How Long Does a House Alarm Sound For?

The length that a house alarm will sound for depends on the bell timeout setting for the panel. Based on this setting, a siren will only sound for as long as the bell timeout specifies. Many security panels allow users to provide separate bell timeouts for fire alarms and security alarms.

In order to access the bell timeout settings for a security system, you will need to know the Installer Code for the panel. We generally recommend keeping the Installer Code at its default so that you will be able to easily look it up in case it is ever forgotten. As long as you know the Installer Code, the process for accessing these settings will be relatively simple. However, the steps will vary slightly between systems. Before making changes to the bell timeout, check for any local laws or ordinances that may affect how you should program these settings.

For a Honeywell LYNX Touch or Lyric Controller, the steps are virtually the same. From the home screen of the panel, go to Security > More (if using LYNX Touch) > Tools > enter Installer Code (the default is 4112) > Program > Sounder. This will take you to the sounder settings where you can adjust the bell timeout. Simply click on the fields for "Burglary Bell Timeout" and "Fire Bell Timeout" to adjust the settings. Click "Save" in the bottom-right corner of the screen to save your changes.

On a 2GIG GC2, from the home screen click on the Go!Control icon in the bottom-right corner of the screen. Then enter the Installer Code (the default is 1561). Then choose System Configuration. A keypad will be displayed. Hit the "go to" button. Enter in "36". This will take you to "Q36: Select burglary bell cutoff (0 to 4)". Press the right and left arrows to adjust the burglary alarm timeout. Then press the down arrow. You will see "Q37: Select the fire bell cutoff (0 to 4)". Press the right and left arrows to adjust the fire alarm timeout. Once you have made your selection, press "End" in the bottom-right corner of the screen. Make sure the box next to "Save Changes" is checked. Then hit "exit" in the bottom-right corner of the screen. The system will reboot, and the bell timeout settings will be changed.

On a 2GIG GC3, from the home screen, click the 2GIG logo in the upper-right corner of the screen. Then enter the Installer Code (the default is 1561). Choose "System Configuration", then "Panel Programming". This will take you to the Panel Programming menu. On the left side of the screen, scroll to Q40 and Q41, which are "Burglary bell cutoff time" and "Fire bell cutoff time" respectively. Clicking on either of these fields will open up the sub-menu on the right side of the screen. The available selections are "4 minutes", "8 minutes", "12 minutes" and "16 minutes". Once you have made your selection, click on "Return to System Configuration" at the top of the screen. Then hit the back arrow on the left side of the screen. The system will ask you to confirm your changes. Hit the green "Save" button. The bell timeout on your GC3 will be changed.

On a Qolsys IQ Panel 2, from the home screen, press the small grey bar at the top of the screen. Then choose Settings, followed by Advanced Settings. Then enter the Installer Code (the default is 1111). Choose Installation, followed by Siren and Alarms. Locate the setting for "Siren Timeout", and click on it. Make your selection. Then click on the picture of the house at the bottom of the screen to return to the home screen. Your siren timeout setting will be changed.