How to Stop Too Many Alerts From Your Scout Alarm System
While it's reassuring to know your Scout alarm is working, a constant stream of notifications for everyday activities can be overwhelming. This 'alert fatigue' can cause you to start ignoring notifications, potentially leading you to miss a genuinely important security event. The solution is to tailor your Scout system's settings so that it only alerts you about the things you truly care about at any given time.
This guide will show you how to use Scout's powerful 'Modes' and custom notification settings to filter out the noise and take back control of your alerts.
## Understanding Scout's Notification System
The power of the Scout system lies in its customisability. You are not stuck with a single set of rules. The system's behaviour, including which notifications are sent, can be changed based on the 'Mode' it is in.
The key is to set up different rules for when you are:
- Away: You likely want to be notified about everything.
- Home: You only want to be notified about specific, non-routine events.
- Sleep: You want most things to be monitored, but perhaps with silent alerts for non-critical events.
## Your Step-by-Step Guide to Fewer, Smarter Alerts
Let's dive into the Scout app and get your settings optimised.
### 1. Customise Your Modes
The first and most important step is to define what each mode means for you and your notifications.
- Open the Scout app and navigate to the Settings menu.
- Select the Mode you want to edit. Let's start with the 'Home' Mode, as this is where most unwanted alerts occur.
- Tap on 'Notifications' within the settings for that mode.
- You will see a list of possible triggers, such as 'Door Panel Opened', 'Access Sensor Opened', etc.
- Untick the boxes for any routine events you do not need to be notified about when you are at home. For example, you probably don't need a push notification every time your family opens the back door during the day.
- Repeat this process for other modes like 'Sleep'. You might want to be alerted if a door opens at night, so you would leave that notification enabled in Sleep Mode.
Pro Tip: Think carefully about what constitutes a 'normal' event versus a 'suspicious' event in each mode. The goal is to only be alerted to suspicious events.
### 2. Fine-Tune Sensor-Specific Settings
You can also drill down and set specific rules for individual sensors, giving you even more granular control.
- Identify 'Noisy' Sensors: Is there a particular door or window that is used frequently and floods your activity feed?
- Adjust Individual Notifications: In the settings for that specific sensor, you can often adjust its notification behaviour independently of the global mode settings. You might decide you never need a notification from an indoor closet sensor, for example.
### 3. Utilise Different Notification Types
Remember that Scout can provide different types of notifications. In the settings, you can often choose between:
- Push Notifications: The pop-up alerts on your phone. These should be reserved for important events.
- Email Notifications: These are less intrusive and can be useful for a daily summary or less critical logs.
- Activity Feed: All events are logged in the app's activity feed. You can always check this feed for a full history without needing a push notification for every single event.
By customising what triggers a push notification versus what is simply logged in the activity feed, you can dramatically reduce interruptions.
By investing a few minutes in customising these settings, you can transform your relationship with your Scout alarm. It will become a quieter, more intelligent partner in your home security, only demanding your attention when it's absolutely necessary.