How to minimize motion sensor false alarms in your Cedar Rapids home
Motion sensors are essential elements in a full-featured home security installation, as they’ll tell you if an unwanted guest is prowling around your house. Unfortunately, they’re also susceptible to false alarms, causing Cedar Rapids homeowners to lose sleep. If you’re looking for solutions, explore our tips on cutting down on motion sensor false alarms.
What triggers motion detector false alarms?
The bulk of home motion detectors employ passive infrared (PIR) technology to find activity. They sense changes in infrared radiation within their detection zone and can recognize when something is in motion by its heat signature. False alarms are frequently caused by:
- Pets jumping on couches or tabletops
- Bursts of intense sunlight through a window
- Different heat sources, like fireplaces and vents
- Drastic humidity or temperature changes, which cause components to be too sensitive or non-functional
Microwave motion sensors are an additional frequently used option that discovers motion by constantly emitting and analyzing electromagnetic waves. These active motion detectors spot movement due to modifications in the reflected signal. Any unexpected movement, like curtains moving when an HVAC fan kicks on, can trigger an alarm.
Ideas for decreasing motion sensor false alarms at your Cedar Rapids home
Aside from a lack of sleep, motion sensor false alarms can be increasingly troublesome as they can lower your sensitivity to actual dangers. Additionally, recurring false alarms may become an annoyance for emergency providers and may affect ensuing response times. Thankfully, you can help circumvent them by following these suggestions:
- Inspect the sensitivity settings of your devices and change to your animal’s size and behavior.
- Avoid directing them at high-activity areas like feeding stations, even if you have pet-sensitive sensors.
- Avoid pointing motion detectors at windows that receive heavy sunlight.
- Ensure rooms are adequately insulated to minimize drastic temperature fluctuations.
- Regularly dust and wipe down equipment to keep sensors clear.
- Check batteries and swap out as needed. Some motion sensors will even tell you when batteries are running out.
- Consider a professional installation to ensure correct placement.
You might also choose dual-technology devices that utilize both active and passive tools to identify activity, leading to a higher degree of accuracy.
How can you utilize motion sensors in your Cedar Rapids smart home?
Integrating motion sensors into a modern smart home is a fantastic way to enhance your convenience and safety. You’ll have the opportunity to do the following:
- Get immediate updates on your mobile device when movement is detected. You could also use them to notify you when your kids arrive home from school.
- Have indoor cameras to record any time a motion sensor is tripped.
- Adjust lighting or temperature levels according to whether people are home. This feature can help lower energy bills.
Top smart home motion detectors, like the models from Vivint, continue to harness artificial intelligence (AI) to more accurately identify actual threats and reduce false alarms.
Design your Vivint smart home with reliable motion sensors
Get the top motion sensors in Cedar Rapids from Vivint when you design your comprehensive smart home. Our devices are animal-sensitive and let you program a variety of automation actions. You’ll also enjoy a five-year battery life and automatic mobile notifications. Reach out to (319) 419-4827 today to design your system.