Why Do Burglar Alarms Not Have So Many False Alarms These Days?
If there is one thing which has traditionally annoyed the owners of security alarms it is the frequency which with they generate false alarms. However, if you have got a modern one then this is probably isn’t a problem anymore. So what happened to make false alarms almost a thing of the past?
Call Verification:
An increasingly common service now is that of call verification. In this case the alarm company will call two different phone numbers before police are sent out to the property. It isn’t something which is offered everywhere and there is a degree of debate over its use in the future. The supporters of such a process point out that it can reduce the number of pointless police call outs by at least 25% when used correctly.
Different Signals:
More technologically interesting than the last point is the idea of two different triggers. In this case the first sign of intruder activity is noted but isn’t acted upon until a second signal is noted. This could mean that first of all a window is breached and then movement is detected in the living room. This approach is fairly easy to add to an existing system and makes sure that common false alarms caused by animals or weather conditions are often discounted before any action is taken.
Video Verification:
One method of reducing false alarms which we are likely to see more of in the future is that of video verification. In this case the security company staff will check out the premises using real time video, to see whether the intruder who has apparently been detected is really there or not.
Better Detection Methods:
If you choose your alarm from a site like the ADT one you will almost certainly find that modern alarms are a lot more advanced than you had realised. For a start there are now different types of intruder detection methods, meaning that you can choose the one which is best for your property and security needs. Microwaves, ultrasound waves, infra red light beams and heat detectors are among the wide range of options around these days. While each of them is highly reliable the key is in picking the right one for the property in question to really cut the false alarms down to an absolute minimum.
Conclusion:
It is clear that a burglar alarm system with a 0% false alarm rate is probably impossible to produce. There are too many different factors involved which can make even the best and most well manufactured alarm raise the occasional false alarm. However, the recent use of additional manual verification techniques in addition to enhanced detection methods means that we are far less likely to be bothered by false alarms than ever before.
Learn more about home security on the ADT website
