How to reduce motion sensor false alarms in your Lake Havasu home

Motion sensors are crucial components in a comprehensive home security strategy, as they’ll alert you whenever an unwanted guest is sneaking around your house. Unfortunately, they’re also susceptible to false alarms, causing Lake Havasu homeowners to lose sleep. If you’re trying to find solutions, check out our recommendations for reducing motion sensor false alarms.

What causes motion detector false alarms?

The majority of home motion detectors employ passive infrared (PIR) technology to find movement. They sense changes in infrared radiation inside their coverage zone and can tell when something is moving by its heat signature. False alarms are often caused by: 

• Pets leaping on countertops or furniture
• Flashes of intense sunlight through a window
• A variety of heat sources, such as fireplaces and ducts
• Drastic temperature or humidity fluctuations, which cause equipment to be overly sensitive or non-reactive

Microwave motion sensors are another widespread option that discovers movement by continuously sending out and analyzing electromagnetic waves. Called active motion sensors, they spot movement due to changes in the reflected signal. Any unforseen movement, like curtains swaying when your HVAC fan turns on, can initiate an alarm.

Tips for reducing motion sensor false alarms at your Lake Havasu home

In addition to losing sleep, motion sensor false alarms can be even more disruptive as they might desensitize you to real threats. Furthermore, recurring false alarms may become a nuisance to first responders and may affect response times in the future. Fortunately, you can help avoid them by implementing these suggestions:

• Inspect the sensitivity settings of your equipment and adjust to your furry friend’s behavior and size.
• Even if you have pet-friendly motion detectors, it’s advisable not to direct them at high-activity spots like food bowls.
• Avoid directing motion detectors at windows exposed to intense sunlight.
• Ensure rooms are adequately insulated to prevent drastic temperature changes.
• Dust and wipe off equipment periodically to keep sensors working properly.
• Inspect batteries and replace as needed. Some motion detectors will even tell you when batteries are getting low.
• Get them installed professionally to ensure optimal positioning.

You might also opt for dual-technology devices that use both passive and active tools to sense movement, resulting in improved accuracy.

How should you use motion sensors in your Lake Havasu smart home?

Installing motion sensors in a modern smart home is a terrific way to improve your safety and convenience. You’ll have the opportunity to do the following:

• Receive automatic alerts on your smartphone whenever activity is detected. You might use them to notify you when your little ones get home from school.
• Program indoor cameras to record when a motion sensor triggers.
• Change lighting or thermostat settings according to whether people are home. This feature can help curb utility expenses.

Top-tier smart home motion detectors, like the ones offered by Vivint, continue to leverage artificial intelligence (AI) to more effectively detect real threats and reduce false alarms.

Design your Vivint smart home with reliable motion sensors

Get the top motion sensors in Lake Havasu from Vivint when you customize your fully integrated smart home. Our sensors are animal-sensitive and allow you to configure a variety of automation actions. You’ll also enjoy a five-year battery and instant cell phone alerts. Call (928) 877-2148 today to design your system.