To secure your home and maximize the use of your security system, it’s essential to prevent false alarms. Learn how to do that here.

Table of Contents

  1. Introduction
  2. What Is a False Alarm?
  3. Why False Alarms Matter
  4. Common Causes of False Alarms
  5. How to Prevent False Alarms
  6. Training Family and Visitors
  7. System Maintenance and Testing
  8. How Cunningham Security Helps Prevent False Alarms
  9. Legal and Financial Consequences in Maine
  10. Final Thoughts

1. Introduction

False alarms are more than just an annoyance—they can result in fines, wasted emergency resources, and a sense of complacency. For homeowners in your community, where local response times can vary, false alarms can also lead to real safety concerns.

2. What Is a False Alarm?

A false alarm occurs when your security system triggers an alert or dispatches emergency services when no threat is present. This could be due to user error, equipment malfunction, or environmental causes. Many false alarms are also caused by pets.

3. Why False Alarms Matter

  • Emergency Services Strain: Police or fire departments may waste resources responding to non-events.
  • Fines: Many Maine towns impose fines for repeated false alarms.
  • User Complacency: Too many false alarms can make users ignore real ones.

4. Common Causes of False Alarms

  • Incorrect keypad code entries
  • Pets triggering motion sensors
  • Faulty door/window sensors
  • Dead or low batteries
  • Loose wires or poor installation
  • Environmental issues like drafts or insects
  • Magnets on door and window contacts becoming loose and breaking the connection with the sensor.

5. How to Prevent False Alarms

1. Use a Delay for Entry/Exit

Give yourself time to disarm the system without panic.

2. Choose Pet-Friendly Sensors

These ignore movement from animals under a certain weight.

3. Secure Doors and Windows Properly

Ensure that frames are tight and sensors are aligned with the magnets.

4. Replace Batteries Regularly

Set calendar reminders every 6–12 months.

5. Use Professional Installation

Improper setup is a leading cause of false alarms.

6. Training Family and Visitors

Make sure:

  • Everyone knows the correct entry code
  • Emergency contacts are updated
  • Guests or house sitters are instructed before you’re away

Create a small instruction card to keep by the panel.

7. System Maintenance and Testing

  • Test your system monthly
  • Schedule yearly professional inspections
  • Check for cobwebs or dust in sensors

Cunningham Security offers maintenance plans to keep your system in top shape.

8. How Cunningham Security Helps Prevent False Alarms

  • Custom system design to reduce error-prone components
  • Pet-immune sensors and advanced motion detectors
  • Professional monitoring can verify events before dispatch
  • Smartphone alerts allow you to cancel false alarms quickly

Some Maine municipalities issue warnings or fines after multiple false alarms. Example:

  • Portland: Fine starts at $50 for the third false alarm
  • Bangor: Up to $200 per incident after a threshold

Avoid these by maintaining your system and using professional support.

10. Final Thoughts

False alarms are preventable with proper setup, training, and maintenance. A reliable system from Cunningham Security can significantly reduce your risk. Reach out to us today for an audit of your current setup or a custom solution designed to eliminate false alarms for good.