Why am I Not Receiving Temperature Notifications from My Lyric Panel via HomeKit?

You are not receiving temperature notifications from your Lyric Panel via HomeKit because HomeKit is unable to provide specific alerts for temperature sensors. But if you have the temperature sensor programmed with a 24-Hour Auxiliary Response Type, then you can receive generic alerts.

Apple HomeKit only provides specific notifications for zones with a small selection of Response Types. These Response Types are Entry/Exit 1, Entry/Exit 2, Perimeter, Interior Follower and Interior w/ Delay. If a zone has one of these Response Types, HomeKit can display a unique notification that includes the Zone Descriptor. If a zone does not have one of those Response Types, then you cannot receive unique HomeKit notifications regarding that zone. Temperature sensors would not be programmed with any of the aforementioned Response Types.

However, HomeKit does something unique for audible system alarms. HomeKit will actually display these alarm events as General Lyric System Alerts. Many temperature sensors are programmed with the Response Type of 24-Hour Auxiliary, which is an audible system alarm. By using this Response Type with a temperature sensor, a user can receive a General Lyric System Alert from HomeKit if their temperature sensor activates. Please note that you should let the central station know that it is a temperature sensor, as they may think an auxiliary alarm is a medical crisis.

All General Lyric System Alerts are configured collectively within Apple HomeKit. The options "Include in Status" and "Allow Notifications" must be enabled. Users can select who will receive these alerts, and they can restrict these alerts to only being sent out during certain time periods. Remember, all audible system alarms are sent out as General Lyric System Alerts.

There is one downside to General Lyric System Alerts that should be mentioned. They do not tell you the exact sensor that was faulted, and they do not tell you the Device Type. If you receive a General Lyric System Alert, it could be any type of audible alarm. You won't necessarily know whether the alarm was caused by your temperature sensor, flood sensor, smoke detector or carbon monoxide detector. The General Lyric System Alert will only provide a generic notification, and you will have to figure out the cause for yourself.

Below is an example of what a General Lyric System Alert looks like:

If you want to know exactly which sensor was activated, we strongly recommend using Total Connect 2.0 alongside Apple HomeKit. With Total Connect 2.0, you can receive text and email notifications that tell you exactly which zone was faulted. To learn more about the differences between HomeKit and Total Connect 2.0, please check this FAQ.