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August 05, 2026

Tips For Troubleshooting Your Home Alarm System In Boulder

False alarms and system malfunctions can be aggravating, and even more concerning, could prevent your home’s security from doing its job effectively. Luckily, most problems, from dead batteries to false alarms, are easy to fix. Check out our recommendations for troubleshooting your home alarm system in Boulder. We’ll help you keep your family members safeguarded and your system running properly.

Test Your Home Security System In Boulder

One effective way to troubleshoot your property’s security is to test it yourself! The latest systems have a test mode so you don’t accidentally prompt an emergency call. Once in test mode, do the following:

  • Activate your system as you normally would when you leave.
  • Open a door or window that uses a contact sensor, or try to trigger something else. Shut the door or window so it doesn’t trigger the alarm as you switch out of test mode.
  • Permit the alarm to sound for 60 seconds to make sure a transmission is dispatched to the security company and an entry is created in the alarm activity log.
  • Continue testing devices as you wish
  • Inspect the systems’s activity log to verify that everything’s working.

Don’t worry, monitoring agents will know that your alarm system is involved in a test. Be sure to turn test mode off when complete. It’s a good idea to test once a month or whenever you adjust your home’s internet or phone service.

Inspect The Positioning And State Of Motion Sensors

Although an essential element of your alarm system, motion sensors are well known for false alarms. Do your part to prevent them with a few straightforward troubleshooting steps.

  • Perform a visual check. Are there things that could shift within the sensor’s detection range, like a window treatment blown in a breeze?
  • Is the sensor dirty? Dirt, cobwebs, and debris can cause malfunctions. Check to confirm the sensor is clean.
  • Does the motion detector have pet immunity you can activate? Some can be set to disregard pets up to 100 pounds.
  • When was the battery replaced? Low batteries might impact performance or lead to false alarms.
  • Is a heat source affecting the sensor? Excess heat from a fireplace, direct sun, or something else can trigger an alarm.

Keep Batteries Ready And Look Out For Low Battery Signals

One helpful aspect of new home security systems is that they’ll notify you when batteries are dying. If your system has a control panel or app, you’ll usually discover messages there. Depending on your system, you could notice an occasional beep when batteries are running out. 

Motion sensors, contact sensors, smoke detectors, and other wireless tools have batteries that should be replaced every so often. It’s best to keep batteries on hand and set a replacement schedule. Top systems also include a backup battery for the central control panel. This backup battery helps keep your system operating if your power goes out and should charge back up once the electricity is working again. If it doesn’t, you will need to replace it.

Troubleshooting Is Effortless With ADT Home Security In Boulder 

As the top name in home security, ADT creates systems that provide unsurpassed functionality and protection. Accessing test mode is easy through the ADT+ app or MyADT.com, and you’ll always get alerts when a battery is running low. Contact Secure24 Alarm Systems, an authorized ADT dealer, to get more details and design a system ideal for your Boulder home. Dial (303) 479-3788 or fill out our form today!

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