Vivint — User Guide
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Security System Limitations
IMPORTANT N OTICE
This security system cannot offer guaranteed protection against burglary, fire, or other emergencies. Any alarm
system, whether commercial or residential, is subject to compromise or failure to warn for a variety of reasons.
For example:
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Intruders may gain access through unprotected openings or have the technical sophistication to bypass
an alarm sensor or disconnect an alarm warning device.
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Intrusion detectors (sensors) do not work without power. Battery operated devices do not work without bat-
teries, with dead batteries, or if the batteries are not put in properly. Devices powered solely by AC do not
work if their AC power supply is cut off for any reason, however briefly.
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Signals sent by wireless sensors may be blocked or reflected by metal before they reach the alarm Con-
trol Panel, even if the signal path has been recently checked during a weekly test. Blockage can occur if
a metal object has been moved into the sensor’s signal path.
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A user may not be able to reach a panic or emergency button quickly enough.
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Telephone lines needed to transmit alarm signals from a premises to a Central Station may be out of ser-
vice or temporarily out of service. Telephone lines are also subject to compromise by sophisticated
intruders.
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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, author-
ities may not respond appropriately.
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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 sound 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 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 or awaken deep sleepers.
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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 where smoke cannot reach the
detectors, such as in chimneys, in walls, or roofs, or on the other side of closed doors. 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. Moreover, smoke detect-
ors 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 cir-
cuits, children playing with matches, or arson. Depending upon the nature of the fire and/or the locations
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.
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This equipment, like other electrical devices, is subject to component failure. Even though this equipment
is designed to last as long as ten 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 main-
tenance. This alarm system should be tested weekly to make sure the sensors are working properly.
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