How to cut down on motion sensor false alarms in your Bellingham home
Motion sensors are crucial aspects in a full-featured home security strategy, as they’ll tell you if suspicious activity is going on at your house. Unfortunately, they’re also prone to false alarms, causing frustration and a bad night’s sleep for Bellingham homeowners. If you’re looking for solutions, explore our tips on minimizing motion sensor false alarms.
What triggers motion detector false alarms?
The majority of household motion detectors use passive infrared (PIR) technology to find activity. They sense changes in infrared radiation inside their detection zone and can recognize when something is in motion by its heat signature. False alarms are frequently triggered by:
- Pets jumping on tabletops or furniture
- Intense sunlight streaming through a window
- Various heat sources, such as fireplaces and air ducts
- Rapid humidity or temperature fluctuations, which cause equipment to be hypersensitive or unresponsive
Microwave motion sensors are an additional widespread option that senses motion by continuously emitting and assessing electromagnetic waves. Known as active motion detectors, they recognize movement through alterations in the returning signal. Any unexpected activity, like curtains shifting when an HVAC fan turns on, can set off an alarm.
Ideas for decreasing motion sensor false alarms at your Bellingham home
Aside from losing sleep, motion sensor false alarms can be even more troublesome as they can numb you to genuine dangers. Furthermore, recurring false alarms may become an annoyance for emergency providers and may influence future response times. Fortunately, you can help circumvent them by following these recommendations:
- Inspect the sensitivity settings of your equipment and modify to your animal’s behavior and size.
- Avoid directing them at busy spots like food bowls, even when using animal-friendly detectors.
- Avoid pointing motion detectors at windows that receive intense sunlight.
- Make sure spaces are properly insulated to minimize extreme temperature shifts.
- Dust and wipe down equipment frequently to ensure proper function.
- Check batteries and swap out as needed. Certain motion sensors will even inform you when batteries are getting low.
- Get them installed professionally to ensure optimal placement.
You might also choose dual-technology devices that utilize both active and passive means to identify activity, providing greater accuracy.
How should you utilize motion sensors in your Bellingham smart home?
Incorporating motion sensor into a modern smart home is a fantastic way to improve your safety and convenience. You’ll have the ability to do the following:
- Receive immediate alerts on your mobile device when activity is found. You might use them to notify you when your kids arrive home from school.
- Program interior cameras to record when a motion sensor triggers.
- Change lighting or thermostat settings based on your home’s occupancy. This feature can help curb energy bills.
Top-tier smart home motion detectors, like the ones from Vivint, continue to employ artificial intelligence (AI) to more accurately identify actual threats and decrease false alarms.
Build your Vivint smart home with advanced motion sensors
Get leading motion sensors in Bellingham from Vivint when you design your fully functional smart home. Our sensors are animal-sensitive and let you configure various home automation actions. You’ll also benefit from the five-year battery life and immediate smartphone alerts. Call (360) 968-8970 today to get started.