How to reduce motion sensor false alarms in your New Brunswick home
Motion sensors are crucial aspects in a full-featured home security plan, as they’ll let you know if dubious activity is going on at your house. Regrettably, they’re also prone to false alarms, causing frustration and a bad night’s sleep for New Brunswick homeowners. If you’re searching for solutions, review our tips on reducing motion sensor false alarms.
What triggers motion detector false alarms?
Most household motion detectors employ passive infrared (PIR) technology to find movement. They sense changes in infrared radiation within their detection zone and can determine when someone is moving by their heat signature. False alarms are often caused by:
- Pets leaping on countertops or furniture
- Direct sunlight streaming through a window
- A variety of heat sources, such as fireplaces and air ducts
- Drastic temperature or humidity fluctuations, which cause equipment to be hypersensitive or unresponsive
Microwave motion sensors are an additional widespread option that discovers activity by continually emitting and evaluating electromagnetic waves. These active motion sensors recognize movement through alterations in the reflected signal. Any unanticipated motion, like curtains moving when your HVAC fan starts up, can initiate an alarm.
Tips for limiting motion sensor false alarms at your New Brunswick home
Aside from losing sleep, motion sensor false alarms can be even more disruptive as they may lower your sensitivity to actual threats. Furthermore, frequent false alarms can become an annoyance for first responders and may impact future response times. Thankfully, you can help prevent them by following these tips:
- Check the sensitivity parameters of your sensors and change to your animal’s size and behavior.
- Even when using pet-sensitive motion detectors, it’s advisable not to direct them at high-traffic places like food dispensers.
- Avoid aiming motion detectors at windows receiving bright sunlight.
- Ensure areas are properly insulated to minimize drastic temperature shifts.
- Dust and wipe off equipment frequently to keep sensors working properly.
- Check batteries and swap out as needed. Certain motion sensors will even inform you when batteries are getting low.
- Let a pro do the installation to ensure optimal positioning.
You could also choose dual-technology devices that use both passive and active means to identify activity, providing improved accuracy.
How to utilize motion sensors in your New Brunswick smart home?
Incorporating motion sensor into an automated smart home is a fantastic way to improve your safety and convenience. You’ll have the opportunity to do the following:
- Receive automatic alerts on your smartphone when movement is spotted. You could also utilize them to alert you when your little ones arrive home from school.
- Program indoor cameras to record when a motion sensor triggers.
- Adjust temperature levels or lighting in accordance with your home’s occupancy. This capability can help lower utility costs.
Top-tier smart home motion detectors, like those from Vivint, continue to leverage artificial intelligence (AI) to better detect real threats and reduce false alarms.
Create your Vivint smart home with advanced motion sensors
Get the top motion sensors in New Brunswick from Vivint when you plan your comprehensive smart home. Our sensors are pet-friendly and permit you to configure numerous home automation actions. You’ll also enjoy a five-year battery life and instant mobile alerts. Call (732) 607-4656 today to get started.