Load shedding has become a norm in the lives of many South Africans.
With this in mind, ADT has urged residents to be cognisant and prepared for power outages.
“Many people are under the incorrect assumption that their home alarm system is deactivated when the power supply is interrupted.
“However, if you have a stable and correctly programmed system coupled with a battery that is in good condition, it will continue to protect the premises during a power outage,” said Theunis Kotze, ADT general manager for the inland region.
It is essential that residents regularly test their alarm systems to ensure they are in working order.
The only time the alarm may not function correctly is if there is a technical issue, or the battery power is low.
“Most modern alarm systems have a back-up battery pack that activates automatically when there is a power failure,” he said.
There are a number of practical steps that can be taken to ensure security is not compromised during load shedding.
These include ensuring the alarm system has an adequate battery supply, that all automated gates and doors are secured, and remain vigilant and report any suspicious activity to your security provider or the SAPS.
“With the added inconvenience of the lights going out at night due to power cuts, candles and touch-lights are handy alternatives,” Kotze said.
“Home and business owners should consider installing Light Emitting Diode (LED) technology, which is integrated into the alarm system’s wiring and automatically switches on for a maximum of 15 minutes when there is power outage.
“If there is an additional battery pack, the small, non-intrusive LED lights can stay on for the duration of the power outage,” he concluded.
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