How to reduce motion sensor false alarms in your Champaign home
Motion sensors are essential aspects in a multi-layered home security strategy, as they’ll let you know if dubious activity is occurring at your house. Unfortunately, they’re also susceptible to false alarms, causing frustration and a bad night’s sleep for Champaign homeowners. If you’re looking for solutions, explore our suggestions for reducing motion sensor false alarms.
What triggers motion detector false alarms?
Most household motion detectors use passive infrared (PIR) technology to detect movement. They sense fluctuations in infrared radiation inside their coverage zone and can recognize when something is moving by its heat signature. False alarms are typically triggered by:
- Pets climbing on furniture or counters
- Flashes of bright daylight through a window
- A variety of heat sources, like vents and fireplaces
- Rapid humidity or temperature shifts, which cause devices to be hypersensitive or unresponsive
Microwave motion sensors are another frequently used option that discovers motion by continually emitting and assessing electromagnetic waves. These active motion detectors spot movement through modifications in the returning signal. Any unexpected motion, like curtains shifting when an HVAC fan kicks on, can initiate an alarm.
Suggestions for limiting motion sensor false alarms at your Champaign home
Aside from interrupted sleep, motion sensor false alarms are particularly disruptive as they may numb you to actual threats. Furthermore, recurring false alarms may become an annoyance for local law enforcement and may impact response times in the future. Thankfully, you can help avoid them by adhering to these suggestions:
- Inspect the sensitivity settings of your equipment and modify to your pet’s behavior and size.
- Even when you have pet-sensitive motion detectors, it’s advisable not to point them at high-traffic areas like food bowls.
- Avoid pointing motion sensors at windows exposed to intense sunlight.
- Make certain areas are properly insulated to help prevent extreme temperature fluctuations.
- Dust and clean devices periodically to keep sensors clear.
- Monitor batteries and swap out as needed. Many devices will even tell you when batteries are getting low.
- Let a pro do the installation to ensure optimal positioning.
You may also opt for hybrid devices that utilize both active and passive tools to detect movement, leading to improved accuracy.
How should you utilize motion sensors in your Champaign smart home?
Incorporating motion sensor into an automated smart home is a fantastic way to enhance your security and convenience. You’ll be able to do the following:
- Receive automatic updates on your smartphone when movement is spotted. You could also utilize them to alert you when your kids arrive home from school.
- Configure indoor cameras to record any time a motion sensor triggers.
- Adjust lighting or temperature settings according to whether people are home. This feature can help reduce energy expenses.
Leading smart home motion sensors, like those installed by Vivint, continue to employ artificial intelligence (AI) to more accurately recognize actual threats and minimize false alarms.
Build your Vivint smart home with dependable motion sensors
Get leading motion sensors in Champaign from Vivint when you design your comprehensive smart home. Our devices are pet-friendly and let you initiate a variety of home automation actions. You’ll also appreciate the five-year battery and automatic mobile updates. Reach out to (217) 759-1212 today to get started.