Most people would never have to turn off their alarm system. Rarely, there might be a malfunction in the security system and your alarm might start beeping without any reason. Whenever such things happen, your first instinct would be to turn off your alarm system and this is absolutely the right thing to do.
At times, some issues in your alarm system may cause the keypads to stop working and due to this you won’t be able to use the arm/disarm codes. If this happens and your alarm is not going off, you will need to completely shut down the security system. This article will highlight all the possible reasons why your alarm system might be going off without any emergency and how you can deactivate it in such situations using simple ways.
What are the Reasons for Deactivating the Alarm System?
While the security systems at your home or an office space are necessary for providing protection against crime, there are several reasons why they may start malfunctioning. By understanding the scenarios that lead to such an issue can prevent a malfunctioning event which causes your alarm to go off without any reason. Here are a few common reasons why your alarm system may need deactivation.
1. Guests at Your Home
If you have some guests coming over to stay at your home for a few days, you will need to disable the alarm system so that they can freely come and go without triggering an alarm system to go off. Although your home security may be at risk for a few days, it is still required so that your guests have the freedom of movement. If you do not wish to do this, you can share your security system codes with them. Always ensure that you turn on your alarm system once the guests leave.
2. Cleaning or Maintenance
When you have a maintenance visit or cleaning scheduled, you may have to disable the alarm system. Several service works like carpet cleaning, HVAC filter changes, landscaping, and pest control, may need you to turn off your alarm system to avoid the motion detectors being set off.
3. Moving Out of a Space
If you are moving out of your home or if you are shifting your office space, it is important that you disable the alarm system before doing so. This will eliminate the possibility of the new owners having the issue of setting off the alarm while trying to install their security system. You need to talk to the security system company to ensure complete decommission of the alarm system so that nobody can activate it once you leave.
4. Security System Upgrade
To maintain the efficiency of your alarm system, you may need to upgrade it from time to time. Before doing so, you will need to disable your previous system completely before installing the new one. This will generally be done by your security system provider. They will carefully deactivate the keypads, alarm, panel, and sensors in your old alarm system so that there is no hindrance in the new security system installation.
How to Deactivate an Alarm System?
Before you go ahead and deactivate your alarm system, you need to take care of the following points.
- Remember your alarm code and keep it ready.
- Check where the main alarm panel is located.
- Disable all your phone connections.
- Let your monitoring company know about the deactivation.
- Check for loose contacts in the system.
- Keep the key fob controls and wireless keypads ready.
Once you have followed through the above points, you can use any of the methods given below to deactivate your alarm system.
1. Using Control Panel
With most of the hardwired security systems, you can arm/disarm the alarm system by using a digital control panel. You can follow the steps given below to do so.
- Go to the control panel which is generally placed near the main door.
- Enter the alarm code for control authorization.
- Initiate the deactivation sequence by tapping the ‘Disable’ or ‘Off’ button.
- Wait till you hear the beeps for deactivation and the indicator light to turn off.
- The control panel needs to read out ‘System Off’ or something similar.
2. Using Power-Off Buttons
The easiest way to deactivate the alarm is by powering it off in the following way.
- Look for the activated unit.
- You will then have to reset the alarm by pressing the button for a few seconds.
- If there are no buttons, you need to unscrew the alarm to disable it.
- If nothing works, you will then need to replace the batteries.
- If your alarm is defective, you will have to replace the entire security system unit.
3. Using Alarm Codes
If your alarm system goes off and you need to deactivate it, you will need an alarm code. The alarm codes will be in the form of numerical passwords that are typically 4 characters long. They are mainly in place for activating or deactivating an alarm system. If this does not stop your alarm, the reason behind your alarm being set off would be power fluctuations. In such cases, taking the help of a professional alarm technician or contacting your alarm system provider is recommended.
4. Using Transformer
In case your alarm is running on a transformer, you need to ensure that it is running fine. They are generally located near the main panel. It looks like a two pronged equipment and it is as big as a fist and has a light tan or white color. Check if there is any damage or deterioration that may be impacting the security system’s functionality.
If the transformer is causing your alarm to malfunction, you need to disconnect the transformer to disable your alarm system. Generally, the transformers are connected to a wall outlet with regular AC. You need to unplug this to deactivate the system. This way you will cut off the AC power supply to the security system.
5. Disconnecting Wires
There can even be some faulty wires that may be causing your alarm to get triggered. Generally, corroded wire would be causing such a problem. To check this, you need to make sure that you use a voltmeter. This activity is not recommended for a novice, it is better you contact a professional electrician for this purpose. They will disconnect the corroded wires and replace them with better wires.
6. Changing Backup Batteries
If your alarm is battery-powered, you will need to change the backup batteries to get rid of the issue leading to your alarm malfunctioning. Ideally, the security system batteries need to be replaced every 3-5 years. Here are a few indications that might crop up in your security system which means that it needs a battery change.
- Chirping or beeping sounds without any reason.
- A warning like ‘LO BAT’, “BAT’, or ‘LOW BATTERY’ on the display of your system’s control panel.
- Messages on keypad like ‘Low Battery’ or ‘Trouble’.
If such indications are there you need to change the back up batteries in the following way.
- Locate the battery which is generally in the control panel or the system keypad. It may be stored in the utility room, basement, or any closet.
- Disconnect the battery by removing any of the leads. This will disable the alarm system.
7. Using Smartphone App
If you have set up professional monitoring for your security system, it is likely that you can access controls via your smartphone through an app which is provided by the monitoring company. You can remotely deactivate your alarm by using such an app in the following way.
- Launch the concerned app and log in using your credentials.
- Go to the page where your security system’s status is specified.
- Look for the option to disable or disarm the alarm system.
- Wait for the confirmation beeps or message which will indicate that your alarm system has been deactivated.
8. Cutting Communication Lines
Most of the advanced security systems rely completely on the communication lines for their operations. The communication lines can either be your landline phones or the wireless internet that you use. It is through these communication lines that the security system interacts with your smartphone or the monitoring company. When you cut or disconnect these lines, your security system will be unable to send or receive any commands. However, by doing so, you may set off tamper alarms.
- For landline connections, unplug the line connected to the control panel. It can even be disconnected at the junction box.
- For cellular connections, you need to disconnect or remove the antenna or SIM card from the cellular module in your system.
- For internet connections, disconnect the ethernet cable. You can even unplug the connection between the control panel and your router/modem.
9. Contact Customer Service
If none of the above methods prove useful in deactivating your alarm system, you can contact the customer service or the monitoring company for help.
- Call on the toll free number provided by your system provider.
- Give the details they ask for including your name, account number, and address.
- Request them to disable your alarm system or put it on standby mode.
- The monitoring company or the customer service representative will then remotely deactivate your alarm system. This takes about 15-20 minutes to take effect.
What to Expect After Deactivating the Alarm System?
Once you have used any of the above methods to deactivate your alarm system, you can expect the following things.
- You cannot hear any alarms.
- The outdoor strobe lights that generally trigger the alarm will also be off.
- You can open doors and windows without any alarm being set off.
- Indoor movements will not trigger your alarm system anymore.
- You would not be receiving any sort of notifications regarding the alarm system.
- Your alarm system’s keypad will display ‘Disarmed’ or some similar term which indicates successful deactivation.
- The grace periods that are normally allowed for entering the code will be disabled.
- If you had opted for professional monitoring, they would have now listed your alarm system as ‘Out of Service’.
Deactivating Alarm System – FAQs
Ans: To deactivate your home security system, you would need to key in your 4-digit passcode using the keypad. After that, you can follow the prompts displayed on the screen to deactivate your home security system.
Ans: Generally, all alarm systems come with a cut-off device that ceases the alarm 20 minutes after it is set off. Although this feature is included in most of the modern alarm systems, the older ones can be upgraded with this functionality if required.
Ans: This will depend on the alarm system you have. A few alarm systems come with a backup battery and such systems will still not trigger the alarm when you disconnect the battery. Other alarms without a battery backup will simply stop working until it receives power or gets the batteries.
Ans: If you want to disable your house alarm, you can do the following things.
*Disconnect the main power source.
*Remove the batteries in the security system.
*Replace the old batteries in the system.
Ans: A home security alarm can be triggered by loose connections, wireless interference, and low batteries. In addition to this, power interruptions due to some extreme weather conditions can also trigger an alarm.
Conclusion
Deactivating the alarm system can put the safety of your home at risk. This is why it must be done after careful consideration and only when it is absolutely necessary. This article clearly details the reasons why you may have to deactivate your alarm system. Once you have understood that, you can effectively tackle the situation and deactivate your alarm system in the right way. You can use any of the methods described above to deactivate your alarm.
