False Security Alarms Guide: Causes, Examples, & Solutions 

Your security alarm system is designed to notify you when an emergency occurs. However, false alarms are a serious problem that occurs more often than you might think. False security alarms also lead to serious costs and consequences that can greatly impact your business. 

For those reasons, this blog covers everything you need to know about physical security false alarms. We’ll cover the causes of false alarms, what they can cost your business, and solutions you can implement, and why verified alarm systems are best.

What are false security alarms?

A false security alarm occurs when a security system appears to detect a threat, intrusion, or other suspicious activity when no actual event is taking place.

The alarms may be triggered by user mistakes, environmental conditions, equipment malfunctions, or other non-threatening events. While a single false alarm can be a minor inconvenience, repeated incidents can deteriorate your reputation with law enforcement and lead to serious costs for your business.  

Physical security false alarm examples

There are many cases in which a security alarm is triggered accidentally.

Here are some common false alarm examples:

• An employee opening in the morning enters the incorrect code when disarming the security system.
• A motion detector identifies movement from an animal inside, such as a raccoon, squirrel, bat, or mouse.  
• Aging or malfunctioning sensors signal an alarm due to technical issues.  
• Cleaning crews trip the alarm while cleaning the facility at night.

What is the false alarm rate?

The rate of false alarms in the United States is high, with approximately 98% of alarm calls being false alarms, according to the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP).

In other words, the scale of the false alarm problem is significant. The overwhelming majority of alarm activations that receive a response are ultimately determined to be caused by an error or accident.  

As a result, many cities have implemented false alarm ordinances, permit requirements, and fines to reduce unnecessary alarms. These policies are designed to conserve public safety resources and encourage businesses to improve their alarm accuracy through a verification process.  

Common reasons for false security alarm triggers

False security alarms are triggered by a variety of factors. Understanding the most common causes can help you identify vulnerabilities within your procedures and policies that lead to unnecessary alarm activations.

False security alarms are triggered by any of the following:  

• Human error: People make mistakes, which is why it’s one of the most common causes of false security alarms, such as entering incorrect code or forgetting to disarm the system.
• Animals: Rodents, birds, or even insects can trigger alarm systems or interfere with devices if systems are not properly configured.  
• Weather or environmental factors: Extreme weather, temperature fluctuations, HVAC airflow, humidity, and direct sunlight can sometimes affect sensors and create false alarm events.
• Poorly secured doors or windows: A door or window that isn't fully closed may shift after the system is armed, causing contacts or sensors to activate unnecessarily.
• Faulty or aging equipment: When hardware isn’t maintained properly, it can lead to malfunctions that trip the alarm system.  
• Low batteries: Weak batteries can cause inconsistent communication between sensors and control panels, leading to false alarm activations.
• Poor installation: Improper installation of the sensors or calibrations can cause errors in data, which makes the system susceptible to false alarms.

What is the most common reason for false alarms?

While there is no clear answer, it’s likely that the most common reason for false alarms is human error. Many false alarms are triggered through human mistakes. Not to mention, other causes may be indirectly caused by people, such as improper installation, poorly secured entryways, and a lack of upkeep.

Hidden costs of false security alarms

Many people underestimate the impact false alarms have on their business. With each false alarm, your business incurs a variety of costs, many of which are hidden.

Potential fines

Depending on your area, your municipality may have implemented policies that impose fines for false alarms. This has been a rising trend across metro areas due to the high costs of false-alarm responses by law enforcement.

To combat these costs, cities are implementing false alarm fees alongside registration and permitting requirements for alarm systems. Fines are typically tied to the number of false alarms in a year and increase with each additional false alarm.

Additionally, regulations require businesses to request permission and register their alarm systems with the city before implementation. Some cities require mandatory verification, meaning a monitoring team must verify an emergency is occurring before police are contacted.  

Lost productivity

Depending on the nature of your business, false alarms can impact employee or security personnel productivity. Responding to or stopping operations from a false alarm reduces their motivation and diverts attention from their tasks.

In turn, false alarms can delay your business in delivering the products or services your customers need. That means false alarms can impact your bottom line.  

Wasted resources

When your business responds to a false alarm, it consumes time, labor, and potentially other resources.  Not to mention, it wastes precious time and resources from emergency responders who could be responding to real emergencies elsewhere.  

Increased operating costs

Investigating and managing false alarms increases operating costs through wasted resources from your team. You also likely spend time and money on maintaining the alarm system to reduce false alarms, despite them occurring anyway.

This increased attention on your system will lead to increased costs, affecting your ROI and the business’s growth.  

Impact on your reputation

Frequent false alarms can negatively affect how people perceive your business. Customers, employees, neighboring businesses, and the community at large could negatively affect your business due to frequent false alarms. Repeated incidents create the impression that your business is unreliable, poorly managed, or problematic.

False alarm fatigue

When employees or security teams are repeatedly exposed to false alarms, they may become less responsive to future alarms. This phenomenon, often referred to as alarm fatigue, can make real threats more difficult to identify and address.  

So, when a real emergency occurs, your team and law enforcement could lag behind due to previous false alarms, potentially causing serious harm to your business and people.

Reduced emergency response priority

Due to the high number of false alarm calls, some jurisdictions have adopted stricter dispatch requirements or placed greater priority on verified alarm responses. As a result, unverified alarms may not receive the same level of urgency as verified incidents.

Solutions for preventing false security alarms

Reducing false security alarms requires more than a single solution. It’s best to implement multiple systems and policies to reduce security alarms and save your business from hidden costs.

Here are the most common methods of reducing false security alarms:

• Train employees: Ensure everyone who uses the security system understands how to properly use the alarm system and what procedures to follow when it’s triggered. And regularly train and remind employees to further reduce user-related errors.
• Perform routine maintenance: Regularly inspect sensors, replace batteries, and test equipment to address potential issues before they lead to false alarm activations.
• Secure doors and windows: Verify that all entryways, exits, and windows are fully closed and properly secured before arming the system. Include this as a closing procedure for training new employees.  
• Upgrade aging equipment: Older hardware is more susceptible to malfunctions. Modern security technology can improve reliability and reduce nuisance alarms.
• Use professional installation: Hire a professional to install your system, which helps ensure your security system is correctly installed and works as intended.
• Review alarm activity regularly: Monitor alarm history and recurring incidents to identify any patterns that may be contributing to false alarms.
• Implement alarm verification: Audio verification, video verification, and professional monitoring help determine whether an alarm is caused by a legitimate threat or a false trigger before dispatching emergency responders.
• Use verified alarm technology: Solutions that verify potential intrusions in real time can significantly reduce false alarms while helping ensure resources are focused on genuine security events.

Why verified alarms are the best solution

Verified alarm systems are the best solution to false security alarms because they confirm an emergency is occurring before law enforcement is contacted. Not only does this save your business from the many costs associated with false alarms, but it also typically results in a faster police response.

SONITROL's verified audio and video intrusion detection solutions help businesses distinguish real threats from false alarms in real time. As leaders in our industry, we verify incidents through live monitoring agents before dispatching emergency responders.

Our audio and video verification process helps our team determine what’s happening in real-time. They can listen in on the activity or review security camera footage remotely to see what’s happening. If the alarm was set off by mistake, they’ll reset it. However, if a break-in has occurred or another emergency is underway, they’ll contact authorities immediately.

Learn more about SONITROL’s verified intrusion detection solution by contacting our team today!