Your house alarm should make you feel safe and protected, but sometimes it can do the opposite. Many users have noticed that the house alarm makes clicking sounds entirely out of nowhere, making you think something is wrong. So what causes alarm systems to make this noise?
A house alarm can make a clicking noise because of a false alarm caused by moving objects, pets, or issues with the alarm system. Moreover, the noise might be caused by battery issues, crossed wires, or sensitive sirens. To stop the noise, try resetting the alarm or replacing the batteries.
In the rest of this article, I will explain what causes false alarms and what can possibly be the reason why house alarms make clicking sounds. I’ll also show you some possible fixes for this problem.
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Common Triggers for House Alarms
Ideally, you would want your house alarm to be sensitive enough to detect suspicious movements and activity but also intelligent enough to tell a potential threat from a harmless movement. While some alarms are more sophisticated than others, house alarms can be easily triggered by mistake.
The clicking sound coming from your house alarm may be caused by one of these triggers:
1. Pet Movement
Pets can easily set off your motion sensors if you haven’t adjusted them precisely to ignore animals. Motion detectors are sensitive enough to catch any movement, and your cat or dog may easily trigger the alarm. Even if you don’t have pets, wild animals outside can be detected by sensors and sound the alarm.
Because this is a common problem, house alarms commonly offer solutions. For instance, you can set your alarm not to be triggered by the movement of anything under 40 kg (88 pounds). Alternatively, you can designate a zone where motion sensors won’t work so your pets can walk freely without sounding alarms.
2. Bugs Crawling on Sensors
As small as they are, insects can trigger house alarms by crawling all over them. This is especially common in older house alarm systems. Other pests like lizards or geckos also activate alarms if they find a way to crawl close to them.
3. Strong Wind
Motion sensors are very sensitive to detect even the slightest suspicious movement, but this also means that they can be triggered by literal air. The strong wind from the window or vents can trigger motion sensors and sound your alarms.
Once again, this problem is more common in older technologies or aged alarm systems. Newer house alarms can also detect movement, but they won’t sound the alarm unless they detect a pattern.
4. Changing Layout
A change in the layout of the house can indeed sound an alarm if the change is drastic enough to be detected. Unfortunately, some older systems can be triggered easily by moving furniture or installing new equipment.
If you’ve just installed an alarm and don’t intend to do renovations, you don’t have to consider this issue. However, if you’re thinking of changing the layout of your home after years, you need to keep your old alarm system in mind because it might be triggered easily.
5. Other Moving Objects
Anything that moves may become a possible trigger with house alarms. There are plenty of objects that move around the house, from ceiling fans to toys. You need to be careful even with helium balloons or flowers in vases that may fall suddenly.
Moving doors and windows can also sound the alarm. Some more sophisticated alarms can learn to disregard them, but others can’t tell the difference, so keep the doors and windows still.
6. Issues With the Alarm System
If your alarm system is old or faulty, it may trigger itself out of nowhere. A malfunctioning alarm system can’t really tell what’s a trigger and what isn’t, so it may sound off at any time. This may also happen if the battery is low. If you’re unsure what the issue is, contact your alarm company to take a look at it.
Other Probable Causes of Clicking Noises
Possible triggers usually sound the alarm, but they might not be the cause of the particular clicking noise that you keep hearing. There’s no official cause of this problem, but there are a few other theories that can explain why your house alarm system makes this noise:
7. Dying Battery
The battery that powers the sounders in your alarm system dies after some time of use. Depending on the brand, it may last from one to three years. A decaying battery may cause problems in the connections between the control panels and the sounders, causing them to make clicking sounds continuously.
8. Crossed Wires
Sometimes the wires powering your alarm system might be crossed with low-voltage signal cables. This happens when these cables are not spaced apart. As a result, the sounders of the house alarm may make clicking sounds without reason.
9. Sensitive Sounder
Some particular types of alarm systems have very sensitive sounders that can set off even if there is no trigger from the sensors. The control panel may sometimes send a testing signal to ensure the sounder works, but because it is sensitive, the sounder can make clicking noises.
What To Do When Your House Alarm Makes a Clicking Noise
Depending on what is causing the clicking noise, you have a few fixes you can try to make the noise stop:
- Reset the alarm system.
- Disconnect the sounder and connect it again.
- Open up the control panel and check if there are any faulty connections.
- Replace the battery of the sounder or the backup battery of the alarm system.
- Disable the sounders and replace them.
- Install a resistor in parallel with the internal sounder.
- Call a specialist to fix it.
Naturally, you won’t have to try all of these fixes, so start with what you consider to be the solution to the most probable issue. If some of these solutions sound too technical for you, don’t hesitate to call a specialist to ensure the problem is solved and that you stay safe.
For more tips about alarms and safety gear, check out my other articles.
Conclusion
The clicking noise that your alarm makes is not only annoying but can also indicate issues that need solving. This noise can be caused by false alarms, given that sensors can be triggered by any moving object, pet, or even strong wind. Additionally, the cause may be dying batteries, crossed wires, or other malfunctions.
You have several ways of trying to solve this issue, like replacing batteries or resetting the alarm system, but make sure you try solutions that you’re comfortable with; otherwise, contact an expert.
