Having home security sensors at home helps you secure yourself from theft and break-ins. They serve as extra eyes around your house to alert you in case of any suspicious activity. But, effectively placing motion sensor systems around the home can be quite tricky.
You need to maintain line of sight all around the home to have full coverage. Here is a rundown of everything you need to know to effectively setup your motion detector system at home!
How Motion Sensors Work?
It is important to understand how motion sensors work to place them properly. Treat each motion sensor in your home as an extension of your personal alarm. The sensors serve as extra eyes all around your home.
The most commonly used motion sensor alarm system makes use of infrared technology also known as passive infrared sensor (PIR). These sensors rely on body heat detection and can differentiate between living and non-living beings. The downside to these sensors is that they cannot detect heat through objects. So, you can’t have sensors behind your furniture or other objects and expect them to work.
Some of the other commonly used sensor types include microwave sensors, ultrasonic sensors, reflective sensors and vibration sensors. Some sensors also include more than one type of technology to prevent instances of false alarms. Now that you know how motion sensors work, let’s check out how to effectively place your home security sensors.
Things To Do When Placing Home Security Sensors
To select the best place to install your motion sensor alarm and cameras you should consider the following tips. They will help you setup your system with the least number of sensors and save you both money and time.
1- Look for High Traffic Areas
Your home entrances are high-traffic areas that you need to have eyes on with a home security system at all times. From visitors to food delivery professionals, there are people who visit every day and use the front entrance. It is the most common entry point for burglars and you should have eyes surrounding your entrance at all times.
In addition to your main entrance, your should also cover your backyard entrances and garage doors as well. Any potential entrance to your home including windows should have line of sight covered by your cameras. These are just some of the great locations to have camera coverage on and feel free to adjust according to your needs.
Tips:
- Keep your main entrance protected.
- Have coverage on your backyard entrance and windows.
- Install cameras in well lit locations for maximum visibility.
2- Make Use of Corners
To get the most visibility possible, you should make use of corners. By installing cameras in corners of your rooms, you will have the maximum coverage you can get. With the widest view of the room you should be able to see every part of it. Moreover, you also make it more difficult for cameras to be seen if someone breaks into your home.
If you are placing motion sensors, you want them to be at about six to eight feet above ground level. It is the sweet spot for most security sensors out there. You can choose to put it on the ceiling but you need to ensure that it has full coverage of the room. Always make sure to read the manuals to get an idea of what the coverage is like on each sensor. Each product is designed differently and it helps to know its coverage area.
You want to set your sensors up in such a way it is not obvious that you have a full-blown alarm system installed until it is too late for the burglars. Alarms are usually enough for burglars to leave your premises. With the help of security cameras and sensors working together, you will get the security footage you need to contact the concerned authorities.
Tips:
- Try to get a 360-degree viewing angle
- Place sensors at 6-8 feet above ground
- Keep sensors hidden from plain sight and make use of corners
3- Unify Your Intruder Alarm Systems by Using Smart Gadgets
If you have a smart security system with multiple sensors and cameras, it can be difficult to sort through multiple apps and controls. It is important to have centralized control over your security. From your door sensors to your cameras, you can connect them via the same device. A great tool to use is Mimic GO™. It is the world’s first personal and portable security gadget available for the masses.
You can use the app to connect to all of your sensors, alarms and setup phone notifications. You can secure your entire home with the device by getting a centralized view of everything that is going on in your home. From your front door to your garage. You can give thieves an unexpected surprise by placing your device where they least expect it. The device itself has motion detection capabilities and can alert you wherever you are.
The best thing about the device is that you do not have to pay monthly or annually for its software service. The only upfront price is what you need to pay and you are good to go forever. You get phone notifications as well as alerts on your laptop or desktop no matter where you are. As long as you have internet connectivity available, your home is secured no matter where you are. If you happen to be looking for a portable alarm system, Mimic GO™ is one of the best options out there with its robust security features that you can access wherever you go.
Click here to check out bundle Mimic GO™ prices.
Tips:
- Setup Mimic GO™ with your other security devices
- Sync it with your smart speakers for alerts
- Pair it with security cameras for a solid DIY alarm system
4- Make Use of Doorways
If you want your motion detector to get the perfect view of a space in your home, consider eliminating as many blind spots as well. Smart burglars know how to bypass the average burglar alarm very easily. Hiding blind spots by making use of doorways and placing sensors right above them is a great way to trick burglars. Intruders will not be able to spot the sensors too easily and your alarms will trigger before they even realize it.
In addition to sensors you should also place your cameras near your doorways to get a good view of who comes in and out. If you want to store your footage it is best recommended to use cloud storage instead of local storage. Having access to streaming on your smartphone or tablet is also recommended. There are gadgets that allow you to view what’s going on in your house in real-time streams and we recommend opting for them.
Tips:
- Place sensors directly above doorways
- Place lights near sensors to conceal them
- Store all footage online to prevent tampering
5- Place Motion Sensors Near Valuables
Earlier in the guide we discussed how infrared sensors are unable to see through objects. But you can actually use it to your advantage by placing motion sensor alarm systems near your valuables. Did you ever notice how many retail stores that sell expensive products have motion sensors that go off when you pick anything? You can apply the same principle in your home by making use of smart additions to your home security system.
If you leave your home for extended periods of time it makes sense to make use of smart home products and gadgets to detect theft. As soon as your laptop or jewelry box is removed, you will get notified and an alarm will go off immediately. But this does not mean you should be overly reliant on security products. It is best advised to exercise caution and keep your valuables protected by keeping them hidden away from plain sight.
Tips:
- Use motion sensors on valuable objects
- Setup a burglar alarm with phone notifications
- Keep valuables hidden as much as possible even with security systems
Things NOT To Do When Placing Home Security Sensors
While we do have access to smart home products / gadgets to make life easier, there are plenty of things you could do wrong when setting them up. Now that we have discussed things you need to do to secure yourself, here are some things you need to avoid.
1- Keeping Sensors Near Heat Sources
Since most sensors rely on heat to detect movement, placing your sensors near a fireplace is the last thing you want to do as it will either constantly trigger alarms or not detect anything at all.
2- Keeping Alarms On At All Times
If you will have a ton of visitors during occasions and family gatherings, consider keeping your alarms off during the event. It will prevent door alarms from triggering constantly. But do not forget to turn on your wireless alarm systems once family events are over.
3- Pay Attention To Pets
If you have pets, consider placing motion sensors above their body height. It will prevent your pets from constantly triggering alarms because of their playful nature. You should also keep the alarms out of reach from pets as they may get attracted to cameras and sensors and trigger or damage them.
Conclusion
That is all you need to know to effectively place home security sensors and keep yourself safe. Remember to carefully consider your home layout and place your sensors to get the maximum security possible.