What Is The Life Expectancy Of An Alarm System?

[Terry]

Hi all

This may seem a weird question, since if the system works why replace it?

But my point is, when would a system becomes possible to defeat by an intruder and move from the professional category to the DIY category? Also, is there a point in time in the system life when it becomes unstable and starts giving the end user problems, that it becomes infeasible to maintain and should ideally be replaced?

would it be 10years 15years..

[A-G]

Alarms don't have a definite life expectancy..... but the effectiveness and reliability should be reviewed periodically to see if component parts need to be replaced, upgraded, added to, Etc. not just because they get old, but also because new technology becomes available.

... I would expect all good alarms to last at least 5 years, probably 10, possibly 15.

[magpye]

... I would expect all good alarms to last at least 5 years, probably 10, possibly 15.

I've seen them 20/25yrs, although the panel has been changed twice & the bell three times, can't remember how many new door contacts & PIRs though

[Monty]

All good alarm systems (equipment and Quality of install ) should give you 10 years or more BUT you have to be able to get spairs most manufacturers when with drawing a product will still Carrier spairs for 3 or so years good Maintenance long life.

[Adi]

I've seen them 20/25yrs, although the panel has been changed twice & the bell three times, can't remember how many new door contacts & PIRs though

Just like triggers brush, he had gods knows how many years but it had new heads and handles.

[lawandorder]

I've seen them 20/25yrs, although the panel has been changed twice & the bell three times, can't remember how many new door contacts & PIRs though

Sounds like Trigger's broom in Only Fools And Horses! I've had this broom for 30 years, it's had 25 new shafts and 30 new heads but It's still the same broom.

To be honest as others have said a good quality system installed to a high standard and maintained properly should give years of service.

Bear in mind that a large part of the cost of a hard wired system is the labour and once the cable is in it should last pretty much indefinitely, also cable is pretty much universal so in future if anything goes wrong or needs upgrading it's a fairly inexpensive job.

[hpotter]

There is also a case to be made for known faults in a system. Over time they are found out and on cheaper systems arnt rectified just left waiting for system upgrade.

[luggsey]

Alarms don't have a definite life expectancy..... but the effectiveness and reliability should be reviewed periodically to see if component parts need to be replaced, upgraded, added to, Etc. not just because they get old, but also because new technology becomes available.

... I would expect all good alarms to last at least 5 years, probably 10, possibly 15.

Or 20+ if it's a Scantronic!

[lawandorder]

All good alarm systems (equipment and Quality of install ) should give you 10 years or more BUT you have to be able to get spairs most manufacturers when with drawing a product will still Carrier spairs for 3 or so years good Maintenance long life.

I agree and it is one of the reasons I prefer hard wired to wire free, you can fit pretty much any PIR or door contact to a hard wired system but not always the case with wire free systems.

[A-G]

Or 20+ if it's a Scantronic!

Ah, but you're talking about equipment fitted 20 years ago .... and we now know what has lasted.

The OP & I are talking about new stuff fitted now.