How to cut down on motion sensor false alarms in your Prescott home
Motion sensors are crucial components in a full-featured home security strategy, as they’ll alert you whenever an uninvited guest is prowling around your house. Sadly, they’re also vulnerable to false alarms, causing frustration and lost sleep for Prescott homeowners. If you’re searching for solutions, review our tips on minimizing motion sensor false alarms.
What causes motion detector false alarms?
The bulk of home motion detectors use passive infrared (PIR) technology to identify movement. They track fluctuations in infrared radiation in their detection zone and can determine when something is in motion by its heat signature. False alarms are often triggered by:
- Pets climbing on furniture or tabletops
- Bursts of bright sunlight through a window
- A variety of heat sources, such as air ducts and fireplaces
- Sudden temperature or humidity fluctuations, which cause equipment to be hypersensitive or non-reactive
Microwave motion sensors are an additional common option that discovers motion by continuously sending out and analyzing electromagnetic waves. Referred to as active motion detectors, they recognize movement via modifications in the reflected signal. Any unexpected movement, like curtains shifting when an HVAC fan starts up, can set off an alarm.
Tips for limiting motion sensor false alarms at your Prescott home
Beyond interrupted sleep, motion sensor false alarms can be particularly troublesome as they can desensitize you to real dangers. Additionally, repeated false alarms might become an annoyance for first responders and may influence response times in the future. Luckily, you can help circumvent them by adhering to these recommendations:
- Inspect the sensitivity levels of your equipment and change to your pet’s size and behavior.
- Avoid aiming them at busy spots like feeding stations, even when you have animal-friendly sensors.
- Avoid aiming motion detectors at windows receiving heavy sunlight.
- Ensure areas are properly insulated to help prevent extreme temperature fluctuations.
- Dust and wipe down devices frequently to ensure proper function.
- Monitor batteries and swap out as needed. Some motion sensors will even inform you when batteries are getting low.
- Get them installed professionally to ensure correct placement.
You might also choose dual-technology devices that utilize both passive and active sensors to sense movement, providing a higher degree of accuracy.
How can you incorporate motion sensors into your Prescott smart home?
Integrating motion sensors into a new smart home is a fantastic way to enhance your convenience and safety. You’ll be able to do the following:
- Get automatic updates on your mobile device any time activity is detected. You could also utilize them to update you when your kids get home from school.
- Configure interior cameras to record any time a motion sensor is tripped.
- Change lighting or temperature settings according to whether people are home. This capability can help reduce utility costs.
Top smart home devices, like those installed by Vivint, continue to leverage artificial intelligence (AI) to more effectively identify actual threats and reduce false alarms.
Build your Vivint smart home with dependable motion sensors
Get the top motion sensors in Prescott from Vivint when you design your fully functional smart home. Our sensors are pet-sensitive and permit you to initiate various home automation actions. You’ll also appreciate the five-year battery life and automatic cell phone updates. Contact (928) 267-6739 today to learn more.