It would be naive to believe that a security system can last forever.  Although the lifetime of a system may vary among products, a general industry-accepted lifespan is between five and seven years. This, however, should never be taken as a strict rule.

A battery performing under heavy loads or subjected to continuous power cuts may only have a short lifespan. Batteries or control panels installed in extreme heat or extreme cold areas may also have a reduced lifespan. Detectors and control panels that do not have their cable entry points sealed may allow insects to enter the device. Insect excretion corrodes and damages printed circuit boards and components. 

Did you know that a pyroelectric sensor within a passive infrared detector starts degrading after about two years? This does not mean that the detector stops working, but the detector may slowly become either more sensitive as it gets older, or less sensitive, and may be prone to false alarms, intermittent activations or non-activations.

Another example of a reduced lifetime is a system that is installed in an area that is prone to frequent lightning strikes in the summer months. Constant exposure to static electricity caused by lightning can weaken the electronic components in a device, eventually leading to component failure.

Ask your installation company to do regular checks on your system and advise you when components start to show signs of ageing. Better still, consider taking out a maintenance agreement with your installation company.

By having your system checked and maintained regularly you can avoid the effects of sudden device failure.