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System hiccups and false alarms can be frustrating, and more importantly, might prevent your home security system from working the way it should. Thankfully, most issues, from dead batteries to false alarms, are straightforward to remedy. Take a look at our tips for troubleshooting your home alarm system in Hammond. We’ll help you keep your family members protected and your system operating as it should.

Test Your Home Security System In Hammond

One of the best ways to troubleshoot your property’s security is to test it! The latest systems have a test mode so you don’t by accident initiate an emergency response. After moving to test mode, take these steps:

• Turn on your system as you normally would when you head out.
• Open a window or door protected by a contact sensor, or test other devices. Close the door or window once you’re done so it doesn’t prompt the alarm as you switch the system back on.
• Allow the alarm to sound for 60 seconds to ensure communications with the security company and to produce an entry in the alarm system log.
• Continue testing devices as you wish
• Inspect the alarm’s activity log to confirm proper function.

Don’t worry, monitoring agents will know that your system is undergoing a test. Just make sure to switch off test mode when you’re done. It’s a good idea to test every other month or whenever you make changes to your home’s internet or phone service.

Check The Placement And State Of Motion Sensors

Although an essential element of your alarm system, motion detectors are prone to false alarms. Do your part to prevent them with some easy troubleshooting.

• Conduct a visual inspection. Are there items that could move within range of the sensor, like drapery taken by a breeze?
• Is the sensor clean? Grime, dirt, and cobwebs can result in issues. Make sure the sensor is clean.
• Does the motion detector offer pet immunity you can enable? Some sensors can be configured to ignore pets weighing up to 100 pounds.
• When was the battery replaced? Low batteries can impact performance or lead to false alarms.
• Is a heat source impacting the sensor? Excessive heat from sunlight or a fireplace can trigger an alarm.

Keep Batteries On Hand And Pay Attention To Low Battery Warnings

One of the great aspects of new home security systems is that they’ll let you know when batteries are running low. If your system uses a mobile app or control panel, you’ll usually see notifications there. Depending on your alarm, you might notice an occasional beep when batteries are getting low. 

Contact sensors, motion detectors, smoke detectors, and other wireless devices have batteries that will have to be replaced every year or two. It’s best to keep batteries ready and create a replacement schedule. Many systems also come with a backup battery for the main control panel. This backup battery helps keep your system operating if your power goes out and should recharge once the electricity is working again. If it doesn’t, you will have to replace it.

Troubleshooting Is Effortless With ADT Home Security In Hammond 

As the leading name in home security, ADT builds systems that offer unrivaled functionality and protection. Getting into test mode is easy through the ADT+ app or MyADT.com, and you’ll always receive updates 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 Hammond home. Call (219) 207-5149 or complete our form today!