False alarms occur when an Alarm Receiving Center sends a police patrol or other security body to a property where no incident has occurred. We tell you how to avoid false alarms and what problems their repetition can cause.

 

What is a false alarm?

A false alarm occurs when the police or other security forces go to a property where an alarm has occurred without a break-in or other type of danger having occurred. A false alarm can be detected by a poorly calibrated or configured security system, which is why, in a normal situation, it will detect an anomaly that will alert the Alarm Receiving Center to which it is connected.

Another of the main reasons for which false alarms occur is the introduction of an incorrect code when arming or disarming the alarm. In these cases, it is interpreted that who wants to access the security system is not the user, so a call will be made to this by the Alarm Receiving Center and, in the case of no response, a call will be made to police. False alarms are a problem since police units are limited and need to go to a place only when their presence is necessary, which does not always happen.

Types of false alarms

The false alarms are dangerous because they mobilize police or other security as unnecessary firefighters.

To know how a false alarm can be prevented, it is first necessary to identify what types of false alarms exist. We list the most frequent:

False alarms caused by pets

A large pet, such as a dog weighing more than 15 kilograms, can cause a false alarm if it lives inside a protected property. Several security companies offer pet alarms specially designed to be calibrated and not detect their presence. Not all alarms have anti-pet calibration. 

• A pet alarm is a solution to avoid having false alarms due to a large pet

• It is necessary to report the presence of a pet inside the property so that the company can adequately calibrate the alarm

Wrong security code

One of the most frequent types of false alarms and the easiest to solve is the one that occurs after the introduction of a wrong code.

This false alarm occurs when the wrong security code is entered when an alarm is disarmed. In this circumstance, the system will contact the user to notify this event and the security word. If the system doesn’t contact the user or any of their emergency contacts or do not know the safe word, a patrol will be sent to the property.

• The security password must be difficult to guess but easy for the user to remember.

• Never enter the same password several times in a row if you are not sure of it.

False fire alarms

The false alarms produced by fire detection systems can be of different types: by detection of smoke, CO2 or increase in temperature.

Upon detecting one of these fire signs on a property, the system will contact the user of your alarm and, if it is not located, will proceed to dispatch a fire truck to the location.

• Avoid false fire alarms by placing a detector near the kitchen but not inside.

• A fire detector that is more than ten years old may be in a faulty condition. Devices need to be checked.

False motion sensor alarm

One type of sensor in high demand is motion. These are ideal to be placed on doors and windows, as a notification will be sent to both the system and the user in case of detecting breakage of these elements or a sudden blow. If these sensors are installed, it is necessary to have minimum control standards in the protected property.

• Motion sensors can be very sensitive; it is necessary to calibrate them properly or place them in the right places.

• To avoid false alarms with motion sensors, protected doors and windows should be closed before arming the alarm, not after

Power outage

A power outage can be a type of attack by a burglar to cause an alarm system to stop working.

When the system detects that the alarm stops sending a signal, it will be checked what the anomaly is due to. After verifying that it is a power outage, the owner will be notified of it and, if he is not located, the police, thus producing a possible false alarm.

• When contracting an alarm, it is necessary to make sure that it has an anti-inhibition system by which it can continue to operate even when there is a power cut.

• Reporting an intentional power outage to the system will help prevent false alarms.