Ongoing maintenance

When you have had your security system for quite some time there are things you can do to lengthen the life of the system:

When you ignore maintenance it is like not changing the oil in your car, that can lead to more serious issues.

Change the main batteries every 3 to 5 years and record the date on the batteries.
Clean the sensors by removing any dirt or cobwebs on the outside and if you have smoke detectors clean them according to the manufactures recommendations which often can be blowing them out with canned air.
Test your system regularly which will tell you if there are any faults or sensors which may have been intentionally or unintentionally bypassed or made non functional.
Call your central station and tell them you will be doing a test, record the order you sent the signals and ask them what order they received them in.
If you have wireless sensors be sure to change those batteries as well.
Change the codes on the system and the passwords on a regular basis and when anyone is let go or leaves.
Do not share codes, do not program in codes with birth years or common codes such as 2468, 6969 or other easy to guess codes.
Check to make sure the magnets have not been compromised with fridge magnets, check the access control system to make sure no one has put paper or cardboard in the door jams or put a coin on the magnetic locks.
Inspect all contacts and sensors for wear and if there are issues with any damaged points have them fixed as soon as possible.
When you follow these simple steps your system will serve you much better than if you don’t.
If you have a very old system consider doing an upgrade so you can arm and disarm the system using your phone. Upgrades such as installing tritech motion detectors can also reduce the chance of false alarms.
When you have a camera system you should clean the domes or lenses with a soft clean cloth taking care not to scratch the lens. Sometimes this will require cleaning inside and outside the dome. Dust and dirt can cause a poor quality picture and issues with the recording.

Call Larry Love at (801) 898 6003 Larry.Love@JCI.com Johnson Controls Fire Protection

Ongoing maintenance

When you have had your security system for quite some time there are things you can do to lengthen the life of the system:

Change the main batteries every 3 to 5 years and record the date on the batteries.

Clean the sensors by removing any dirt or cobwebs on the outside and if you have smoke detectors clean them according to the manufactures recommendations which often can be blowing them out with canned air.

Test your system regularly which will tell you if there are any faults or sensors which may have been intentionally or unintentionally bypassed or made non functional.

Call your central station and tell them you will be doing a test, record the order you sent the signals and ask them what order they received them in.

If you have wireless sensors be sure to change those batteries as well.

Change the codes on the system and the passwords on a regular basis and when anyone is let go or leaves.

Do not share codes, do not program in codes with birth years or common codes such as 2468, 6969 or other easy to guess codes.

Check to make sure the magnets have not been compromised with fridge magnets, check the access control system to make sure no one has put paper or cardboard in the door jams or put a coin on the magnetic locks.

Inspect all contacts and sensors for wear and if there are issues with any damaged points have them fixed as soon as possible.

When you follow these simple steps your system will serve you much better than if you don’t.

If you have a very old system consider doing an upgrade so you can arm and disarm the system using your phone. Upgrades such as installing tritech motion detectors can also reduce the chance of false alarms.

When you have a camera system you should clean the domes or lenses with a soft clean cloth taking care not to scratch the lens. Sometimes this will require cleaning inside and outside the dome. Dust and dirt can cause a poor quality picture and issues with the recording.