How to reduce motion sensor false alarms in your Chattanooga home

Motion sensors are critical elements in a multi-layered home security plan, as they’ll tell you if an unwanted guest is sneaking around your house. Unfortunately, they’re also prone to false alarms, causing Chattanooga homeowners to lose sleep. If you’re searching for solutions, review our tips on reducing motion sensor false alarms.

What triggers motion detector false alarms?

The bulk of home motion detectors utilize passive infrared (PIR) technology to detect activity. They monitor changes in infrared radiation in their detection zone and can determine when someone is moving by their heat signature. False alarms are typically triggered by: 

• Pets leaping on tabletops or couches
• Intense sunlight coming through a window
• Different heat sources, like fireplaces and air ducts
• Rapid temperature or humidity changes, which cause equipment to be overly sensitive or non-reactive

Microwave motion sensors are an additional frequently used option that senses motion by continuously sending out and assessing electromagnetic waves. Called active motion detectors, they recognize movement through changes in the reflected signal. Any unanticipated movement, like curtains swaying when an HVAC fan starts up, can set off an alarm.

Tips for limiting motion sensor false alarms at your Chattanooga home

Beyond interrupted sleep, motion sensor false alarms can be even more disruptive as they might numb you to genuine threats. Furthermore, repeated false alarms may become an annoyance for local law enforcement and may affect future response times. Thankfully, you can help circumvent them by following these tips:

• Inspect the sensitivity levels of your equipment and adjust to your pet’s size and behavior.
• Even if you have pet-friendly motion detectors, it’s wise not to point them at busy areas like feeding stations.
• Avoid aiming motion detectors at windows exposed to bright sunlight.
• Make certain rooms are adequately insulated to prevent drastic temperature shifts.
• Regularly dust and wipe off devices to keep sensors working properly.
• Inspect batteries and swap out as needed. Certain devices will even let you know when batteries are low.
• Consider a professional installation to ensure correct positioning.

You may also invest in multi-function devices that use both active and passive tools to identify activity, resulting in a higher degree of accuracy.

How should you use motion sensors in your Chattanooga smart home?

Integrating motion sensors into a modern smart home is a excellent way to improve your security and convenience. You’ll have the opportunity to do the following:

• Obtain immediate alerts on your mobile device any time motion is spotted. You might program them to alert you when your little ones come home from school.
• Program indoor cameras to record any time a motion sensor trips.
• Change lighting or temperature settings according to whether people are home. This capability can help lower energy bills.

Top-tier smart home devices, like the models installed by Vivint, continue to harness artificial intelligence (AI) to better identify actual threats and decrease false alarms.

Design your Vivint smart home with advanced motion sensors

Get leading motion sensors in Chattanooga from Vivint when you customize your fully integrated smart home. Our devices are animal-sensitive and permit you to initiate various home automation actions. You’ll also appreciate the five-year battery and automatic smartphone notifications. Reach out to (423) 561-9767 today to get started.