False alarms are frustrating for homeowners, disruptive to neighbours, and can result in costly false callout fees from private patrol services or local councils. Fortunately, over 90% of false alarms in Perth are caused by simple, preventable environmental factors.
Top 5 Causes of Nuisance Alarms in Western Australia
- Insects inside PIR Sensor Chambers: Spiders and geckos attracted to the subtle warmth of motion detectors crawl across internal sensors. Always specify sealed optical chambers.
- Thermal Air Drafts: Air conditioner vents blowing directly onto curtains or blinds within the PIR line of sight.
- Aging 12V Backup Batteries: SLA batteries older than 3 years drop voltage under load, causing panels to register system tamper faults in the middle of the night.
- Pet Movement on Elevated Furniture: While pet-immune sensors ignore dogs on floor level, a cat leaping onto a kitchen bench enters the non-immune optical beam.
- Improperly Latched Windows: Summer sea breezes can rattle loose timber frames, triggering magnetic reed switches.
