How to minimize motion sensor false alarms in your Jamestown home
Motion sensors are crucial components in a comprehensive home security plan, as they’ll let you know if suspicious activity is transpiring at your house. Sadly, they’re also prone to false alarms, causing Jamestown homeowners to lose sleep. If you’re trying to find solutions, review our recommendations for cutting down on motion sensor false alarms.
What triggers motion detector false alarms?
The majority of household motion detectors utilize passive infrared (PIR) technology to detect activity. They track changes in infrared radiation in their coverage zone and can recognize when something is in motion by its heat signature. False alarms are typically caused by:
- Pets climbing on countertops or sofas
- Bright sunlight shining through a window
- Various heat sources, such as air ducts and fireplaces
- Sudden temperature or humidity shifts, which cause components to be overly sensitive or unresponsive
Microwave motion sensors are an additional common option that discovers motion by continually emitting and assessing electromagnetic waves. Called active motion detectors, they spot movement through modifications in the returning signal. Any unforseen activity, like curtains swaying when the HVAC fan starts up, can trigger an alarm.
Suggestions for reducing motion sensor false alarms at your Jamestown home
Beyond losing sleep, motion sensor false alarms can be particularly troublesome as they may numb you to genuine dangers. Additionally, recurring false alarms can become a nuisance to first responders and may impact future response times. Fortunately, you can help circumvent them by implementing these suggestions:
- Investigate the sensitivity levels of your devices and adjust to your animal’s behavior and size.
- Even if you have pet-sensitive motion sensors, it’s smart not to direct them at high-activity spots like food bowls.
- Avoid directing motion sensors at windows receiving heavy sunlight.
- Make certain rooms are adequately insulated to help prevent extreme temperature fluctuations.
- Dust and clean components regularly to keep sensors clear.
- Check batteries and change as needed. Some devices will even tell you when batteries are running out.
- Consider a professional installation to ensure proper positioning.
You could also opt for hybrid devices that employ both passive and active sensors to detect movement, providing improved accuracy.
How can you use motion sensors in your Jamestown smart home?
Integrating motion sensors into a modern smart home is a terrific way to improve your safety and convenience. You’ll have the opportunity to do the following:
- Obtain instant updates on your cell phone any time motion is found. You might use them to update you when your little ones come home from school.
- Program cameras to record automatically whenever a motion sensor trips.
- Change temperature settings or lighting in accordance with your home’s occupancy. This capability can help lower utility expenses.
Leading smart home motion sensors, like the models installed by Vivint, continue to leverage artificial intelligence (AI) to more accurately detect real threats and decrease false alarms.
Design your Vivint smart home with advanced motion sensors
Get the top motion sensors in Jamestown from Vivint when you design your fully integrated smart home. Our sensors are pet-friendly and permit you to configure a variety of automation actions. You’ll also enjoy a five-year battery life and immediate smartphone updates. Call (601) 494-3394 today to get started.