How To Reset Your Home's Alarm System
by Louise Gomez
If you have a home alarm system, there may come a time where you need to reset it. If you had a power outage, forgot the passcode, or just changed the battery, you will need to reset the alarm. It is ideal that you have the manufacturer's instructions for your specific model of alarm, but there are also some general guidelines for most alarm systems that can help you reset it. These tips are for when you can't find the instructions for your alarm system.
Disconnect the Power and Battery
Before you reset the alarm system, you will need to disconnect the power. If you attempt to reset it with the power turned on, you might set off your alarm and you will have a phone call or police showing up at your door. Go to your home's electrical panel and turn off the circuit breaker for the alarm system. Make sure you have a flashlight handy if you are attempting this at night. You also want to disconnect the backup battery to the alarm system so it doesn't try to run on batteries when your power goes off. Wait several minutes before continuing.
Reconnect the Battery and Power
Once you have waited about five or ten minutes, it has been long enough to where the backup battery won't try to run the alarm system and set it off. At this point, you can reconnect the battery and power up your alarm system. You may need two people for this job, with one person turning on the power to the alarm system in the control panel, and the other needs to activate the power at the circuit breaker.
Reset the Alarm
Now that the alarm system's electrical power is on, you can reset it. Press the star symbol (*) and the pound symbol (#) at the same time, holding them for a few seconds while the system powers back up. Hold them down until you see the lights on the front of the system start to go on. You will now need to input your installer code. There are different codes for different manufacturers, so this is one thing you will need to be able to access. If you do not have the code handy, try pressing *97.
This is a universal resetting code for many alarm models. You can also try using the alarm's menu system to see if you are able to manually reset it that way. If this did not work, you will need to contact the manufacturer to get the code.
Once you enter the code or have found the menu option to reset it, follow the instructions on the alarm system. It will ask you to choose a new passcode for the alarm system. Be sure you choose a code different than the one you had before, and that would not be easy for someone else to guess. Do not use part of your address, phone number, date of birth, or social security number.
Share
About Me
Many homeowners focus their home security systems on the home itself but neglect to cover the other structures on the property and the property itself. Do you have an outbuilding, shed or garage that you use to store things in? Do you put those expensive inflatable decorations out in your lawn each holiday? There are probably several things outside of your home that warrant protection as much as the things that you keep inside of your home. This blog will show you the security measures that you can take to ensure that everything on your property is protected as best as it can be.