Why does my house alarm keep going off?
A house alarm that keeps going off on its own is usually reporting a fault: a failing battery in the control panel or bell box, a detector set off by insects, pets or moving air, or a door or window contact that is loose or not closing properly. The keypad or app normally shows which zone triggered, and that points to the cause.
What are the most common causes?
Batteries come first. The control panel and the external bell box each have a backup battery, and as a battery ages it can cause fault warnings, beeping or unexpected activations, especially after a power cut, when the system is running on battery alone.
Detectors come next. Movement sensors react to changes in heat and movement, so a spider on the lens, a pet, a curtain moving over a radiator or a balloon drifting in a draught can set one off. Door and window contacts cause the rest: if a door has dropped on its hinges or a window is left unlatched, the contact can separate and register as an opening. Older wired systems can also develop wiring or tamper faults.
What can I safely check myself?
Start with the keypad or app, which usually shows which zone or device triggered the alarm. Check that the doors and windows on that zone are shut and latched, and look for anything that moves or changes temperature in view of the detector: pets, curtains, heaters, balloons or insects. Gently clear cobwebs from around the detector without opening it.
Leave the control panel and the bell box closed. Both are usually tamper-protected, so opening them can set the alarm off again. If you cannot silence the alarm with your code, call an engineer rather than forcing anything.
When should I call an alarm engineer?
Call when the alarm goes off more than once without a clear reason, when the keypad shows a battery, tamper or fault message, or when you cannot silence it. A persistent fault rarely clears itself, and an alarm that keeps sounding for nothing is one the neighbours stop listening to.
Locks & Alarms Ltd services systems it fitted and existing systems, with battery replacement a routine part of the service. After a service visit in DA17, a Checkatrade reviewer wrote: "My alarm is now back working". Call 01322 436084 or book a free quote to arrange a visit.
Related service: Burglar Alarms