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System hiccups and false alarms can be exasperating, and even more concerning, could prevent your home’s security from doing its job effectively. Luckily, most issues, from false alarms to dead batteries, are simple to remedy. Explore our suggestions for troubleshooting your home alarm system in Pittsburgh. We’ll help keep your family members safe and your system operating properly.

Test Your Home Security System In Pittsburgh

One effective way to troubleshoot your property’s defense is to test it! The latest systems have a test mode so you don’t mistakenly initiate an emergency response from monitoring agents. After moving to test mode, do the following:

• Activate your system as you would when you leave.
• Open a door or window that has a contact sensor, or try to trigger something else. Shut the window or door once you’re done so it doesn’t trip the alarm when you turn the system back on.
• Let the alarm go off for 60 seconds to make sure a transmission is dispatched to the security provider and an entry is created in the alarm system log.
• Proceed to test equipment as you wish
• Check the systems’s activity log to confirm functionality.

Rest assured, monitoring agents can see that your alarm system is being tested. Be sure to switch out of test mode when complete. It’s a good idea to test once a month or whenever you adjust your home’s phone or internet service.

Inspect The Position And State Of Motion Detectors

Although an crucial element of your alarm system, motion detectors are well known for false alarms. You can help prevent them with a few basic troubleshooting steps.

• Perform a visual check. Is there anything that could move within the path of the sensor, like drapery taken by a breeze?
• Is the sensor dirty? Cobwebs, dirt, and debris can lead to issues. Make sure the face is clean.
• Does the motion detector have pet immunity you can enable? Some models can be configured to ignore pets weighing as much as 100 pounds.
• When was the battery replaced? A nearly depleted battery can impact performance or lead to false alarms.
• Is a heat source impairing the sensor? Excess heat from direct sun or a fireplace can set off an alarm.

Keep Batteries On Hand And Watch Out For Low Battery Signals

One helpful aspect of new home security systems is that they’ll tell you when batteries are running low. If your system has a app or control panel, you’ll often find alerts there. Depending on your system, you may hear an occasional beep when batteries are running out. 

Contact sensors, motion detectors, smoke detectors, and other wireless devices have batteries that will have to be replaced every year or two. It’s a good idea to keep batteries on hand and establish a replacement schedule. Top systems also include a backup battery for the main control panel. This backup battery keeps your system operating if your power goes out and should charge back up once power is restored. If it doesn’t, you will have to replace it.

Troubleshooting Is Simple With ADT Home Security In Pittsburgh 

As the leading name in home security, ADT designs systems that offer unsurpassed functionality and protection. Switching to test mode is easy through the ADT+ app or MyADT.com, and you’ll always be sent updates when a sensor battery is running low. Reach out to Secure24 Alarm Systems, an authorized ADT dealer, to get more details and design a system perfectly suited to your Pittsburgh home. Call (412) 230-3668 or fill out our form today!