Alarm System Power Cut or Internet Loss: How Does it Work?

Maslow's hierarchy of needs shows that our safety needs are one of our main priorities. Home alarm systems are therefore highly popular, and it can be difficult to choose between the plethora of options on the market. To help you decide, would you like to know how your alarm will react if there is a power cut or if your Wi-Fi stops working? Here is some information that could help.

What happens to my alarm system if there is a power cut?

There are many types of alarms on the market, including wireless and wired alarms. The latter are less common these days and are most often installed by professionals. Wired alarms require cables that connect all the system components.

As a result, the most popular alarms nowadays are wireless alarms, which are easier to set up. The various components communicate via radio transmission, and only the alarm control panel is connected to the power supply (some alarms run on a battery, but this is rare).

When the power supply is turned off, the alarm may simply stop working. In such cases, the sirens will no longer react and you won't be informed if someone breaks into your home. If the alarm system is equipped with a backup battery, however, it will continue to operate. This means that battery life will make all the difference.

Depending on your lifestyle and habits (frequent long trips, working from home or returning home every day, for example), you will be more or less able to get home quickly and figure out what has caused the malfunction. As such, you should decide what type of battery life best suits your needs. Some systems will run on the battery for a few hours, others for a few days, and others still for a few weeks or even months.

Will my smart alarm system keep working if the internet goes down?

Power cuts often mean that the internet goes down too, which directly affects smart alarms that use Wi-Fi to channel information. If the internet connection is lost, all communication comes to a grinding halt.

Once again, several scenarios are possible:

Your product has a battery (and will continue to detect movement and the sirens will work), but you will no longer receive notifications on your smartphone if someone breaks in (because notifications are sent via the internet).
Your product has an emergency network, either included or available as an extra (through a monthly subscription, for example). In such cases, the emergency network will ensure the internet connection, which means that you will receive notifications remotely. There are different types of network but the most popular one is GSM (4G or 5G). You must make sure that your home is covered by these different networks. Homes in isolated locations may not be eligible.

What does Somfy offer?

At Somfy, alarms are designed to make you feel as safe as possible, even if there is a power cut. We offer two options, one of which is bound to include an alarm that could meet your needs.

Home Alarm: a complete smart alarm package to secure your home. Or discover the Somfy One+: our smart security camera and plug & play all-in-one alarm system. Both have 6 hours of battery life and free service of:

•    Taking photos during live streaming
•    Push message if something is amiss
•    Push message to all users if something is amiss
•    30-second video clip if movement is detected
•    Download 30 seconds of images free of charge
•    Recorded images are valid for 7 days
•    Free upload to Dropbox, Google Drive or OneDrive
•    Extra services

For just £4.49 per month you get 24/7 video recording as soon as it’s activated (download up to 10 minutes).

Have a look at our alarm systems online, read our dedicated buying guide or visit the Somfy shop to find out more.