Smart Home FAQs

Does Blue Ridge sell home security?

We greatly value your interest in installing security services with Blue Ridge. At this time, however we are not able to schedule new installations of home security services. We continue to support existing customers. We would be happy you place you on our list of interested customers if you would consider adding home security in the future. Please contact us for further assistance.

 

Can I control the system from my smartphone?

Yes! Download the Blue Ridge SmartHome app for Apple or Android devices. If searching the app store, please make sure to enter “SmartHome” as one word.

 

Help! I forgot my username or password.

From the initial sign-in screen of the SmartHome app, tap Help and then choose Reset Password or Recover Username. Follow the onscreen prompts.

 

How do I arm the system?
How does the system work?
What Rules are recommended?

Please see the Smart Home Quick Start Guide attachment at the bottom of this article.

 

Help! I forgot my Master PIN.

Please contact us for assistance.

 

How do I change my PIN?

From the mobile app:

1. Sign into the Blue Ridge SmartHome app.
2. At the bottom of the screen, tap More.
3. Tap Keypad Codes.
4. Tap the PIN you wish to change.
5. Enter your current Master PIN.
6. Edit the 4 Digit Code or make other desired changes.
7. Tap Save.

From your touchscreen:

1. Tap Settings, then enter your current Master PIN.
2. Tap Security.
3. Tap Manage Keypad Codes.
4. Tap Edit.
5. Tap the 4 Digit Code
6. Enter your new PIN.
7. Enter your new PIN again.
8. Tap Save, then Return to Master Menu.

Can I set up more than one PIN?

Yes. You can create PINs for guests, house sitters, cleaning services, etc.

From the mobile app:

1. Sign into the Blue Ridge SmartHome app.
2. At the bottom of the screen, tap More.
3. Tap Keypad Codes.
4. Tap the + symbol in the top right.
5. Enter your current Master PIN.
6. Enter the name of the PIN, select Code Type, create a 4 Digit Code, and tap on any day of the week for which you do not want the PIN to be active. Please note: The Guest PIN number cannot match your Master PIN.
7. Tap Save.
8. To delete any created PINs, follow steps 1 -3, tap the PIN you wish to delete, enter your Master PIN, scroll down, and tap Delete Keypad Code.

From your touchscreen:

1. Tap Settings, then enter your current Master PIN.
2. Tap Security.
3. Tap Manage Keypad Codes.
4. Tap Add Keycode.
5. Tap Name and enter the PIN name.
6. Tap the 4 Digit Code box.
7. Enter your new PIN. Please note: The Guest PIN number cannot match your Master PIN.
8. Enter your new PIN again.
9. Change level to desired (Standard, Guest, Arm Only).
10. Create schedule if needed.
11. Tap Save.

 

What happens when my alarm goes off?

1. An alarm is triggered.
2. The monitoring station calls the two primary emergency contact numbers on file.
3. If you answer that call, the monitoring station asks for your Secret Word– the verbal password to verify your identity.
4. If the monitoring station receives no answer at those contact numbers, or if you provide the incorrect answer to your Secret Word, the next call goes to emergency services.
5. The monitoring station calls additional contact numbers after emergency services.
6. Other Rules you have set up may trigger, such as Email or Text alerts.

 

Help! I forgot my Secret Word.

You have the ability to change your Secret Word at any time.

From the mobile app:

1. Sign into the Blue Ridge SmartHome app.
2. At the bottom of the screen, tap More.
3. Tap Account.
4. Scroll down to Secret Word. Tap View/Edit.
5. Enter your Master PIN.
6. Enter your new Secret Word.
7. Tap Save.

From your touchscreen:

1. Tap Settings, then enter your current Master PIN.
2. Tap Advanced Settings.
3. Tap Set Security Secret Word.
4. Tap the current Secret Word
5. Enter your new Secret Word.
6. Tap Save.

 

Help! I had a false alarm.

If you missed a call from the monitoring station, you can reach them at 1-800-868-0063 to report a false alarm.

It is recommended to check the following:

• What tripped the alarm?
• Was your system armed in the correct mode: Away, Stay, or Night?
• Did someone open a door marked Perimeter instead of Entry/Exit?
• Are both pieces of the door or window sensor making contact when closed?
• If a Smoke Detector set it off, is the sensor near any air or heating vents?
• If the Motion Sensor set it off, that device uses thermal imaging. Is the sensor positioned where it will view a heat/air vent or where direct sunlight may hit it?
• Do you have pets, and does the Motion Sensor have a pet shield or correct positioning?
• Is your Motion Sensor active in Night Mode and someone walked through by mistake?

If you believe you disarmed the system but the police still came to your home, you may have accidentally entered your Duress PIN, which triggers a silent alarm, instead of your Master PIN.

 

Help! My alarm did not go off when it should have.

Questions to ask in the event of a perceived lack of an alarm include:

• Was the system correctly armed?
• Is the system working as designed and following the Rules created?
• Does the sensor in question have a dead battery or communication failure?
• Has the sensor been bypassed on your system?
• Did a sensor become detached or go missing?

In regards to Motion Sensors:

• Did you arm the system from your touchscreen and activate the countdown, but then didn’t leave through a door with an Entry/Exit Door Sensor? If so, the system defaults to Stay Mode and motion sensors will not activate.
• Do you expect the sensor to trigger alarms at night? Motion Sensors are not active in Night mode by default, and must be set up as a Night sensor for that to occur.
• If you are testing your motion sensor and the system does not trigger the alarm, there is a delay of up to five minutes after arming before the motion sensor is active.

If a Rule is not triggering as expected: Do the Rules make logical sense, or are contradictory Rules set up?

 

My system is offline.
Help! I can’t arm my system.

You may be unable to arm your system if your system is offline or cannot communicate.

If your system has lost internet connection but still has cellular connection, you can arm and disarm from the touchscreen, and alarms will still notify the monitoring station. If you have no internet or cellular connection, you will not be able to interact with the SmartHome app and no alarms will notify the monitoring station. However, alarms will still trigger and the siren will emit from the touchscreen in your home.

Please try the following:

1. Make sure your touchscreen is plugged into an active power source.
2. Reboot your modem and router.

If you recently replaced your router, this may affect the system’s connection. You must migrate your system to the new wifi network. From your touchscreen:

1. Press Settings.
2. Enter your Master PIN.
3. Press Advanced Settings.
4. Press Connectivity.
5. Press Manage Network, then press Next.
6. Select Wifi and press Nextb
7. Wait for the touchscreen to scan for Wifi networks.
8. Select your network and press Next.
9. Enter your wifi password and press Next.
10. Press Reboot Touchscreen.
11. Once rebooted, confirm any cameras are still viewable. If cameras are nonfunctioning, reboot your cameras by unplugging them and plugging them back in.

You may also be unable to arm your system due to an open zone, such as a door or window. Make sure all listed zones are closed. If a sensor indicates it has been tampered or cannot communicate, it may have a dead battery or other issue. You can bypass that individual sensor to arm the rest of your system.

 

How do I bypass a sensor?

1. From your touchscreen, tap Security and find the Zone in your list.
2. Press Turn Zone Off.
3. Enter your Master PIN. You will return to the arming screen.
4. From here you can arm the system. The touchscreen will indicate a zone is off.

 

My system says I have a low battery in a sensor or device.
How do I replace a sensor battery?

If a battery in a sensor or device needs replacement, you do have the option of replacing the battery on your own. The following lists each sensor and its battery type:

To replace the battery, remove the front panel of the sensor, remove the existing battery, insert the new battery, and reattach the covering on the sensor. Be careful not to hold down the metal tamper switch.

If your system displays a “difficulty communicating” or “opened or tampered” error message after replacing the battery, please contact us.

If you request a technician to replace the battery, we can schedule an appointment. If we installed the sensor or device more than one year ago, and you do not subscribe to our Maintenance Plan, a one-time labor charge will apply. Please contact us for more information.

 

My touchscreen freezes or is slow to respond.

First, please try rebooting your touchscreen. From the touchscreen, press Settings, then Advanced Settings, then Reboot Touchscreen.

If the problem persists, please contact us. You can also arm or disarm your system using the SmartHome app with no delay.

 

Help! I can’t view my camera feed.

Are you at home? Can you view the camera feed from your system touchscreen? If so, the problem may be with your app or internet browser, and not the camera or system. Try rebooting your mobile device or uninstalling and reinstalling the app.

If your system has lost its internet connection, cameras will not be viewable away from home. Please try rebooting your modem, router, and touchscreen.

If you have installed a new router recently, cameras may have to be paired to your new wifi network. Please see “My system is offline” above.

To reboot an individual camera on your system, unplug the camera’s power cord for 30 seconds, then plug it back in.

 

Can the camera record continuously?

Yes. You can set up 24-Hour Recording on one camera at a time. Only video is recorded, no audio. You must purchase a Class 10 / 64 GB SD Card. This will store approx. seven days of footage. We have tested SanDisk brand SD cards. We recommend a full-sized SD card instead of a microSD with adapter.

Please note: once activated, the SD card will reformat and you will lose any data already saved to it. To activate, insert the SD card into the slot on your touchscreen. Navigate to the Camera app on the touchscreen and tap the REC button in the top left. Enter your Master PIN to start recording. In event of a card error, reboot your touchscreen.

You must view recorded footage from the touchscreen. Tap View Recorded Video to access footage. One-hour segments can be exported to a USB drive. Insert the drive into your touchscreen’s USB port and follow onscreen prompts.

 

I have issues with other sensors / devices.

Please contact us for further assistance.

 

I have the Lifeshield home security system.

If you currently subscribe to the Lifeshield security system billed through Blue Ridge, please contact Blue by ADT (formerly Lifeshield) directly at 877-464-7437 for any issues with the service or monitoring.

 

Blue Ridge Smart Home Quick Start Guide