FAQ's
This page cover some common
questions that
customers have asked.
If you have any other questions
please do
not hesitate to contact us on 0800
043 1326 we will be pleased to assist
you in
any way we can.
What
is a burglar alarm
system?
A burglar
alarm /intruder alarm is a proven deterrent
against burglary and crime. There are two main types
of burglar alarm, these are:
Bells only: - These systems rely on sounders to
both deter the burglar and also warn neighbours of
the intrusion. A system will normally have 1
external sounder as a minimum, this can be added to
by having a internal siren as an extra deterrent
inside the property, an additional decoy box on
other exterior elevations to provide extra visual
deterrent outside or an extra external sounder could
also be used.
Monitored Systems: - These systems have all the
features of the ‘bells only’ system with the
addition of being monitored by a central station via
a telephone line or radio link. When the alarm is
triggered it sends a signal to the central station,
which then notify the key holders and police of the
alarm. These systems are a requirement of some
contents policies, normally where this is the case
it is also a requirement that an alarm installation
company that is a member of an approved
installations organisation installs them.
It is also possible to install a ‘telephone
auto dialler’ onto a bells only system, which
can notify a set of telephone numbers both static
and mobile of the alarm activation. These have the
advantage of immediate notification without
incurring ongoing charges for central station
monitoring.
What
are all the
different types of detectors that are available?
Movement Detectors - to detect the
burglar moving through the house
- Door and Window Magnetic Contacts
- to detect the opening of doors and windows. These are hard-wired or wireless radio-link.
- Passive
infrared detector
Monitors movement within the property by
means of infrared.
Advantages:
Cost effective
Disadvantages:
Does not tolerate large areas or
large temperature changes.
- Passive
infrared pet immune detector
by means of either lens masking or
electronic circuitry the PIR is made to
ignore animals under a certain weight while
still monitoring the area.
Advantages:
Easy solution for combining pets and
security.
Disadvantages:
As normal PIR disadvantages + great
care is needed to install properly.
- Passive
infrared quad detector
Passive infrared detectors are normally dual
element meaning that both infrared elements
need to be triggered before sending a signal
to the control panel. A quad detector had
two dual elements that all have to be
triggered before sending a signal to the
control panel giving a greater immunity to
false alarms.
Advantages:
Mid range price
Disadvantages:
Tolerant of larger areas, greater
tolerance of temperature changes.
- Dual Technology detector
A PIR detector & microwave detector
combined, has all the features of a normal
detector with the addition of microwave
detection which is not affected by
temperature which makes them very effective
for use in situations where there are large
temperature fluctuations like
conservatories. Also the microwave must be
set correctly as it can monitor through
walls.
Advantages:
The best combination is not
triggered by temperature changes,
very reliable.
-
Glass break detectors
Detect the braking of all standard glass
types and thickness whilst ignoring
non-framed glass and other possible sources
of false alarms.
Advantages:
Easy install (with care) they can
monitor a whole area of windows.
- Vibration detectors
Detects the vibration of either a window
being smashed or a opening being forced,
again these detectors need careful
installation to ensure correct operation.
- Magnetic contacts
The magnetic contact is used to monitor door
and window openings. They work well as a
device that initiates the entry timer of the
alarm when entering a property.
Advantages:
Price and reliability.
Disadvantages:
Easy to install but it can be
difficult/unsightly to run cables to
them.
Can
alarms cope with pets?
- Yes, alarms now have pet
immune sensors. Our
Surveyors will
advise the best way of doing this when we assess your property.
Can
alarm systems include panic buttons?
- Yes, they can include fixed
or
portable panic buttons, which are invaluable if there is an intruder
in
the house
Can
I set the alarm at night?
- Yes, and we always advise
you do. We
can program the system
to include only those areas of the premises that you want
protected and exclude others for the 'night' setting. It is more
disturbing to be burgled when you are asleep that when you are
out of the house!
What
is a user code ?
- A user code is a individual
PIN (personal identification number) allocated to the alarm system.
this is primarily used to arm and disarm the alarm system. Certain user
codes can be of a higher importance, thus the alarm system allows
certain user codes to have the ability to carry other system
procedures
i.e. changing codes, omitting zones, arming different areas. Most
systems offer the facility to program more than one user code.
What
is my user code ?
- What is my user code is a
very
common question asked by customers. For obvious security reasons we
will
not keep user codes on file. In general if a user code is lost it may
be
changed by the master user code (providing you know the master user
code). However if the master code is lost this will normally result in
a
total system re-program. User codes cannot be changed on the system by
the engineer access code. However in some circumstances when the
system
is downloadable with our specialist download computer we are able to
change codes, providing the system can be dialled into direct.
What
is an event log ?
- The event log is the memory
in
the alarm system. The event log records the activity within the alarm
system. Most event logs will record intruder activation's, system
faults, arming & disarming by user code and the time and date of
the
event. A typical event log will record in excess of 200 events, with
the
exception of some simple domestic control panels.
What is
Chime ?
- Chime is a facility that can
be assigned to certain zones. On selecting the chime mode to enable
the
control panel will emit a sound (bleep or door bell chime) when the
chime circuit detects. This function is normally programmed to the
main
entrance door. Not all control panel support this function
Will
my alarm work in a power
cut ?
-
In general most alarms will
work in the event of a power failure. All PSTV alarm control panels
incorporate a standby battery which will power the system in the event
of a mains electricity failure. The industry standard is for the
battery
to power the system for a min of 8 hours. If the system is armed and
there is a power failure the standby battery will hold the alarm in
its
current status until the power is restored or a activation is
detected.
Some commercial systems will not allow the system to be armed in the
event of a mains electricity failure.
Why
does my external sounder
ring in a power cut ?
- The reasons for the external
sounder ringing in the event of a power failure normally indicates a
faulty main control panel standby battery. replacing the battery will
normally resolve this situation. However the external sounder does
also
incorporate a small standby battery which enables the unit to sound,
therefore providing the control panel battery is OK this normally
indicates a problem with the voltage sensing circuits on the main
control panel.
What
happened if my alarm goes off?
- The alarm will ring for a
pre-programmed length of time
before silencing and re-alarming itself. All you need to do is
enter the code to stop it.
How
will I know if my alarm has gone off whilst I've
been away?
- When you return an external
strobe light will be flashing on
the box to warn you that there may potentially be danger in the
house. Also, the keypad will bleep differently to normal when
you open the door.
What
happens if my neighbours just ignore my alarm?
- We can link your alarm to
your telephone line so that it
calls your mobile, your office, your relatives, or a central
monitoring station. That means someone is always alerted if
there is a problem
Do I
need key holders ?
- By law you are not required
to
have key holders on audible only systems but you must have a minimum
of two keyholders on communicated / monitored alarms. Common sense
indicated it
is a good idea to have keyholders on any system. In order for the
system
to qualify for police response the keyholders will be required to live
less than 20 minutes from the premises. If this criteria is not met
the
Police reserve the right to not issue your premises with a Unique
Reference Number.
Why
does my alarm need an
engineer reset ?
- Engineer resets can be
caused
by several things. Primarily on monitored systems the engineer reset
is
required after an activate as per the current Police ACPO policy. The
reasoning behind this is that if a communicated alarm that has
activated
for no reason can be re-armed after an activation there is a chance
that
another false call will be passed to the Police thus wasting
resources.
Therefore an engineer is required to test and check the system. In
addition engineer resets can be required if the system develops a
fault,
tamper or has been damaged.
What
is remote reset ?
- Remote reset is a facility
that is available on most monitored systems. The remote reset enable
the
customer to reset the alarm after an activation without the attendance
of an engineer. Remote resets will only be given by the engineer if
the
reason for the alarm condition is known. When a system requires a
remote
reset a series of numbers will be displayed on the panel, these number
are given to the engineer to obtain the reset code. The reset code is
inputted into the panel to reset the alarm. On each activation the
alarm
produces a different set of numbers. Most recent panels incorporate
the
facility, however some units require software upgrades or a additional
remote reset module to be installed.
What
is the annual maintenance
charge for ?
- Annual maintenance charge is
for the service inspection on the system. Audible system are checked
once per annum. Systems connected to an alarm receiving centre are
serviced a min of two times per annum. This is in line without he
requirement of BS. All charges over and above the annual maintenance
inspections are normally charge unless a fully comprehensive contract
is
in place. The charge also include a fee for the administration of your
account and also allows you to call our 24 hour emergency number for
access to our on call engineer.
How
long is my alarm guaranteed for?
- All our alarms are guaranteed for the first year following
installation – that includes parts and labour charges as a
result of faulty equipment or workmanship. We also offer an
extended warranty if you wish in the form of a Fully
Comprehensive Maintenance Agreement.
How
do I turn my alarm off?
- Whenever you re-enter your
house, your alarm will bleep. Just
enter the code and it will switch off.
How
can I silence my alarm ?
- Silencing your alarm can
only
be achieved by entering a valid user code. There are several reasons
that could prevent a valid code from being accepted. The most common
one
is that the system has been confused by a wrong entry initially, if
this
is the case it is a good idea to clear the keypad in accordance with
the
manufacturers recommendation and start again calmly. Another reason is
that the keypad has locked out, this is common occurrence as most
keypads will lock out for security reasons after detecting incorrect
code presses, the amount of time the keypad locks out and when it will
lock out is depending on the manufacture and type panel. Another
reason
is corrupt system software, which may be caused by power cuts etc .
However in most circumstance we find that unfortunately it is user
error.
Do
I have to change any batteries in a wired system?
- No. All our alarms have
rechargeable batteries. Our engineer
will check these annually as part of the service agreement and
change them when necessary
