How to minimize motion sensor false alarms in your Salt Lake City home

Motion sensors are crucial elements in a full-featured home security installation, as they’ll alert you whenever an unwelcome guest is prowling around your house. Unfortunately, they’re also prone to false alarms, causing Salt Lake City homeowners to lose sleep. If you’re looking for solutions, review our tips on cutting down on motion sensor false alarms.

What triggers motion detector false alarms?

The majority of home motion detectors employ passive infrared (PIR) technology to detect movement. They track shifts in infrared radiation inside their coverage zone and can recognize when someone is moving by their heat signature. False alarms are often triggered by: 

• Pets climbing on countertops or couches
• Streams of direct light through a window
• A variety of heat sources, such as vents and fireplaces
• Rapid humidity or temperature shifts, which cause equipment to be too sensitive or non-functional

Microwave motion sensors are an additional common option that senses movement by continuously sending out and analyzing electromagnetic waves. These active motion sensors pinpoint movement through modifications in the reflected signal. Any unexpected movement, like curtains shifting when your HVAC fan starts up, can trigger an alarm.

Suggestions for decreasing motion sensor false alarms at your Salt Lake City home

Aside from losing sleep, motion sensor false alarms can be increasingly troublesome as they might desensitize you to real threats. Moreover, frequent false alarms might become a frustration for first responders and may affect response times in the future. Luckily, you can help avoid them by adhering to these recommendations:

• Check the sensitivity parameters of your devices and change to your pet’s size and behavior.
• Avoid pointing them at busy areas like food dispensers, even when using animal-friendly sensors.
• Avoid directing motion sensors at windows receiving heavy sunlight.
• Ensure areas are properly insulated to prevent temperature changes.
• Regularly dust and wipe off components to keep sensors clear.
• Monitor batteries and swap out as needed. Some devices will even tell you when batteries are running out.
• Let a pro do the installation to ensure proper positioning.

You may also invest in dual-technology devices that employ both active and passive sensors to detect movement, resulting in a higher degree of accuracy.

How can you utilize motion sensors in your Salt Lake City smart home?

Installing motion sensors in an automated smart home is a terrific way to enhance your safety and convenience. You’ll have the ability to do the following:

• Receive immediate updates on your mobile device when motion is found. You could also program them to notify you when your children arrive home from school.
• Configure cameras to record when a motion sensor is tripped.
• Adjust lighting or temperature settings in accordance with your home’s occupancy. This feature can help curb energy costs.

Top smart home motion detectors, like those installed by Vivint, continue to leverage artificial intelligence (AI) to better recognize actual threats and reduce false alarms.

Create your Vivint smart home with dependable motion sensors

Get the top motion sensors in Salt Lake City from Vivint when you design your fully integrated smart home. Our devices are animal-sensitive and permit you to initiate numerous automation actions. You’ll also benefit from the five-year battery life and immediate smartphone alerts. Contact (385) 350-4458 today to learn more.