When your home security system’s alarm sounds, it could mean one of many things. You could have an intruder in your home, or you could have a fire, a flood, or a carbon monoxide leak. You also could have simply forgotten to disarm the system. But whether it’s an emergency or a false alarm, a triggered alarm system can be stressful and unpleasant.
Understanding how your system works and what happens when an alarm is triggered can help you stay calm during a real emergency.
The majority of security systems come with wireless sensors that can be placed in strategic locations around your home, like on doors or windows and in living rooms and bedrooms. When these sensors are triggered, they send a signal to your security system control panel, which will alert your ADT monitoring station.
Here are some common sensors that can be triggered in the case of an emergency.
Magnetic door/window sensors are made up of two small magnetic pieces; one is mounted to the top of the door or window frame, while the second is placed directly on the door or window. Vanishing sensors can be placed inside the door/window and inside the frame so no one knows they are there. The two sensor pieces are in contact with each other while the door/window is closed. When they are opened, the sensors separate and an alarm is triggered.
The most common type of motion sensor is the infrared sensor. These sensors emit infrared light and are triggered when they detect body heat. They identify intruders by comparing the heat of inanimate objects with the heat of anything moving in its field of detection, like a human. Many motion sensors are designed with Pet Immunity to avoid false alarms being triggered by small pets in the home.
There are two types of glass break sensors: shock sensors and acoustic sensors. Shock sensors detect vibrations when glass breaks or shatters, while acoustic sensors are designed to detect the exact sound waves of breaking glass. Both are efficient, but the acoustic sensors can monitor a wider area, such as large bay windows or sliding glass doors.
Emergency sensors are an added layer of security most people don’t always think about. Flood sensors will help to detect and notify you of any moisture in your home caused by flooding, burst pipes, or any other water-related emergency. These sensors should be installed in leak-prone areas of the home, like behind the water heater or under sinks. Carbon monoxide detectors will help alert you when high levels of CO are detected in your home, and smoke sensors detect smoke and spikes in temperature.
Most alarm systems can also be triggered manually in case of an emergency. The alarm can be set off by pushing the panic button on your control panel or your key fob remote.
Arming and disarming your security system is simple–as long as you have the code.
STAY
Stay mode will turn off all internal motion sensors but keep door and window sensors active. You’ll be able to move about the house with the peace of mind that you’ll be notified if any entry points to your home are breached.
AWAY
Away mode activates your entire system. This is the mode you will use whenever you leave the house and know that no one else is inside.
You can arm your system by pushing the STAY or AWAY buttons on your control panel or using your key fob remote, which is a real convenience and can be used from up to 50 feet away.
Although each security system is different, you can disarm your system by choosing the Disarm or Stay mode on your control panel and entering your security code or using your handy-dandy key fob remote.
