How to Test a burglar alarm system

Read the manual. Read the manual. Read the manual. The leading cause of false alarms is not fully understanding how the system works.

Look in the Table of Contents or Index for a Testing section. Read the section over a couple of times to make sure you know exactly what to do.

Make sure you know how to disarm the alarm. Keep the disarm codes or security key close at hand or make sure someone who knows them by heart is at home when you test.

Call your service provider. When in doubt, call. They can walk you through the process and be given a heads up if something goes wrong with your system.

Let everyone in the house know you are about to run a test. Avoid needless heart attacks and spilled drinks by given the rest of your family a considerate forewarning.

Close and lock all protected doors. Pretend you are about to leave the house and want it to be secure.

Run the test operation on your system. When everything is ready, go ahead and punch in the keys to activate the test mode.

Test each sensor. Some systems will systematically tell you which sensors to check. Go throughout your house tripping every sensor to make sure the signal to the controller is strong. Listen for the alarm when you trip a sensor

Test smoke detectors and heat sensors. Be sure to press the test buttons on your smoke detectors. If you have a heat sensor, rub your hands together for 30 seconds and then place your hand on the sensor to see if it responds.

Re-arm your system. When the test is complete, de-activate Test mode and re-arm your system.