PSA: I just found out my whole way of testing glass break sensors was useless

For the past 8 months, I've been using a key fob jingle to test them because the old guy who trained me said it worked. Did a job in Tempe last Tuesday where the homeowner's cat knocked a metal bowl off the counter and the alarm didn't go off. Turns out the frequency of that jingle is way off from actual breaking glass. I've probably installed over 50 sensors that wouldn't have caught a real break-in. What's the right tool to use for a proper test, a specific tone generator?

3 comments

3 Comments

noahw532mo agoMost Upvoted

Man... but how often does glass actually break? Seems like a pretty rare thing to test for.

stellag212mo ago

Ever notice how we only think about stuff like that when it's too late? Like @noahw53 said, glass breaking feels rare, but I bet we all have that one cabinet door or picture frame that's been wobbly for years. It's the same with checking smoke alarm batteries, you know? What's the one thing in your place you're kinda ignoring right now?

wadeyoung1mo ago

Ha! Tell me about it. I've got a ceiling fan that's been making this weird clicking sound for like, two years now. Every summer I turn it on and just stand there, waiting for it to finally fly off and take out my TV. And the smoke alarm? I just sort of hope it never goes off, because I know the battery is probably dead. It's like playing life on hard mode for no reason.