Arm Stay and Arm Away are two simple features of a common household security system. They both will guarantee the monitoring and protection of your belongings and of your family. These two may often be confused for each other, and yet most people may not know what they mean. The key difference lies in the level of security that each configuration mode offers.
Arm Stay is for when you’re awake and at home, and this feature typically only activates security at your home’s entry and exit points, deactivating sensors like motion sensors. Arm Away secures all entry/exit points and enables indoor motion sensors to protect your home when it’s empty.
Both the Arm Stay and the Arm Away modes are managed the same; it’s just a matter of picking the one which is right for your situation day by day. You may activate these modes from the convenience of your mobile device, or you may configure them using the security console in your home. Using any or both of these options depends on your personal preference.
How Does Arm Stay Work?
When this mode is active, there are specific parts of your security system that will be prioritized and others that will be inactive. Those which will be prioritized are those at the perimeter of your house, or your entry and exit points, which could be your doors, windows, or your garage. It also activates the glass-break detectors.
Under the Arm Stay mode, the motion sensors in key entrances or common areas in your home are inactive to prevent the alarms from being triggered by any of your movements inside the house. Sometimes, large pets can activate motion sensors, too. In Arm Stay, the security system will only sound the alarm with a breached entry or exit.
When Should You Use Arm Stay?
Because of its nature, the Arm Stay is best used when you’re awake or when there is someone inside the house. Some other specific scenarios where Arm Stay could come in handy are the following:
- Whenever you or your family is inside the home
- When you’re away but your pet is inside the home
- On work-from-home days when you may be busy and unmindful of the house
How Does Arm Away Work?
On the other hand, if you want to take the security features to the next level, this is where this mode would come in handy. Away Mode is more comprehensive, as it not only secures your entrances and exits but also activates the interior motion sensors.
This means that any forced entry AND common activity inside the home will sound the alarm. Movement is picked up by the motion sensors from entry and exit points, as well as common areas of the house like living rooms, kitchens, bedrooms, or bathrooms. Because of the advanced level of security that this mode offers, it is not ideal to use when you’re staying at home or leaving your pets inside.
There are security systems with pet-friendly Away modes, as long as the pet does not exceed a certain weight limit (usually 80 lbs). If you already have a preferred alarm system manufacturer, it’s best to check if they have this feature.
When Should You Use Arm Away?
Since Arm Away offers a more sensitive security level, it is best used when you’re leaving the house. Here are a few other scenarios where the Arm Away mode should be used:
- When you’re away on a vacation
- When you’re away at work
- When you’re taking a trip to the store or running other errands, even for a short while
- Any instances when you should leave your house unattended
Wrapping Up
When arming and disarming any particular mode for your home security system, it’s important to know which feature would be the most appropriate for your immediate situation. With a basic understanding of these two modes, you can make the best choice in which security mode to arm your system.
Both of these modes are very common among home security brands such as SimpliSafe, ADT, Brinks, and more. There are many home security systems out there to choose from. Some of these allow you to customize which particular sensors in your house to arm in case you would like a more tailored security for you.
For beginners, we recommend the SimpliSafe 8 Piece Wireless Home Security System (on Amazon), as it is easy to install with its plug-and-place nature. It’s also very affordable and customizable, in case you would like to add more sensors in the future.
Once you are familiar with these, you’d be surprised to know that controlling your home security system is relatively easy, and that investing in a reliable security system is very much worth it. You can rest assured that with new technology like these, your family, your belongings, and your home will remain safe.