ADT Night Arming (Why and How to Use It)

As one of the most recognizable home security brands on the market, it’s no surprise that ADTs systems are trusted worldwide due to their reliability and host of features. One of ADT’s primary features is ADT night arming, but what is special about this feature, and why should you consider investing in it?

ADT alarm systems have modes that allow users to arm their homes accordingly and are subject to each user’s home layout, movements and preferences. ADT night arming is a special mode that allows users to set their alarms to breaches of doors, windows, and certain interior areas of their homes.

ADT Night Arming

To understand why ADT’s Night Arming feature may be a worthwhile investment or feature, it is important to explore the purpose of night arming in greater depth, how to initiate night arming and a general overview of ADT’s systems. See below to find out more:

What Is ADT Night Arming?

Night arming is an ADT feature that allows you to arm your ADT security system at night. Night arming in the stay mode allows you to secure your doors, windows, through motion detectors while allowing you to move freely inside your home.

When you arm your system, this means that certain home features like the alarm, flood detection, and smoke detection systems are all activated. You can set your home to be night-armed automatically each night when you go to bed. If you choose this option, you will probably want to set the system to disarm when you wake up in the morning so that things like your dishwasher won’t accidentally trigger the alarm.

ADT night arming is a specialized form of stay arming (more on this below). The purpose of night arming is to provide maxim security to users during the evenings and early mornings when housebreakings are most common while also giving a level of flexibility of movement to users in the house.

The main, and most important feature of night arming, is that it sets motion sensors on external doors and windows to trigger the moment entry or attempted entry is detected. This is a vital security measure, as it acts as a deterrent to burglars trying to wedge a door or window open.

Furthermore, it means that ADT security is alerted the instant an attempted external break-in is detected, which gives ADT the authority to go to the scene of the alarm without awaiting a delay period or confirmation from the ADT user.

In doing so, this mitigates the risk of burglars having enough time to successfully enter the house or steal any property from within the house.

Further to the above, night arming allows users to customize which motion sensors within the house are triggered by movement and which are not. This allows users, their families, and pets to move freely within demarcated areas during the evenings, without fear of setting off the alarm.

Consequently, users can opt for areas of movement within spaces such as their bedroom, their bathroom, and any common passageways within the house they, their pets, or their family may frequent during the night.

At the same time, other sections of the house which may not be frequented or which may house valuable property which you may wish to set an immediate alarm when motion is detected (such as a home office space with expensive equipment) can be set and customized b the user.

In conclusion, ADT night arming is a vital safety mode for ADT home security systems that allow users to navigate their home in the evenings without fear of setting off an alarm while having peace of mind that entry points and vulnerable areas of the house are secured and monitored.

 

How To Set An ADT Alarm To Night Arming?

Although setting up customizable entry points and motion sensors within your home should be organized by a professional ADT member, once these demarcated areas have been secured and programmed into the system, the act of night arming your ADT home security system is both simple and efficient.

However, although night arming your ADT home security system is simply a matter of enabling the system via an easy-to-use home console, there are different methods to arm your system depending on the type of system ADT installed.

Four of the most common ADT alarm systems which offer ADT night arming are as follows:

  1. ADT Ademco 4110,
  2. DSC Power 832 Version 2,
  3. ADT Safewatch EZ,
  4. Simon XT Alarm.

Just take note that although the above systems are the most common ADT home security systems, this is not an exhaustive list of the systems they offer, nor are the methods of night arming uniform across all systems.

Therefore, it is vital that users read the instruction guide that comes with their home security systems so that they know how to initiate night arming. Furthermore, it is advisable that the night arming process be undertaken with the assistance and instruction of an ADT professional for purposes of testing and understanding.

1. ADT Ademco 4110

Along with basic night arming, ADT Ademco 4110 has three different modes for added security, namely: burglary, fire, and emergency.

To set night arming on the ADT Ademco 4110 security system:

  1. Shut and lock all entry points to your home, namely doors, garage doors, pet doors, windows, and gates.
  2. Make sure there is no motion/activity in internal areas being monitored (such as children or pets entering a room),
  3. Key in the security code of your alarm into the ADT home console.
  4. Press instant/the number seven key. Wait for the alarm system to beep three times and for the “Armed LED” light to turn red.
  5. The “Armed LED” is proof that your alarm system is activated, meaning that detection to entry points will result in an immediate alarm, and internal motion will trigger a delayed/instant alarm, depending on prior settings.

 

2. DSC Power 832 Version 2

To set night arming on the DSC Power 832 Version 2 security system:

  1. Shut and lock all entry points to your home, namely doors, garage doors, pet doors, windows, and gates.
  2. Make sure there is no motion/activity in internal areas being monitored (such as children or pets entering a room),
  3. Go to your ADT home console and make sure the alarm’s “Ready” light is lit. This means that there is no motion being detected in areas, all entry points are secured, and you can use the console/there is no risk of false alarm when arming your home security system.
  4. Key in the security code.
  5. If the security code you entered was incorrect, you would hear a two-second long beep from the alarm system. Should this happen, simply press the pound key and re-enter your security code.
  6. If the security code you entered was correct, you hear a series of rapid beeps from the alarm system, and the “Armed” light will illuminate.
  7. The “Armed” light is proof that your alarm system is activated, meaning that detection to entry points will result in an immediate alarm, and internal motion will trigger a delayed/instant alarm, depending on prior settings.

 

3. ADT Safewatch EZ

The ADT Safewatch EZ home security system is unique in that it sports a deadbolt-activated system that operates via a computerized control panel for constant monitoring of your entry points and deadbolt status.

To set night arming on the ADT Safewatch EZ security system:

  1. Shut and lock all entry points to your home, namely doors, garage doors, pet doors, windows, and gates.
  2. Make sure there is no motion/activity in internal areas being monitored (such as children or pets entering a room),
  3. Go to your ADT home console and press the “Stay” button.
  4. Once pressed, the “Armed” indicator light will illuminate while the “Stay” button light will blink for sixty seconds, whereafter it will remain illuminated.
  5. The “Armed” and “Stay” lights are proof that your alarm system is activated, meaning that detection to entry points will result in an immediate alarm, and internal motion will trigger a delayed/instant alarm, depending on prior settings.

 

4. Simon XT Alarm

Along with basic night arming, the Simon XT home security system makes use of wireless technology to allow users to be alerted of burglary, fires, and the detection of carbon monoxide. Furthermore, the Simon XT alarm has basic smart home functionality, such as remote light and appliance control throughout your house.

To set night arming on the Simon XT Alarm security system:

  1. Shut and lock all entry points to your home, namely doors, garage doors, pet doors, windows, and gates.
  2. Make sure there is no motion/activity in internal areas being monitored (such as children or pets entering a room),
  3. Go to your ADT home console, flip open the key cover, and press the “Doors + Windows” button.
  4. Key in your security code, where after “Doors + Windows” will appear on the console’s display, along with the illumination of the “Doors + Windows” light.
  5. Further to the above, the alarm system will announce “Doors and windows on,” followed by a series of rapid beeps.
  6. The “Doors + Windows” display, light, and announcements are proof that your alarm system is activated, meaning that detection to entry points will result in an immediate alarm, and internal motion will trigger a delayed/instant alarm, depending on prior settings.

 

What Other Arming Methods Does ADT Provide?

Over and above night arming, ADT home security systems give users various modes and options to customize how their motion sensors will operate.

The most common arming modes, subject to personal variations, are:

  1. Stay Mode,
  2. Stay No Delay Mode,
  3. Away Mode,
  4. Away No Delay Mode.

 

1. Stay Mode

Night arming is a subset of stay mode. The primary difference is that while stay mode arms your entry points, it does not arm internal motion sensors; this allows people and pets to move around freely indoors without the risk of setting off an internal motion sensor.

Furthermore, stay mode arms the motion sensors at entry points relative to a delay. A delayed alarm/motion sensor will alert users to any motion detected at entry points, meaning that there will be a delay between the detected motion and an alert sent to ADT security.

The purpose of a delay is it allows users to disarm their alarm in the event that the motion detected at the entry point is a false alarm (such as someone accidentally opening a window.)

Consequently, stay mode is ideal for people who want perimeter protection while they are in their home or entry protection while they are away from home but want motion detectors to be turned off in the event of pets/children in the house.

 

2. Stay No Delay Mode

As mentioned above, stay mode does not allow for immediate notification to ADT for breach of motion sensors at entry points, instead opting for a delayed alert or alarm.

In this regard, stay no delay mode is similar to night arming, as it sends an immediate notification and authentication for help to ADT security in the event that an entry point is breached.

Consequently, stay no delay mode is similar to night arming, save for the fact that it does not allow for the customization of internal motion sensors, meaning that people and pets can walk around freely in the house without the risk of setting off the alarm system.

 

3. Away Mode

Away mode is the most used arming mode. Away mode allows users to arm their security systems to be triggered via both entry points and any movement detected within your home. As the name suggests, this mode is used when you and your family leave home for an extended period of time and don’t expect any visitors to enter the home in your absence.

This mode comes equipped with sensors that can ignore smaller animals in the house, should you be away from home but still want your pets to roam the house freely without triggering the alarm system.

Fortunately, this mode comes with a delayed alarm so as to allow you to disarm the alarm before ADT security is alerted.

 

4. Away No Delay Mode

Away no delay mode is the same as away mode, save for the fact that any breaches of the motion sensors of entry points and internally will send an immediate notification to ADT security.

This is sometimes referred to as maximum security mode and is ideal for users that intend on vacating a property for an extensive period of time, such as when the user is on vacation or for protecting valuable goods (such as in storage units.)

Just remember to contact ADT in advance should you wish to enter the premises without triggering the alarm and sending a false notification to ADT for immediate assistance!

 

Conclusion

As can be seen above, ADT offers users various methods to customize and optimize the night arming of their ADT security systems. These customization options are flexible and easy to implement, allowing users to rest easy, knowing their home is being securely monitored.

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Author

Edward Clark
Edward Clark, with 15 years of hands-on experience, is a distinguished expert in smart locks and home security systems. He holds a B.S. in Computer Engineering with a focus on Cybersecurity and is a member of the Electronic Security Association (ESA). His credentials include certifications from ASIS International, IAPP, CompTIA, NTS, and CEDIA. With expertise spanning risk management, electronic security, and data privacy, he's been featured in The Guardian, Forbes, Wired, and more. Edward's mission: guiding individuals toward secure homes using the latest technologies.

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