An ADT system is a wireless alarm system that allows you to control different smart devices and check in on your home from virtually anywhere. They allow you to keep a close watch on your home from your mobile devices so you can feel comfortable in the knowledge that your home is secure.
While these systems are highly popular and reliable, they need to be tested every now again. If you can’t remember when you last tested yours, it’s definitely time to do so.
The question is, do you know how to test an ADT system? And, even if you do, is it worth doing?
Well, yes, you must test it every so often to ensure it is working correctly so you can continue to keep track of the happenings around your home when you’re away.
Running these security tests is extremely important. They should also be done regularly. As well as giving you the confidence that everything is working as it should do, frequent testing means you will become more familiar with your alarm system and understand how it works.
So, in today’s article, we will be guiding you through the process of testing your ADT system. We will discuss why you should test it regularly, how often you should test it, and then show you exactly how to do it.
When To Test Your ADT System
As we mentioned, testing your ADT system is very important. It allows you to get to grips with how the security system works and gives you the peace of mind that your home is under surveillance when needed.
To ensure it’s functioning properly, you should test your ADT alarm system periodically. Check that the alarm sounds work and if the system can communicate with the 24-hour ADT monitoring center.
ADT recommends that you test your alarm system regularly every 30 days. This adds up to several times a year. Of course, you can test it more frequently if you want but this is more than enough.
The good news is that testing your ADT alarm system is pretty easy. Let’s take a look at how to do it.
The ADT Alarm System Testing Procedure
To begin the process of testing your alarm system, you need to make sure your alarm is in test mode. This allows you to successfully run a system test and not accidentally send an alert to ADT with a false alarm.
To place your ADT system in test mode, simply:
- Head to MyADT.com
- Click on “My Alarm” located on the dashboard
- When o the menu, click on “System Management”
- Now, click on “Start Test”
If your internet is down, you can also call 1-800-ADT-ASAP (1-800-238-2727). This will put your system into its test mode.
Alternatively, you can also download the MyADT app for your smartphone or tablet. This will guide you through the steps and how to run the test.
Triggering Contacts
Once your alarm system is in test mode, you need to set your system in Away Mode. This is as if you were leaving your home.
Then, leave it for around 3 to 5 minutes before coming back in as if you didn’t know about the alarm and were an intruder.
If you do not open a door, the system may believe you are still in the house and revert back to Stay Mode. Additionally, if you have a wireless motion detector, it will require more than 3 minutes of no motion to reset in preparation for the test.
Once you have come back in, you will want to trip the alarm. To do so, follow these steps:
- Trigger one of the monitored sensors in your home (i.e, a window or a door). Do this by opening and closing them.
- Allow the alarm to trigger for approximately 1 minute. This gives the system enough time for the signal to be received by ADT. (Don’t worry about ADT contacting you or the authorities as they will know your system is in testing mode).
- After 60 seconds or so, disarm your alarm by entering your code followed by “#1.” You can also enter your code and then press the off-key if it’s easier or you can use your ADT Pulse app to disarm the alarm once the test has finished.
Check If The Test Worked Properly
The next step to take is to check whether your ADT alarm test worked. To do this, you need to “Check the Signals.”
Here’s how:
- Go to MyADT.com
- Click on “Overview”
- Head to “Alarm Activity”
From here, you should be able to see a list of events corresponding to your alarm. The latest should be your alarm system test.
If your latest ADT alarm system test does not appear, you should call 1-800-ADT-ASAP. Customer support will then help you in troubleshooting the issue.
Finishing The ADT Alarm Test
The final step is to return your security system to its original live mode and take it out of test mode.
If you forget this step, your system will remain in test mode and any alerts will not be reported properly. If you put the system in test mode for only a period of time, you can just wait for this time to expire. Then, it will automatically go live once again.
To do this, simply:
- Go to MyADT.com
- Click on “My Alarm”
- Click on “STop Test”
It’s as easy as that!
In Summary
It is imperative that you test your alarm system regularly. Frequent maintenance and checks ensure that it is still functioning correctly and in good condition.
As you can see, running an effective ADT alarm test is convenient and straightforward. All you need to do is make it part of your home’s maintenance routine.
You may not need to do a test if you accidentally set your alarm off recently. This is because you would have received a phone call from the ADT monitoring station with information on your abort code. This means your alarm system is working fine. But, test it every month just to be on the safe side.
