With winter in full swing, residents are urged to be prepared for power outages that may occur in future.
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, the alarm will continue to protect the premises during a power outage.
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Stuart Clarkson, managing executive of Fidelity ADT said, “It is essential that residents regularly test their alarm systems to ensure that it is in working order. The only time it may not function correctly is if there is a technical issue, or the battery power is low.
“Most modern alarm systems have a backup battery pack that activates automatically when there is a power failure.”
There are a number of practical steps that can be taken to ensure security is not compromised during load-shedding.
Some of these include ensuring that the alarm system has an adequate battery supply, that all automated gates and doors are secured and to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activity to your security provider or the South African Police Service.
With the added inconvenience of the lights going out at night due to power cuts, candles and touch lights are handy alternatives.
Clarkson 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 a 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 – or a maximum of 40 hours – without draining the primary alarm battery.”
Clarkson provided some general tips to keep in mind during load-shedding:
- Batteries should be checked regularly
- Alarms and energisers should be checked during extended power outages to keep systems running
- Power cuts can impact on fire systems and fire control systems so these need to be checked regularly
- The frequent use of gas and candles can increase the risk of fire and extinguishers should be on hand
- Remain vigilant during a power cut; be on the lookout for suspicious activity and report this to police immediately.
