False Alarm Risk Assessment
False alarms erode trust, annoy the neighbours, and can get monitoring or police response withdrawn. Toggle the known causes that are true for your setup; each carries a weight, and the sum is a risk score out of 100 with a RED / AMBER / GREEN band and a one-line fix for every factor you switch on. Planning figures; runs in your browser.
Pets roam freely past motion sensors
Motion sensors are not pet-immune and pets have the run of the house.
Sensors face heat or moving air
PIRs pointed at AC vents, heaters, fans or sunlit windows read the temperature swing as motion.
Plain single-tech PIRs in false-prone areas
Single-technology PIR, not dual-tech PIR + microwave, where nuisance triggers are likely.
No entry/exit delay on the entry door
With no delay you trip your own alarm walking in or out before you can disarm.
Loose or rattling doors and windows
Rattling doors/windows shake the contacts, or the reed gap is set too tight.
Unshielded outdoor / garden sensors
Garden PIRs catch cats, foliage, passing headlights and rain.
No periodic testing or maintenance
No routine walk-test, weak sensor batteries, cobwebs or dust on the PIR lens.
No clear arm/disarm routine
The household is unsure how to arm and disarm, so user error trips the alarm.
- Sensors face heat or moving air+16
Fix: Re-aim each PIR away from vents, heaters, fans and direct sun.
- Plain single-tech PIRs in false-prone areas+12
Fix: Fit dual-technology (PIR + microwave) sensors in false-prone rooms so both must agree.
An indicative self-check, not a guarantee. A real false-alarm cause needs an on-site diagnosis by your installer — light, layout, wiring and the specific product all matter. Persistent false alarms can get monitoring or police response suspended, so fix the cause; never just disable the sensor.
Related Guides — Deep-dive reading
False Alarm Prevention for Burglar Alarms in India: Causes & Fixes (2026)
Why home alarms cry wolf — ceiling fans, pets, heat, insects, weak batteries, power blips and poor door alignment — and how correct placement, the right sensors and simple upkeep keep the system trusted and armed.
SecurityDual-Technology Sensors in India (2026): PIR + Microwave, Fewer False Alarms
How dual-technology motion sensors combine a PIR and a microwave detector in one unit and only trigger when BOTH agree, cutting the false alarms that make Indian homeowners give up and stop arming the system.
SecurityHow to Choose a Burglar Alarm in India (2026): Sensors, Alerts and What Actually Matters
A homeowner's guide to selecting an intruder alarm that fits your flat, villa or shop and alerts you the way you want — matching the sensor mix, control panel and the big siren-versus-monitored decision to your real risk, and dodging the false-alarm traps that make people switch systems off.
SecurityRelated Tools — You may also find these useful
Alarm Zone Planner
Group your alarm sensors into panel zones so you can see where a trigger came from and arm the perimeter at night while you sleep inside. Enter the sensor count and grouping style to size the zones and the panel. A planning aid; label every zone.
Alarm ZonesAlarm Battery Backup Calculator
Size the standby battery for a burglar-alarm panel so it rides through a mains cut and still drives the sirens. Enter the quiescent and alarm currents, the required hold-up time and the battery chemistry for the amp-hours to fit. A planning estimate; test under load.
Battery SizingMotion Sensor Coverage Calculator
Work out how many PIR motion sensors a room needs from its size, the sensor's range and detection angle, and whether it is wall- or ceiling-mounted — with the area each sensor really covers. A planning estimate to verify against the datasheet and a walk-test.
PIR Coverage