The First Sunday in November at 2:00AM is Day light savings time. As a reminder not only do you need to turn your clocks back one hour, you may also need to do a few things with your alarm system.
- Make sure your panel is set to the right time– If you are using the Alarm.com app. to access your system, your system will update on its own. In the morning double check to make sure all is set correctly. If you have a different type of system, you may need to set the time manually. You can contact the office and we will send you the instructions for your specific panel to do so, or just email us at service@hstechgroup.com with your request.
- Test your Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Detectors– For HST customers that have monitored Smoke and Carbon Monoxide detectors, you MUST call the Monitoring Station and place your system on “TEST” before you go to test your devices or you will most likely dispatch the FIRE Department. If you have the older smoke detectors that are standalone and not connected to our system, make sure to update them and comply with the new Maryland law regarding 10-year battery life smoke detectors. https://hstechgroup.com/blog/2018-state-of-maryland-smoke-alarm-law/
- Whether you have hard wired or plug in detectors, monitored or NOT monitored, it is important to make sure you are testing your Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Detectors a minimum of two times a year. Also note that the CO detectors usually only last for 5 years and have a date code on them, so if they are plug in, check the date code on the back or side of the device to see if it’s time to be replaced. If you are not sure whether your smoke detectors are tied into your alarm system, as a precaution, make sure to call the monitoring station and place your system into TEST mode prior to testing them.
Good Example of a Plug-in NON-Monitored 5-year Life CO Detector
Amazon’s Choice for CO Detectors – Click Here
- Change the settings on your Automation Schedules – As Day Light Savings Time gets in to full swing it will start getting darker earlier, and the temperature will start getting much cooler. If you have a smart thermostat and smart lighting, you may need to adjust your settings to meet your new needs. If you don’t have a connected thermostat or connected lights that allow you to control them from your smartphone, and have questions regarding costs, please reach out to HST today for more information.
Questions or concerns please feel free to give us a call at 1-888-622-7172
