How to cut down on motion sensor false alarms in your Portland home
Motion sensors are crucial components in a multi-layered home security plan, as they’ll alert you whenever unexpected activity is occurring at your house. Regrettably, they’re also susceptible to false alarms, causing annoyance and lost sleep for Portland homeowners. If you’re trying to find solutions, explore our suggestions for minimizing motion sensor false alarms.
What initiates motion detector false alarms?
Most home motion detectors use passive infrared (PIR) technology to identify movement. They monitor changes in infrared radiation inside their detection zone and can recognize when something is moving by its heat signature. False alarms are frequently triggered by:
- Pets jumping on furniture or countertops
- Intense sunlight coming through a window
- A variety of heat sources, such as fireplaces and ducts
- Drastic humidity or temperature fluctuations, which cause devices to be hypersensitive or non-functional
Microwave motion sensors are an additional widespread option that discovers motion by continuously sending out and assessing electromagnetic waves. These active motion sensors recognize movement through changes in the reflected signal. Any unexpected motion, like curtains moving when the HVAC fan kicks on, can initiate an alarm.
Ideas for limiting motion sensor false alarms at your Portland home
Aside from losing sleep, motion sensor false alarms are increasingly troublesome as they may lower your sensitivity to genuine risks. Additionally, recurring false alarms may become an annoyance for local law enforcement and may impact future response times. Fortunately, you can help prevent them by following these suggestions:
- Check the sensitivity levels of your devices and adjust to your furry friend’s behavior and size.
- Avoid pointing them at high-traffic spots like food bowls, even when you have animal-friendly sensors.
- Avoid aiming motion detectors at windows that receive heavy sunlight.
- Make sure areas are properly insulated to prevent extreme temperature fluctuations.
- Dust and wipe off devices periodically to keep sensors working properly.
- Monitor batteries and change as needed. Many motion sensors will even let you know when batteries are running out.
- Let a pro do the installation to ensure optimal positioning.
You may also invest in multi-function devices that use both active and passive tools to detect movement, leading to improved accuracy.
How should you use motion sensors in your Portland smart home?
Incorporating motion sensor into an automated smart home is a excellent way to boost your safety and convenience. You’ll have the opportunity to do the following:
- Get instant notifications on your smartphone any time activity is spotted. You might also utilize them to update you when your little ones come home from school.
- Have cameras to record automatically whenever a motion sensor is tripped.
- Alter lighting or temperature settings based on your home’s occupancy. This functionality can help lower utility costs.
Top-tier smart home motion detectors, like those offered by Vivint, continue to harness artificial intelligence (AI) to more accurately recognize actual threats and decrease false alarms.
Create your Vivint smart home with advanced motion sensors
Get the top motion sensors in Portland from Vivint when you customize your comprehensive smart home. Our tools are animal-sensitive and allow you to configure numerous home automation actions. You’ll also appreciate the five-year battery and instant cell phone updates. Reach out to (503) 213-9485 today to get started.