How to minimize motion sensor false alarms in your Orange County home

Motion sensors are crucial elements in a comprehensive home security installation, as they’ll let you know if suspicious activity is going on at your house. Unfortunately, they’re also prone to false alarms, causing Orange County homeowners to lose sleep. If you’re looking for solutions, explore our suggestions for cutting down on motion sensor false alarms.

What triggers motion detector false alarms?

Most residential motion detectors use passive infrared (PIR) technology to detect activity. They sense changes in infrared radiation inside their field of view and can recognize when someone is in motion by their heat signature. False alarms are frequently caused by: 

• Pets leaping on tabletops or couches
• Bright sunlight shining through a window
• A variety of heat sources, like vents and fireplaces
• Rapid humidity or temperature fluctuations, which cause devices to be hypersensitive or non-reactive

Microwave motion sensors are another common option that discovers movement by constantly emitting and evaluating electromagnetic waves. These active motion detectors pinpoint movement due to modifications in the returning signal. Any unforseen movement, like curtains shifting when an HVAC fan turns on, can trigger an alarm.

Ideas for decreasing motion sensor false alarms at your Orange County home

Aside from a lack of sleep, motion sensor false alarms can be even more disruptive as they might lower your sensitivity to actual threats. Furthermore, frequent false alarms can become a frustration for first responders and may affect future response times. Thankfully, you can help avoid them by adhering to these recommendations:

• Inspect the sensitivity settings of your sensors and change to your pet’s size and behavior.
• Avoid pointing them at busy places like feeding stations, even if you have animal-friendly detectors.
• Avoid aiming motion detectors at windows receiving intense sunlight.
• Make sure spaces are properly insulated to minimize temperature fluctuations.
• Dust and wipe off devices periodically to ensure proper function.
• Monitor batteries and replace as needed. Some devices will even inform you when batteries are getting low.
• Get them installed professionally to ensure correct positioning.

You may also choose multi-function devices that use both passive and active sensors to detect movement, leading to greater accuracy.

How should you utilize motion sensors in your Orange County smart home?

Incorporating motion sensor into an automated smart home is a excellent way to enhance your convenience and security. You’ll be able to do the following:

• Get automatic notifications on your smartphone whenever movement is detected. You might also use them to update you when your children arrive home from school.
• Have interior cameras to record automatically whenever a motion sensor trips.
• Adjust lighting or thermostat settings in accordance with your home’s occupancy. This functionality can help reduce energy bills.

Top smart home devices, like the models from Vivint, continue to employ artificial intelligence (AI) to better recognize threats and reduce false alarms.

Design your Vivint smart home with dependable motion sensors

Get the best motion sensors in Orange County from Vivint when you customize your comprehensive smart home. Our devices are pet-friendly and let you configure a variety of automation actions. You’ll also appreciate the five-year battery and immediate cell phone alerts. Contact (714) 769-8364 today to learn more.