What Is the Tamper On My Alarm System For?

A tamper on an alarm system prevents it from being opened without the system owner being informed. Opening a system or a sensor provides access to internal components that could be used to disable the unit. The tamper, like any burglary zone, activates an alarm when opened while the system is armed.

A panel tamper is activated when the cover on an all-in-one system is opened. Wired systems can also monitor for a cover tamper, but in most cases, the tamper switch must be added to the system at the time of installation. Wired systems are usually housed in a metal, attack-proof enclosure with a lock and key. This is why they do not automatically have a built-in cover tamper. All-in-one systems are usually housed in plastic, so they are somewhat more vulnerable to attack. For this reason, every all-in-one system Alarm Grid sells includes a built-in cover tamper.

By opening up the cover, a person could potentially remove the backup battery in an attempt to power down the system. They could also damage other components, such as the receiver for wireless sensors, or the cellular communicator. This is why manufacturers for these systems created tamper alerts to let the user know when the cover of their system has been opened. If the cover is opened while the system is disarmed, a trouble condition will sound and display. These alerts can be sent to the monitoring station, and to the end-user. The user will then need to clear the trouble before they can arm the system.

However, an activated tamper is more serious if it occurs while the system is armed. In this situation, an alarm will immediately occur on the system. This means that an alarm signal will be sent out to the monitoring station and/or the end user, depending upon their monitoring plan. Once the monitoring station receives this signal they will follow the alarm process established for that customer. This usually consists of attempting to call the customer to find out if everything is alright. If contact can't be made, the authorities will then be dispatched.

Overall, cover tampers are one of the most important features on alarm systems. These covers prevent intruders from compromising your system by meddling with internal alarm components. However, end users should also realize that an activated cover tamper is seen as a serious situation for a monitoring station. For that reason, users must always make sure that their system is fully disarmed before ever attempting to open up their alarm panel. Failing to do so could result in a costly and inconvenient false alarm. If you are an Alarm Grid customer, and you'd like to test your system, be sure to follow our guidelines.