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System glitches and false alarms can be aggravating, and even worse, might prevent your security system from working how it should. Luckily, most troubles, from dead batteries to false alarms, are straightforward to fix. Explore our suggestions for troubleshooting your home alarm system in Seattle. We’ll help you keep your household shielded and your system operating as it should.

Test Your Home Security System In Seattle

One of the most effective ways to troubleshoot your property’s defense is to test it yourself! Newer systems have a test mode so you don’t mistakenly initiate an emergency call. Once in test mode, take these steps:

• Arm your system as you typically would when heading out.
• Open a window or door that uses a contact sensor, or test other sensors. Shut the door or window once you’re finished so it doesn’t trip the alarm as you switch the system back on.
• Permit the alarm to go off for 60 seconds to ensure communications with the security provider and to produce an entry in the alarm activity log.
• Proceed to test sensors as you wish
• Inspect the systems’s activity log to validate that everything’s working.

Don’t worry, monitoring specialists will know that your system is undergoing a test. Just make sure to switch out of test mode when complete. It’s wise to test every other month or whenever you make changes to your home’s internet or phone service.

Inspect The Positioning And State Of Motion Detectors

Although an crucial aspect of your alarm system, motion sensors are notorious for false alarms. You can help prevent them with some basic troubleshooting.

• Perform a physical inspection. Is there anything that could shift within the sensor’s detection area, like a curtain caught in a breeze?
• Is the sensor clean? Dirt, cobwebs, and debris can cause issues. Ensure the sensor is clean.
• Does the motion detector come with pet immunity you can enable? Some can be programmed to ignore pets weighing up to 100 pounds.
• When was the battery last replaced? Low batteries can affect performance or result in false alarms.
• Is a heat source affecting the sensor? Excess heat from direct sun or a fireplace can cause an alarm.

Keep Batteries On Hand And Pay Attention To Low Battery Signals

One helpful aspect of new home security systems is that they’ll notify you when batteries are running low. If your system has a mobile app or control panel, you’ll typically see notifications there. Depending on your system, you could detect an occasional beep when batteries are running out. 

Contact sensors, smoke detectors, motion sensors, and other wireless components have batteries that need to be replaced every so often. It’s a good idea to keep batteries ready and create a replacement schedule. Top systems also come with a backup battery for the main control panel. This backup battery keeps your system running if you lose power and should recharge itself once power is restored. If it doesn’t recharge, you will have to replace it.

Troubleshooting Is Simple With ADT Home Security In Seattle 

As the top name in home security, ADT creates systems that provide superior functionality and protection. Switching to test mode is straightforward through the ADT+ app or MyADT.com, and you’ll always get notifications when a battery is running low. Get in touch with Secure24 Alarm Systems, an authorized ADT dealer, to get more details and design a system perfectly suited to your Seattle home and family. Call (206) 451-1051 or complete our form today!