So you've got your new ADT alarm system installed and ready to go. You're excited that your home will now be safe from break-ins and you won't have to worry about your personal belongings. However, you are not in the clear just yet. Your system is completely useless unless you know program it. The techs who installed your system should have done most of the heavy work, but it's up to you to activate and control it on a daily basis. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
1. Get familiar with the lights. Your ADT system will have lights marked ready, armed stay and TBL. The ready light turns on when everything is in working order. It flashes when an entry point or "zone" is open, such as a door or a window. It's off if your front door isn't locked properly, preventing the system from working. The armed light, obviously, comes on solid when the system is armed. If this light is flashing, it has detected an intrusion. The stay light comes on when you use the stay setting (see step two). TBL stands for trouble, meaning there's a problem with the alarm and it's not functioning properly.
2. Learn the buttons. The three buttons you'll use most often are stay, away and bypass. Push the stay button if you want to arm the alarm but you, or someone else, will remain at home. This activates all perimeter alarms (doors, windows) but keeps interior systems (like motion detectors or inside doors) inactive so you can move about. In contrast, if you push the away button, all systems are full go. You have 60 seconds to exit before you will set off the motion detector alarm. The bypass button allows you to skip a zone that you can't close for some reason (such as if there's a broken window latch). It also lets you test your alarm. If the test doesn't work, the TBL light will flash. Your alarm may have a separate "test" button instead.
3. Program your system. Once you know the lights and buttons, programming is simple to do. When you're ready to leave, check that the ready light is on. (If it's flashing, check the doors and windows to see which one is open.) Then push the away button if everyone is headed out or press the stay button if others remain home. Check to see that the armed light flashes, signaling the 60 seconds has started. Then open the door, close it and lock it behind you. The system will disarm when you return either when you unlock the door with your key or you enter your secret code on the keypad, depending on how your system works. Also use either of these methods if the alarm goes off accidentally.
Tags: your system, armed light, away button, doors windows, light flashing, push away, push away button
