How to cut down on motion sensor false alarms in your Erie home
Motion sensors are essential components in a full-featured home security strategy, as they’ll alert you whenever unexpected activity is occurring at your house. Regrettably, they’re also vulnerable to false alarms, causing frustration and a bad night’s sleep for Erie homeowners. If you’re searching for solutions, review our recommendations for minimizing motion sensor false alarms.
What causes motion detector false alarms?
The bulk of home motion detectors employ passive infrared (PIR) technology to find activity. They track changes in infrared radiation within their detection zone and can tell when someone is in motion by their heat signature. False alarms are typically caused by:
- Pets leaping on furniture or countertops
- Bright sunlight shining through a window
- Different heat sources, like fireplaces and ducts
- Rapid humidity or temperature fluctuations, which cause equipment to be overly sensitive or non-functional
Microwave motion sensors are an additional widespread option that discovers movement by continuously emitting and analyzing electromagnetic waves. These active motion detectors spot movement due to modifications in the reflected signal. Any unanticipated motion, like curtains moving when an HVAC fan starts up, can initiate an alarm.
Suggestions for reducing motion sensor false alarms at your Erie home
Aside from losing sleep, motion sensor false alarms are particularly disruptive as they might numb you to genuine dangers. Moreover, frequent false alarms can become an annoyance for local law enforcement and may affect response times in the future. Luckily, you can help prevent them by implementing these tips:
- Check the sensitivity settings of your equipment and modify to your animal’s size and behavior.
- Avoid directing them at high-traffic places like food dispensers, even when using pet-friendly sensors.
- Avoid aiming motion sensors at windows exposed to heavy sunlight.
- Make sure areas are adequately insulated to help prevent extreme temperature fluctuations.
- Periodically dust and clean devices to keep sensors working properly.
- Monitor batteries and swap out as needed. Many devices will even tell you when batteries are low.
- Get them installed professionally to ensure proper placement.
You could also choose dual-technology devices that employ both passive and active means to sense motion, leading to a higher degree of accuracy.
How should you incorporate motion sensors into your Erie smart home?
Integrating motion sensors into a modern smart home is a excellent way to boost your safety and convenience. You’ll be able to do the following:
- Obtain instant alerts on your smartphone whenever activity is spotted. You could also use them to update you when your children arrive home from school.
- Configure interior cameras to record automatically whenever a motion sensor trips.
- Change temperature settings or lighting in accordance with your home’s occupancy. This capability can help curb energy expenses.
Leading smart home devices, like the models installed by Vivint, continue to leverage artificial intelligence (AI) to more effectively identify threats and reduce false alarms.
Create your Vivint smart home with reliable motion sensors
Get leading motion sensors in Erie from Vivint when you customize your fully integrated smart home. Our tools are pet-sensitive and permit you to configure numerous automation actions. You’ll also appreciate the five-year battery and immediate smartphone alerts. Contact (814) 992-4902 today to learn more.