The process of testing a security system is so simple and quick that one would think every homeowner with a system would do it at the prescribed monthly intervals. The fact is a very small percentage of people spend the 30-45 seconds per month to undergo this important exercise. There are countless reasons people choose not to test, but allow EMC Security to provide you with five reasons that you should test.

1. Successful transmission to the central station – with the telephone companies continuously “improving” their transmission paths you don’t want to find out one day that an improvement affected the communication path of your security system.

2. Proper function of equipment – security equipment is electronic and can fail with age, wear and tear, or an environment that is unfavorable (heat, cold, damp or humid). Testing specific devices regularly will allow you to catch failing equipment early.

3. Gauge response from the monitoring center – a quick response is a must from any central station and you should understand how quickly you can expect your monitoring company to send help if you need it. After a few months of testing you can begin to determine if they respond quickly enough for your needs.

4. Know what your alarm sounds like – rotate between testing a piece of security equipment (like a motion detector or a door contact) and a piece of fire equipment (like a smoke detector). Most systems sound different if there is a fire vs. and intrusion. By testing regularly, if there is ever an actual alarm event you will understand whether you need to get out of the house or lock yourself in a room.

5. Know how to operate your system – many people don’t fully understand how to operate their security system and what knowledge they do have goes out the window as soon as the siren begins to blare. If you are accustomed to operating the system (even when the alarm is sounding) you are more likely to prevent user error.

When testing your system be sure to have your password handy, as you will be asked by the monitoring center when they call. Most systems require you to enter your passcode twice when cancelling an alarm. The first silences the alarm; the second time clears the alarm from the keypad. Be sure to allow your system to sound for at least 15 seconds to 30 seconds to allow time for the alarm system to transmit signal to the central station. If you cancel the alarm immediately, the panel may not have had adequate time to transmit the full signal, and it may send an “all-clear” signal to monitoring center personnel.