Safety mistakes ADT pros notice every summer — and what homeowners often miss 

The homeowner was in the shower when someone attempted to break in. Not from the front door, not from the back door, but from a window above a slanted roof — the kind most people assume no one can reach. 

The moment the window cracked open, the alarm went off, and the intruder ran away. 

Just weeks earlier, an ADT salesperson had convinced the homeowners to secure that exact window with an ADT Door/Window Sensor for added peace of mind, according to Aaron Light, ADT’s Virtual Installation Manager. 

ADT field professionals with years of experience in monitoring, installation, and sales say moments like this don’t come out of nowhere. Every summer, they see patterns repeat — not dramatic mistakes, but small, everyday decisions that quietly create risk. 

The good news is that most of what they see is preventable. Here’s how. 

Don’t spill the vacation tea 

Posting vacation plans in real time, tagging locations and sharing “we’re gone for a week” updates on social media — paired with abandoned packages and an overflowing mailbox — makes it easy to spot an empty home. 

Do this instead: 

• Pause deliveries and clear the signs of an empty home, such as packages on the porch or a lawn that hasn’t been touched in days. 
• Post your pics to social media after you’re home, not while you’re away. “The biggest red flag I see is people broadcasting their vacations on Facebook,” Light said. “Wait until you come back to share the photos and videos — don’t tell the world you’re away.” 
• Use ADT+ Security System automations and smart devices, such as the ADT Dimming Lamp Module and ADT Smart Light Bulb, to schedule lighting that makes your home look occupied. 
• And don’t forget to arm your system when you leave. “Customers sometimes tell me, ‘We live in a safe area, so I don’t really arm the system.’ That scares me,” said Steven Headley, an ADT HOA Account Manager. 

Don’t forget about open doors and windows 

Kids are on break, going in and out of the house all day. People are letting in fresh air. This can lead to doors, windows and garages being left open or unarmed, ADT pros say. Increased use can also cause sensors to shift or prevent entry points from fully sealing. 

Do this instead: 

• Confirm all doors and windows are fully closed so ADT Premium Door/Window Sensors are aligned, including garage doors, sliders and secondary entry points. “I’ve had customers call and say they can’t get their system to arm, and through troubleshooting, they find a window open or a door ajar in a room they don’t often use,” Headley said. “It only takes one person up to no good to see that from a distance.”

• Add ADT Glass Break Sensors to help detect forced entry if window glass is shattered rather than forced open.  

• Look for windows that may be accessible, even above ground level. “I always encourage customers to put sensors on windows that are accessible from the ground — but people also overlook windows near slanted roofs,” Light said. “They think no one can get up there, but those windows can be accessible.” 

Don't let your landscaping obscure cameras

Plants can grow quickly in summer, blocking sightlines and cameras. Additionally, ADT pros note that limited visibility and dark, hard-to-see areas around entry points can allow someone to test doors and windows without being noticed. 

Do this instead: 

• Trim back landscaping so doors, windows and walkways are fully visible and cameras are not obscured. “I’ve seen branches hit cameras during storms, so cleaning up branches around the house is probably one of the best ways to prevent weather-related problems,” said Sean Miller, ADT Field Technician. 
• Consider the Google Nest Cam with floodlight ,installed by an ADT professional, to help eliminate dark areas by triggering motion-activated lighting while capturing clear video of anyone lurking at night. 
• Or, if you choose our ADT Blu DIY Outdoor Cameras make sure to position them so they have a clear, unobstructed line of sight to entry points and place them at a height that captures faces and movement, not just the top of someone’s head.  
• Protect outdoor cameras during exterior home maintenance work to prevent damage. “I've seen multiple times where customers had their siding power-washed, and it caused their outdoor cameras to flood out,” said John Young, an Existing Customer Manager at ADT. 

Don’t inadvertently make a break-in easier 

Ladders, spare tools, stacked patio furniture and loose bricks can all give someone up to no good easier access to your home, ADT pros say. 

Do this instead: 

• Lock up ladders, yard tools and any movable outdoor items that could be climbed on or used to force entry before you leave your home. “Don’t leave ladders out. Don’t leave anything somebody can use to break in — loose bricks, anything they could use to physically get into your home,” said Maurice Caples, ADT Existing Customer Technician. 
• Keep sheds, pool houses, outdoor storage closets and garages protected by using ADT Blu Motion Sensors. “The biggest thing with garage sensors is cleaning around them. Get the debris away — cobwebs, even splash from a car can build up in that area affecting the sensors,” said Myles Cunningham, an ADT Customer Service Associate. 

Don't forget to arm your system

In summer, systems can go unused during the day because people are coming and going, or automations get turned off and never turned back on. ADT pros say this can lead to long stretches when homes aren’t actively protected.  

Do this instead: 

• Use the ADT+ app to set up auto-arm and scheduled routines, and double-check that those automations are active. “With newer systems, you can actually have it auto-arm at certain times,” Miller said. 
• Make sure everyone in your household knows how to arm, disarm and use the correct mode so the system isn’t left off or set incorrectly. Call ADT if you need help or reminders. “Sometimes it’s fear of not knowing how to use the system. Some customers are scared they’re going to have false alarms and have the police show up or the fire department,” Miller said. 
• Verify all zones in your ADT system before arming, and resolve any alerts or bypassed sensors rather than ignoring them. “Sometimes people push off dealing with a concern, and then there’s an issue like a break-in, and they meant to call about that door sensor. If there is a problem, fix it,” Cunningham said. 

Don't forget to do regular system checks  

ADT pros say many households don’t test their systems regularly to confirm that alarms are triggering, signals are reaching our monitoring team, and the internet connection is strong. Dead batteries can make things worse, taking devices offline and creating coverage gaps. 

Do this instead: 

• Check communication before you leave town and after storms, outages, home renovations or Wi-Fi changes. “Before you leave town, do one quick communication test while you’re still home,” said Ryan Mihalik, ADT Monitoring Unit Manager. “And renovations, storms, or lightning can impact the system, so when things come back up, you definitely want to test it and make sure it’s still communicating to us.” 
• Inspect and clean sensors regularly, especially on less-used doors, windows and in garages or basements, and make sure sensor magnets are aligned, well-attached and able to register with your system.  
• Place ADT Water and Temperature Sensors next to sump pumps and HVAC units to help detect leaks that can lead to widespread damage. 
• Treat low-battery alerts, error messages and communication warnings as action items, not something to clear or bypass. “If there is a communication issue, it will say on the display: communication issue. Don’t wait, don’t hesitate — have a technician come in and check out the system.” Young said. 

Don’t put your health at risk from fire or CO2 

Without professional monitoring, smoke and carbon monoxide alerts can go unnoticed when no one is home, putting pets and property at risk. ADT pros also notice that risks can build up in plain sight, with clutter near heat sources or equipment charging in poorly ventilated areas. And travel and busy summer schedules can lead to warning signs being ignored. 

Do this instead: 

• Use professionally monitored ADT Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Detectors so alerts can reach beyond the walls of your home. Cody Ellis, an ADT Service Technician, said the risk with standalone detectors is simple: “Nobody can hear it outside. Nobody knows anything about it.” 
• Make sure those detectors are working. “Some people completely remove smoke detectors instead of fixing them when they chirp. It’s chirping at you for a reason. Change the battery or change the unit itself,” Caples said. 
• Avoid charging large batteries, like those in golf carts, in poorly ventilated spaces. “The longer those batteries charge, the more gas certain types of batteries can release. If there’s no ventilation, that can be deadly,” Headley said. 
• Avoid overloading a single outlet or power source with multiple devices, as this can cause overheating and increase fire risk. “Sometimes people have too much plugged into one outlet — fans, window air conditioners and other devices — and that can overheat the outlet, cause smoke, set off fire alarms or even cause fires,” said Letitia Oliver, an ADT Monitoring Manager. 

Above all, don’t get overwhelmed 

An ADT security system is meant to provide you with peace of mind, so you can relax and fully enjoy the summer season. If it starts to feel overwhelming, know that your system is backed by experienced professionals ready to help. 

Do this instead: 

“If you know you’re going away for a week, it doesn’t hurt to have us visit three weeks out and go over the system,” Young said. “Think of it like a car. If you maintain your system and invest a little bit of time into it, your system will last. It’s giving that little bit of extra tender loving care to it so you know everything will be good.”