Newsletter/Blog


2021-11-26
CBAR Newsflash


 

ARE FALSE ALARMS ANNOYING YOU AND YOUR NEIGHBOURS?

False alarms are a nuisance for everybody.

Here are some of the common reasons, tips and recommendations to assist you in reducing your false alarms and to keep your alarm in a good working condition.

  • MY ALARM KEEPS ACTIVATING

The first step is to identify which zone is the cause of the false activations. In the event of the same zone continually activating, it is a clear indication that the zone is faulty or being triggered for some reason, and technical support would be required to rectify the problem.

  • INSECTS & PESTS

Insects like ants, cockroaches and other pests are attracted to the warmth generated within the components of an alarm system. They can also easily make their way into the electronic housings, which is often a cause of false activations, especially with outdoor detectors. Rodents can also chew through the alarm cabling especially in commercial properties like restaurants and older buildings within the ceiling voids.

  • PETS

The majority of outdoor beams are “pet friendly” however birds, cats and larger dogs can still cause the alarm to activate. In such an instance it would be advisable to consider re-locating the beam to a more suitable location or adjusting the setting on the beam.

  • FOLIAGE

Outdoor beams are often activated by the movement of unkept vegetation on your property. Ensure that your gardens are kept neat and that all bushes and shrubs are regularly trimmed.

The South Easterly wind causes countless false alarms especially with outdoor detectors when untrimmed foliage continuously moves around in front of detectors.

  • TEMPERATURE

Were you aware that most alarm beams work on infra-red temperature detection and therefore can often activate as a result of excessive temperatures? In this instance it would be advisable to have the sensitivity of the beam adjusted in order to avoid this or in some instances replaced with a micro wave beam which have a higher temperature tolerance.

  • BACKUP BATTERY

All alarm systems are equipped with a battery backup to keep your alarm operational during times of power outages. Low battery levels are often the reasons for false alarm activations and trouble conditions on your alarm system.

Load shedding drastically reduces the life span of battery backups which will need to be replaced at closer intervals.

  • ALARM LIFESPAN

Very often old alarm systems are subject to excessive wear and tear with outdoor sensors deteriorating due to being exposed to UV light for many years. In this case you may need to consider upgrading your system, or replacing these sensors. As an alarm is classified as an electronic device similar to a cell phone or PC, it has a lifespan. According to the majority of Insurers the average lifespan of an alarm system is 7 years before components begin to deteriorate and corrode.

  • SERVICE YOUR ALARM REGULARLY

It extremely important to service your alarm system AT LEAST once a year, especially due to the effects of loadshedding. All components are checked and tested as well as the delivery of your signal to our monitoring centre.

  • TEST YOUR ALARM REGULARLY

We recommend that you should test your alarm system AT LEAST once a year. Kindly be reminded that it remains the clients’ responsibility to ensure that the system is kept in a good working condition. Please always notify the Control Room prior to testing. In accordance with the security industry regulations, the testing of response times is prohibited. Attempting to test your alarm without having informing our Control Room may result in penalties being incurred.

  • UPGRADE YOUR SYSTEM

Should you alarm system be older than the recommended 7 years, we advise that you consider upgrading your system to an Olarm or Hyyp system which are compatible with the majority of modern keypad systems. This will give you full control of your alarm system from an App on your smartphone.

The advantages of these more modern systems are that they are capable of configuring themselves to your existing alarm panels, and can be operated straight off of your smartphone.

Please do not hesitate to contact Colin at City Bowl Armed Response on 0860 15 15 15 or colin@citybowlsecurity.co.za for technical support or further information with regards to operating your current alarm system directly with a smartphone application.



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