Why Time and Date Event Logs Matter for Intruder Alarms & The Real Benefits of Accurate Logs

Time‑stamped event logs are the alarm system’s single most valuable forensic record. They turn a vague alert into a precise timeline of what happened, when it happened, and who responded. For investigations, insurers, engineers and site managers, those timestamps are often the difference between a resolved claim and a dispute.
 
Evidence for investigations 
Precise timestamps let investigators correlate alarm activations with CCTV, access control records and witness statements to pinpoint entry and exit windows.
 
Insurance compliance and claims support 
Insurers expect maintained alarms and service histories. Clear logs strengthen claims and reduce the risk of disputes or repudiation.
Faster, more accurate fault diagnosis
Time‑ordered fault and communication events reveal trends—repeated zone triggers, intermittent comms failures or battery decline—that guide targeted repairs.
False alarm reduction and improved operations 
 Logs expose patterns (zone, user code, time of day) enabling retuning, sensor relocation or user retraining to cut false alarms and ARC penalties.
 
What a Good Log Looks Like
A practical log or service record must be structured and complete. At minimum it should include:
System events: User names, set/unset, alarm activations, zone IDs, tamper, battery and AC loss and any other faults with exact date and time. 
Communications: ARC connection attempts, successful reports, and GSM/IP status with timestamps. 
Maintenance visits: date/time in and out, engineer name, zones tested, remedial work, and replaced parts. 
 
Servicing and Best Practice
Schedule: annual servicing as a minimum; bi-annual Grade 2 +. Certified engineers should follow manufacturer checklists. 
After any activation or fault: log the event, inspect affected devices, complete remedial work, and record follow‑up. 
Log keeping maintain a local physical or secure digital logbook at the premises and use a standard template for consistency. 
Retention: retain logs long enough to meet insurer and contractual needs—commonly 2–6 years for commercial sites—and ensure archives are retrievable for investigations.
 
Practical Checklist You Can Action Today
Confirm every event includes date and time and that system clocks are synchronised to an authoritative source. 

Verify the ARC receives and archives event reports and confirm their retention policy. 
Start or update a local logbook using a consistent template: date/time | event | person | action | signature
Book certified servicing now if it’s overdue and record the visit immediately. 
If false alarms recur, review logs to identify patterns and adjust sensors, programming or user training accordingly.

Maintained time‑and‑date event logs and regular servicing make an intruder alarm reliable, defendable in insurance claims and useful in investigations. They reduce false alarms, speed diagnosis and provide an auditable trail of engineer visits, police attendances and user training.
Treat your alarm’s logs as a core part of site security, not an optional extra. A well‑kept timeline saves time, money and headaches when it matters most.
 
Events Logs are not just for Intruder Alarm systems any security or safety system. Electronic or physical can have an Event Log manual(paper) or automated (software)
Maintained time-and-date event logs and regular servicing ensure your intruder alarm is reliable, defensible in insurance claims, and forensic in investigations. They reduce false alarms, speed fault diagnosis, and provide an auditable trail of engineer visits, guard attendances and user training.
 

Preventative Maintenance Services
Do you want to reach for that panic button, and nothing happens because your system was not serviced and does not work correctly?
Designed to prevent downtime and ensure the longevity of your system.

What is serviced – measurements of resistance and voltage, current, signal strength and a visual inspection of the system.
Operational checks of the detectors, sounders and communications.
 
Elite Security Systems carry out a 20+ point preventative servicing regime.
We are prepared for our clients needs holding stock for routine services, and quite often do not need a repeat visit for replacement part if required.

Amongst the equipment that is serviced is your back up battery of which should power the system for a minimum of 12 hours in the event of a mains failure.
Batteries = Sealed Lead Acid, Lithium, Alkaline.
These will leak eventually corroding the area around it. A faulty panel battery can also have an adverse effect on the system making it look as if its working but it’s not. Or just pull down the system causing a medley of symptoms, or completely causing failure of the main control panel and causing the external sounder to operate.
 
Servicing of CCTV, Access control, Fire Alarms, Gate & Door Automation are equally as essential. Systems are working 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.