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False alarms and system malfunctions can be exasperating, and more importantly, could prevent your home’s security from working how it should. Luckily, most problems, from false alarms to dead batteries, are easy to fix. Take a look at our recommendations for troubleshooting your home alarm system in Flint. We’ll help keep your family members protected and your system operating properly.

Test Your Home Security System In Flint

One sensible way to troubleshoot your property’s defense is to test it yourself! Newer systems let you place them in test mode to keep you from triggering an emergency call. After switching to test mode, do the following:

• Turn on your system as you would when going out.
• Open a door or window that uses a contact sensor, or test other equipment. Close the door or window once you’re done so it doesn’t trigger the alarm when you get out of test mode.
• Let the alarm sound for 60 seconds to make sure a signal is delivered to the security company and an entry is made in the alarm system log.
• Proceed to test sensors as you wish
• Check the system activity log to validate that everything’s working.

Rest assured, monitoring professionals can tell that your system is involved in a test. Just be sure to switch out of test mode when complete. It’s a good idea to test every other month or whenever you make changes to your home’s internet or phone provider.

Evaluate The Placement And State Of Motion Detectors

Although an crucial element of your alarm system, motion sensors are notorious for false alarms. Prevent them with a few simple troubleshooting steps.

• Do a visual inspection. Are there items that could shift within the path of the sensor, like a curtain taken by a breeze?
• Is the sensor dirty? Cobwebs, dirt, and debris can cause malfunctions. Ensure the face is clean.
• Does the motion detector have pet immunity you can enable? Some can be configured to ignore pets up to 100 pounds.
• When was the battery changed? A low battery may impact performance or cause false alarms.
• Is the sensor pointing toward a heat source? Too much heat from direct sun or a fireplace can cause an alarm.

Keep Batteries On Hand And Watch Out For Low Battery Notifications

One helpful benefit of the latest home security systems is that they’ll alert you when batteries are running low. If your system uses a smartphone app or control panel, you’ll typically find alerts there. Depending on your alarm, you may notice an occasional beep when batteries are running out. 

Motion detectors, smoke detectors, contact sensors, and other wireless devices have batteries that need to be replaced every year or two. It’s a good idea to keep batteries on hand and set a replacement schedule. Top systems also come with a rechargeable backup battery for the primary control panel. This battery keeps your system operating if you have a power outage and should charge back up once the electricity is working again. If it doesn’t, you will have to replace it.

Troubleshooting Is Effortless With ADT Home Security In Flint 

As the leading name in home security, ADT designs systems that provide unsurpassed protection and functionality. Accessing test mode is simple through the ADT+ app or MyADT.com, and you’ll always receive notifications when a sensor battery is low. Reach out to Secure24 Alarm Systems, an authorized ADT dealer, to learn more and design a system perfectly suited to your Flint home and family. Place a call to (810) 207-5457 or complete our form today!