Vivint Authorized Retailer Savannah
Smart Security Specialists -- Your Vivint Authorized Dealer Covering Savannah, Hilton Head Island, & Surrounding Areas

How to minimize motion sensor false alarms in your Savannah home

April 30, 2025
Motion sensors working inside a home

Motion sensors are crucial components in a comprehensive home security strategy, as they’ll tell you if unexpected activity is transpiring at your house. Regrettably, they’re also vulnerable to false alarms, causing annoyance and a bad night’s sleep for Savannah homeowners. If you’re looking for solutions, explore our suggestions for cutting down on motion sensor false alarms.

What causes motion detector false alarms?

The majority of household motion detectors employ passive infrared (PIR) technology to find activity. They track changes in infrared radiation inside their coverage zone and can determine when someone is moving by their heat signature. False alarms are often initiated by: 

  • Pets jumping on tabletops or sofas
  • Intense sunlight shining through a window
  • Different heat sources, like fireplaces and vents
  • Rapid humidity or temperature shifts, which cause devices to be hypersensitive or non-reactive

Microwave motion sensors are an additional common option that discovers movement by constantly sending out and evaluating electromagnetic waves. Known as active motion sensors, they pinpoint movement through modifications in the reflected signal. Any unanticipated motion, like curtains swaying when your HVAC fan kicks on, can trigger an alarm.

Suggestions for reducing motion sensor false alarms at your Savannah home

Aside from interrupted sleep, motion sensor false alarms are particularly disruptive as they can numb you to genuine risks. Furthermore, repeated false alarms can become an annoyance for emergency providers and may affect response times in the future. Thankfully, you can help prevent them by implementing these recommendations:

  • Inspect the sensitivity settings of your equipment and change to your animal’s size and behavior.
  • Avoid aiming them at busy places like food dispensers, even when using animal-friendly detectors.
  • Avoid pointing motion sensors at windows receiving heavy sunlight.
  • Ensure rooms are properly insulated to minimize extreme temperature shifts.
  • Dust and wipe off components regularly to keep sensors clear.
  • Check batteries and change as needed. Certain devices will even tell you when batteries are running out.
  • Get them installed professionally to ensure optimal placement.

You may also opt for dual-technology devices that employ both passive and active means to identify movement, leading to improved accuracy.

How to use motion sensors in your Savannah smart home?

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

  • Get immediate updates on your smartphone when activity is spotted. You could also utilize them to notify you when your children get home from school.
  • Program cameras to record any time a motion sensor trips.
  • Change temperature settings or lighting in accordance with your home’s occupancy. This functionality can help reduce energy bills.

Leading smart home motion detectors, like those offered by Vivint, continue to employ artificial intelligence (AI) to better recognize real threats and decrease false alarms.

Create your Vivint smart home with advanced motion sensors

Get leading motion sensors in Savannah from Vivint when you design your fully integrated smart home. Our devices are animal-sensitive and let you initiate various home automation actions. You’ll also enjoy a five-year battery life and instant cell phone notifications. Call (706) 770-6267 today to get started.