Guardian Technologies Ademco VISTA-40 - Manual (Page 112)

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WARNING!
THE LIMITATIONS OF THIS ALARM SYSTEM
While this System is an advanced wireless security system, it does not offer guaranteed protection against
burglary, fire or other emergency. Any alarm system, whether commercial or residential, is subject to
compromise or failure to warn for a variety of reasons. For example:
¥ Intruders may gain access through unprotected openings or have the technical sophistication to bypass an
alarm sensor or disconnect an alarm warning device.
¥ Intrusion detectors (e.g., passive infrared detectors), smoke detectors, and many other sensing devices will
not work without power. Battery-operated devices will not work without batteries, with dead batteries, or if the
batteries are not put in properly. Devices powered solely by AC will not work if their AC power supply is cut off
for any reason, however briefly.
¥ Signals sent by wireless transmitters may be blocked or reflected by metal before they reach the alarm
receiver. Even if the signal path has been recently checked during a weekly test, blockage can occur if a
metal object is moved into the path.
¥ A user may not be able to reach a panic or emergency button quickly enough.
¥ While smoke detectors have played a key role in reducing residential fire deaths in the United States, they
may not activate or provide early warning for a variety of reasons in as many as 35% of all fires, according to
data published by the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Some of the reasons smoke detectors used
in conjunction with this System may not work are as follows. Smoke detectors may have been improperly
installed and positioned. Smoke detectors may not sense fires that start where smoke cannot reach the
detectors, such as in chimneys, in walls, or roofs, or on the other side of closed doors. Smoke detectors also
may not sense a fire on another level of a residence or building. A second floor detector, for example, may not
sense a first floor or basement fire. Finally, smoke detectors have sensing limitations. No smoke detector can
sense every kind of fire every time. In general, detectors may not always warn about fires caused by
carelessness and safety hazards like smoking in bed, violent explosions, escaping gas, improper storage of
flammable materials, overloaded electrical circuits, children playing with matches, or arson. Depending on the
nature of the fire and/or location of the smoke detectors, the detector, even if it operates as anticipated, may
not provide sufficient warning to allow all occupants to escape in time to prevent injury or death.
¥ Passive Infrared Motion Detectors can only detect intrusion within the designed ranges as diagrammed in their
installation manual. Passive Infrared Detectors do not provide volumetric area protection. They do create
multiple beams of protection, and intrusion can only be detected in unobstructed areas covered by those
beams. They cannot detect motion or intrusion that takes place behind walls, ceilings, floors, closed doors,
glass partitions, glass doors, or windows. Mechanical tampering, masking, painting or spraying of any
material on the mirrors, windows or any part of the optical system can reduce their detection ability. Passive
Infrared Detectors sense changes in temperature; however, as the ambient temperature of the protected area
approaches the temperature range of 90
° to 105°F (32° to 40°C), the detection performance can decrease.
¥ Alarm warning devices such as sirens, bells or horns may not alert people or wake up sleepers if they are
located on the other side of closed or partly open doors. If warning devices are located on a different level of
the residence from the bedrooms, then they are less likely to waken or alert people inside the bedrooms. Even
persons who are awake may not hear the warning if the alarm is muffled by noise from a stereo, radio, air
conditioner or other appliance, or by passing traffic. Finally, alarm warning devices, however loud, may not
warn hearing-impaired people.
¥ Telephone lines needed to transmit alarm signals from a premises to a central monitoring station may be out of
service or temporarily out of service. Telephone lines are also subject to compromise by sophisticated
intruders.
¥ Even if the system responds to the emergency as intended, however, occupants may have insufficient time to
protect themselves from the emergency situation. In the case of a monitored alarm system, authorities may
not respond appropriately.
¥ This equipment, like other electrical devices, is subject to component failure. Even though this equipment is
designed to last as long as 20 years, the electronic components could fail at any time.
The most common cause of an alarm system not functioning when an intrusion or fire occurs is inadequate
maintenance. This alarm system should be tested weekly to make sure all sensors and transmitters are working
properly. The security keypad (and remote keypad) should be tested as well.
Wireless transmitters (used in some systems) are designed to provide long battery life under normal operating
conditions. Longevity of batteries may be as much as 4 to 7 years, depending on the environment, usage, and
the specific wireless device being used. External factors such as humidity, high or low temperatures, as well as
large swings in temperature, may all reduce the actual battery life in a given installation. This wireless system,
however, can identify a true low battery situation, thus allowing time to arrange a change of battery to maintain
protection for that given point within the system.
Installing an alarm system may make the owner eligible for a lower insurance rate, but an alarm system is not a
substitute for insurance. Homeowners, property owners and renters should continue to act prudently in
protecting themselves and continue to insure their lives and property.
We continue to develop new and improved protection devices. Users of alarm systems owe it to themselves and
their loved ones to learn about these developments.