How to cut down on motion sensor false alarms in your Santa Clarita home
Motion sensors are essential elements in a full-featured home security strategy, as they’ll alert you whenever an unwelcome guest is sneaking around your house. Regrettably, they’re also vulnerable to false alarms, causing irritation and a bad night’s sleep for Santa Clarita homeowners. If you’re searching for solutions, explore our tips on minimizing motion sensor false alarms.
What causes motion detector false alarms?
Most household motion detectors use passive infrared (PIR) technology to detect activity. They track changes in infrared radiation within their field of view and can tell when someone is in motion by their heat signature. False alarms are frequently initiated by:
- Pets leaping on couches or counters
- Streams of bright light through a window
- A variety of heat sources, such as fireplaces and air ducts
- Rapid temperature or humidity shifts, which cause equipment to be too sensitive or unresponsive
Microwave motion sensors are an additional widespread option that detects motion by continually emitting and analyzing electromagnetic waves. These active motion sensors pinpoint movement via changes in the returning signal. Any unanticipated motion, like curtains shifting when the HVAC fan kicks on, can set off an alarm.
Suggestions for limiting motion sensor false alarms at your Santa Clarita home
Aside from interrupted sleep, motion sensor false alarms can be increasingly problematic as they can numb you to real threats. Additionally, repeated false alarms might become an annoyance for emergency providers and may affect ensuing response times. Luckily, you can help circumvent them by adhering to these suggestions:
- Check the sensitivity levels of your sensors and change to your pet’s size and behavior.
- Even when you have pet-friendly motion detectors, it’s smart not to aim them at high-activity areas like food dispensers.
- Avoid aiming motion sensors at windows exposed to intense sunlight.
- Make certain spaces are sufficiently insulated to prevent temperature changes.
- Dust and wipe down components regularly to keep sensors clear.
- Inspect batteries and swap out as needed. Some devices will even let you know when batteries are getting low.
- Consider a professional installation to ensure correct placement.
You could also invest in dual-technology devices that use both active and passive sensors to detect motion, providing improved accuracy.
How to utilize motion sensors in your Santa Clarita smart home?
Integrating motion sensors into a new smart home is a terrific way to enhance your security and convenience. You’ll be able to do the following:
- Receive automatic updates on your cell phone whenever movement is found. You could also program them to alert you when your kids come home from school.
- Have indoor cameras to record any time a motion sensor trips.
- Alter thermostat settings or lighting based on your home’s occupancy. This feature can help lower utility bills.
Top-tier smart home motion detectors, like those from Vivint, continue to harness artificial intelligence (AI) to better detect actual threats and decrease false alarms.
Design your Vivint smart home with reliable motion sensors
Get leading motion sensors in Santa Clarita from Vivint when you customize your comprehensive smart home. Our sensors are pet-friendly and permit you to program a variety of home automation actions. You’ll also appreciate the five-year battery and automatic cell phone alerts. Reach out to (661) 718-4936 today to learn more.