ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Tuesday, February 20, 1996 TAG: 9602200017
SECTION: EXTRA PAGE: 3 EDITION: METRO
COLUMN: At Home With Technology
SOURCE: DAVID BUTLER
Q: Help! My city council just passed an ordinance that requires me to pay a fine if my home security system goes off unnecessarily. Is technology available that can make my system less prone to false alarms?
A: You're not alone; hundreds of municipalities across the nation have enacted similar laws. Consider this: Nationwide, more than 95 percent of the alarm incidents reported to authorities are false! The burglar and fire alarm industry does not take this lightly. It has stepped up efforts to quell the false alarm problem with a two-pronged approach: technology and education.
False alarms are a major drain on public safety resources. They can take police and fire officials away from real emergencies and lead neighbors to ignore the real thing when it happens. Who hasn't heard a wailing house or car alarm, only to express irritation by wishing it would stop?
Probably the most aggressive approach is a concept called dual technology. This involves relying on redundant detection methods to verify an alarm condition. For example, if a perimeter sensor and interior motion detector both trip within a certain time frame, the alarm sounds. If only the motion detector trips, it's reasonably safe for the panel to assume that a pet or falling object set off the detector.
Based on this strategy, an excellent complement to an interior motion detector is a flex sensor. Mounted along the bottom of a floor joist, it picks up the slight flexing motion in the floor system as someone walks within its protection zone. Flex detectors have a sensitivity adjustment, a definite plus if you own a pet. This virtually eliminates the possibility of a pet related false alarm.
A device is also available that can check a smoke detector to verify that an alarm condition exists. When the detector trips, the device interrupts power to the unit for three seconds. This causes the smoke detector to reset. If it comes back on in an alarm state, the fire alarm will sound. This helps prevent intermittent activations caused by radio frequency interference, insects and dust.
The latest microprocessor-based alarm panels have dealer-programmable options designed to eliminate the number one cause of false alarms: human error. For example, the warning chime that sounds after you arm the system can be set so that the cadence will quicken as the exit delay timer reaches ten seconds. This takes the guesswork out of making a timely exit.
In most cases, an older alarm system can be upgraded to incorporate some of the latest features for false alarm prevention. It may simply be a matter of adding redundant sensors or other peripherals. Replacing the alarm panel is sometimes the best option; the cost is usually quite reasonable.
The best defense against false alarms and potential fines is education. Make sure that everyone who uses your system is trained in its operation. This includes family members, housekeepers and guests. Be sure you understand your system's features, including the link to the monitoring center. If the center is local, find out if tours are permitted. It would be interesting as well as instructive.
Last but not least, have your system checked regularly by a professional alarm dealer - preferably the one that originally installed the system. And don't forget how to cancel an alarm if you should accidentally set it off. Chances are, you'll eventually need to know it!
To receive a list of companies that manufacture professionally installed security systems, please send $1.50 and a self-addressed envelope to David Butler F-552, Department TWN, 14713 Pleasant Hill Road, Charlotte, N.C. 28278-7927. The list includes toll-free phone numbers and a summary of each company's products. You'll also receive information on the floor-joist flex detector.
Q: Do alarm dealers have to hold some type of license?
A: It varies by locale - fewer than half the states require burglar alarm dealers to be licensed. Obtaining a license typically involves a background check, demonstration of technical skills and an apprenticeship. The National Burglar and Fire Alarm Association, (301) 907-3202, maintains a list of state and municipal licensing boards and professional associations. All are good sources for further information on false alarm prevention.
LENGTH: Medium: 79 lines ILLUSTRATION: GRAPHIC: By combining a flex detector with a conventionalby CNBmotion sensor, it's easy to eliminate false alarms caused by pets.