How Do I Turn Off the Severe Weather Siren Warning on the IQ5 NS?

To turn off the Severe Weather Siren Warning on the IQ5 NS, open the IQ Installer app, touch Config, Installation, then Sirens and Alarms, and turn the setting off. The system then uses a severe weather chime instead. The siren stays quiet, and other sirens keep working normally.

What the Severe Weather Siren Warning Does

The IQ5 NS (available in AT&T LTE and Verizon LTE) can warn you about severe weather. When the system receives a severe weather alert and the Severe Weather Siren Warning setting is enabled, the siren sounds. That is the default. When you disable the setting, the system uses a severe weather chime instead, so you are still alerted, but without the siren.

The setting affects only severe weather alerts. Burglary, fire, and other alarm events keep using the siren the way they always have, so turning it off does not change how the rest of your security system responds.

Before You Start

You need the IQ Installer app connected to the system, and the Installer Code or Dealer Code. The system has a front-facing speaker and a piezo siren, so the siren is loud. A chime is quieter, so make sure someone can still hear it if you switch to the chime.

How to Turn Off the Severe Weather Siren Warning

1. Open the IQ Installer app and connect to the panel. Press the power button twice within 3 seconds and wait for the solid blue Status LED.

2. Enter the Installer Code or Dealer Code. The default Installer Code is 1111 and the default Dealer Code is 2222.

3. Touch the Config tab, then touch Installation. This opens the Installation menu.

4. Touch Sirens and Alarms. It is the megaphone icon in the Installation menu.

IQ5 NS Sirens and Alarms option in the Installation menu

Alt Text: IQ5 NS IQ Installer app installation menu with the sirens and alarms option circled

5. Turn off Severe Weather Siren Warning. It is enabled by default. Once it is off, the system uses the severe weather chime and no longer sounds the siren for severe weather alerts.

What Changes After You Turn It Off

After you turn the setting off, a severe weather alert plays the severe weather chime on the system and the siren stays quiet. You are still told about the alert, so the warning is quieter and not removed. Other sirens on the system keep their own settings.

Other Settings in the Same Menu

The Sirens and Alarms menu holds the other siren settings, so it is a convenient place to review them together. It includes the Siren Timeout, which is 4 minutes by default, and the Dialer Delay, which is 30 seconds by default. Each has its own setting, and changing one does not affect the others.

Why You Would Turn It Off

The most common reason is noise. A severe weather alert can arrive in the middle of the night, and a siren sounding for a weather watch can be startling, especially with children or pets in the home. The chime still gives you the warning at a gentler level.

Chime or Siren: Which to Choose

The siren gets attention quickly, which matters if severe weather is a real concern where you live and someone needs to take cover. The chime is gentler and suits a household that already gets weather alerts elsewhere, such as on a phone. Choose the siren if a loud warning is worth the disruption, and the chime if you would rather be alerted quietly. Either way, the system still tells you about the alert.

Checking That the Change Worked

You cannot trigger a severe weather alert on demand, so the change shows up the next time the system receives one. To confirm the setting is saved, return to the menu and check that Severe Weather Siren Warning reads as off. If the siren still sounds for a weather alert, confirm you changed the setting on the right system and that the change was saved.

How to Turn It Back On

To turn the siren warning back on, repeat the same steps and switch Severe Weather Siren Warning on again. The system then sounds the siren the next time it receives a severe weather alert.

Turning off the Severe Weather Siren Warning on your IQ5 NS swaps the siren for a quieter severe weather chime on the IQ5 NS. For help with siren settings or other alarm options or other configurations on your IQ5 NS, contact the Alarm Grid support team. We are here Monday through Friday from 9:00 AM to 8:00 PM Eastern Time. Email us at support@alarmgrid.com, call us at 888-818-7728, or visit our website and chat with a live support agent.