Q. Why is my keypad beeping / service light flashing?

A. Your alarm is letting you know it has a problem. Usually there is a Service, Trouble (TBL), Fault (!), or other system indicator showing that there is a problem. You will need to acknowledge the fault for the beeping to stop. Look in the troubleshooting / fault finding section of your user manual. If you don’t have a user manual click here and see if you can see your alarm keypad and download the manual.

PLEASE NOTE: when in fault diagnosis mode, the zone indicators DO NOT indicate a fault with the actual zone, you must use the fault table in your user manual to identify the fault. For example, a 1 may indicate a low battery, not the actual zone. The fault will of course need to be rectified so that the keypad doesn’t start beeping again.

Q. What is it that is making the beeping noise?

A. We often get calls for beeping which is coming from a smoke detector with a low battery. Because these beeps are a high frequency, they are not directional, so you will think that whatever it is that you are looking at when you hear the beep is actually causing it. Please change your smoke detector batteries, and make sure there are no detectors put away in cupboards etc which have started to beep, it may save you a callout fee.

Q. Can I use my alarm if there is a faulty detector?

A. Yes. By bypassing the faulty zone, you can continue to use the other zones on your alarm. You will need to bypass the faulty zone each time before the system is armed as it will generally un-bypass automatically when the system is disarmed. Look in your user manual under bypassing, isolating or excluding zones.

Q. Why does my alarm go off for no apparent reason, even when it is not armed?

A. Your alarm will have a 24hr zone, such as a panic button, smoke detector of tamper switch which can cause the sirens to sound even if the alarm is not turned on. Firstly identify the zone, maybe it was set off by mistake, if it was a smoke detector, be very sure there is nothing slowing smouldering, if in doubt, contact the fire brigade. The most common cause of this type of alarm is your external siren box tamper switch. These become unstable over time due to exposure to water and contaminants and will need to be replaced. You can bypass the faulty zone until a technician attends to service your alarm.

Q. Why does my smoke detector go off for no apparent reason?

A. There are basically 2 types of smoke detector, although some have both technologies within the one unit.

Ionisation type smoke detectors use an ionisation chamber to detect smoke, these detectors can detect slow smouldering fires or flameless fires, they are the ones that go off when you are making toast.

Photoelectric type smoke detectors detect smoke within a chamber using a photoelectric beam.

If you have the first type and it frequently triggers when you are cooking then you may need to move the detector away from the kitchen area and install a photoelectric type smoke detector.

In any case, contaminants may have built up in the detection chambers and made the detectors unstable. Try vacuuming the detector heads to remove contaminants, if the problem persists, replace the detector.

We recommend installing both types within your home, keeping the ionisation ones clear of the kitchen and bathrooms (steam). As a guide, you should have at least one smoke detector within a few metres of any bedroom door. The better ones can be interconnected so that if one detector is activated, it sounds an alarm on all detectors.

Remember to change batteries every 6 months, even if they are connected to mains power! Better still your alarm can include smoke detectors and be monitored back-to-base for added security and peace of mind. In case you were wondering, when we sleep, so does our sense of smell, that’s why we need smoke detectors to wake us up in time to get out.

Q. Is monitoring necessary?

A. Professional monitoring is compulsory for some businesses / residences due to their insurance risk, and optional to others, but well worth it if you are serious about your security. Around 30% of burglaries occur when the premises are occupied. If you’d like some assistance, then you need monitoring. Neighbours and passers by generally won’t come out to help and if an intruder forces you to turn your alarm system off, then the noise stops and so does the problem for your neighbours, however, with a back-to-base alarm, the police will already be on their way as you would use a secret ambush code to alert the control room of the situation.

Q. Will an alarm system cause false alarms?

A. New technology detectors and equipment mean that environmentally caused false alarms are virtually eliminated. Your alarm warranty covers false alarms and should you have one, we can make adjustments to the system settings.

Q. Can I take my alarm with me when I move?

A. Wireless systems are easily re-located, we have bookshelf type systems which can be taken with you as easily as any other electronic device. Hard wired systems can be moved, but it may be more economical to simply have a new alarm installed at your next place of residence.