How to Arm an Alarm System (and other useful security tips)

Buying a home will likely be the largest single investment you ever make in your life, as we have covered before, and should be protected with a home security system. The benefits of a home security system are manifold, and you need to get one right away no matter where you live (in fact, you can get our FREE home security package now, with free next day install in most of the country, by calling 855 979 9224 ext 2 before reading on). If you have a home security system now, the next step is to really learn how to use it.

Arming Your Alarm System
When you have a home security system, the most basic, and perhaps important, part of that is arming your alarm system. Simply having an ADT system is great; after all, bad guys don’t want to get caught. But you really need to arm your alarm system in case something bad happens. When Alarm Guard installs a home security system in your home, you have great options which allow you to arm the system from inside your home. Every alarm system comes with a keypad, and that keypad gives you two separate arming options. The first option is to arm the system in stay mode. This is usually denoted with an icon of a person standing inside of a house. This mode means that you can arm all the doors, and leave your motion sensor off. There is also the option to arm your system in away mode, which is usually denoted with an empty house. This means that all equipment, including all doors and windows, are armed.

While those are the traditional options to arm and disarm a home security system, new options exist, and are perfect for people first starting to use a new alarm system as well as those who have had a home security system for years. The first option is arming your system from a key fob. With a key fob, you can arm your home security system in stay or away mode, just like you would do from a keypad. The great thing with a key fob is that you have the ability to arm and disarm your alarm system from virtually anywhere in your home!

Another innovation in arming your security system is the ability to arm your system with an app. Arming your home alarm system with an app is as easy as pressing a button on your smart phone. This is perfect for those starting to use their home security system, as it allows you to check if you forgot to arm your system while you are away from home, and then arm it remotely. You also have full access to arm the system from a tablet, laptop or desktop!

Disarming Your Alarm System
Your home security system is armed, but now you need to be able to disarm the alarm system so you can freely come and go. When your system is armed in stay mode, you can easily disarm the system from within your home from the keypad, key fob or the app. In the case of disarming the system from your keypad, you need to enter your (usually) 4 digit code to disarm everything.

There are some other considerations to make when disarming your alarm system. Do you need a long entry delay? When you come through your main entry door, you’ll usually have 45 seconds to disarm your system before the siren goes off. You do have the ability to alter that time slightly if you have the need for it. You also have the ability to arm your alarm system from the app, and you can give access to family members to do the same. This means that if you have someone visiting from out of town, you can grant them temporary access to disarm your alarm system. You can also grant permanent access to family members living at home.

Panic Buttons, Standard
Your alarm system has a built-in panic feature, which allows you to set off your alarm system directly from a keypad or your key fob. The panic button is for emergency use only, but can be a life saver if you ever need to use it. If you hold down the panic button on the keypad or the key fob for a few seconds, your alarm system’s siren will go off and you will get contacted by the best monitoring stations in the country to make sure everything is ok. This can also lead to an immediate dispatch of the police. Panic signals are ideal in cases of things like a home invasion where time could mean the difference between safety and harm.

You have a home alarm system in your home, which is essential, so now make sure that you use it!

If you don’t have your home security system yet, call Alarm Guard for a new, free installation at 855 979 9224 today!