It’s no surprise that most communities fine homeowners for false alarms. It’s estimated that police spend billions of dollars annually responding to false home alarms.
Police departments in some cities won’t even respond to a home alarm unless it has been verified in some way by camera systems, sound or people.
So how can you prevent false alarms from your home security system? Follow these ten tips:
1. Have your home alarm security system designed by a trained security professional. Don’t buy a “one size fits all” home security service package special you see advertised on TV or in the mail. Get quality security equipment applied in the right way to protect you and your home without causing false alarms.
2. Train all system users on the proper use of the home security system. Hold a training session to make sure all users know how to turn the system on and off, and how to cancel an alarm. Make sure each system user knows the contact telephone number of the alarm monitoring center and have them practice cancelling an alarm.
3. Secure all doors and windows before turning on the wireless security system. Many false alarms are caused by doors and windows blowing open.
4. Use home security camera ssystems. Home security camera systems can send an alert to your smartphone when an alarm occurs. Use your smartphone to watch what’s happening in your home to cancel an alarm when needed.
5. Get an annual system inspection and tune up from your home security company. Make sure your home security alarm system equipment is operating properly.
6. Keep the area in front of motion detectors free of clutter, including dust, insects and spider webs.
7. Take care with holiday decorations. Check for drafts that move decorations or plants in motion sensor areas that could trigger false alarms.
8. Contact your home security alarm company if you add a dog or cat to your home to make sure your new friend won’t trigger false alarms.
9. Keep your emergency contact information current with the alarm monitoring center. Your monitoring services center can call the contact list before calling the police if instructed to reduce false alarms.
10. Don’t try to beat the wireless home security system. Too many homeowners turn on the alarm and then remember they forgot something inside the home. Rather than turn the system off before re-entering, they attempt to sneak back in and out during the delay time set on the system. Don’t do this. Turn the alarm off upon entering the home for any reason, and turn it on when needed.