Certain components of a home security system are designed to detect movement in or around your home when the alarm is activated. This is a great way to warn off intruders or be alerted when there’s someone in your home. With professional security monitoring, it can even alert the authorities when someone is detected.

But this kind of system can be problematic in households with pets. If your dog is moving around the house during the day, they could trigger a false alarm.

Will your pet trigger your security system?

This will depend on the type of home alarm system you have installed and the size of your pet. Smaller pets are less likely to trigger a motion sensor, especially if they are confined to a small area. So, pets like rabbits and gerbils kept in cages shouldn’t be an issue. Cats and dogs that have free rein of the house are more likely to trigger a false alarm, especially large dog breeds.

Here are some methods to make sure your pet doesn’t set off your home security system.

Avoid motion sensors

If you want to avoid false alarms, one option is to only use security components that don’t rely on motion detection. You can still arm your house with alarms that trigger when someone opens a door or window. There are also sensors that trigger an alarm when the glass in a door or window is smashed.

Keep your pet out of the way

If you still want a motion sensor alarm in your home, you could keep your pet shut in a single room while they’re home alone. You’d then be able to use your motion sensor alarm in the rest of the house without your pet setting it off. Of course, make sure that your pet will be comfortable in that room. Keep a bed and some toys in there as well as food and drink. If you have a cat that goes outdoors, you could also install a cat flap in that room so they can come and go.

Installing a pet-friendly security system

There are also security systems that are specifically designed for homes with pets. These work in different ways depending on the product. Some systems are designed to only detect movement above a certain height, so small pets can pass underneath it. Others are based on the wright of the “object” detected.

Other alarms that rely on infrared technology can be set up so that they need to be triggered at two different points simultaneously. For example, there may be a sensor at knee height and another at chest height to detect a person. This means pets on the ground won’t trigger it, and neither will cats jumping onto high surfaces.

Read more about handling pets and security systems in your home on the Safewise blog. And get in touch with Carolina Alarm if you need a security company to install your new pet-friendly alarm around Greensboro, Winston Salem, and Kernersville.