gadgets is also essential. Timely change batteries of your equipment if they expire. If there is a problem with any of the equipment, simply contact your home security provider, so that they send you technician for the maintenance.
And most important of all, never settle down on a cheaper rates when it comes to buying or upgrading your home alarm system. Remember: “You get what you pay for!”
In order to know more tricks on how to prevent false home security alarms, contact us today.