From controlling everything from door locks to energy consumption, smart home technology has taken the world by storm. But can smart home appliances solve another pesky and common issue: pest control?
More specifically, can home security systems or sensors detect cockroaches? Let's investigate how smart home devices may help manage roach infestations and how pests could impact your security system.
Can Motion Detectors Detect Cockroaches?
Cockroaches are hard to kill, and even if you quash them with slippers, they can still move sometimes. Fortunately, smart home devices can help us in detecting them.
Most smart home motion detectors can detect cockroaches and other tiny creepy crawlies. Passive Infrared (PIR) sensors often help spot movements by sensing heat. They usually assist in security setups.
Besides using less power, these sensors are so sensitive they even notice tiny animals. Sometimes, even cockroaches crawling nearby trigger them.
Since most of these sensors are mounted alongside windows, doors, and other entry points, they will likely capture roach activities. Roaches can also be attracted by the warmth of these sensors, and their detection chances increase.
Common house pests like bats, mice, or raccoons could also trigger a PIR sensor. And though cockroaches can often be found most responsible in many cases where indoor sensor triggering occurs, other pests could still cause the mysterious security alarms.
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Do Roaches Cause Security Alarms?
The system should trip if a roach wants to stroll across the armed sensor. But there is no cause to lose one's cool over false alarms. Most home security systems don't dial police 911 directly over little intrusions like insects or bugs.
Monitoring companies may call in for a check, but emergency responders won't ever be notified because of this.
However, some homeowners have been freaked out by false alarms caused by pests. That's always a good reason to pair the security system with smart cameras. This way, you can check the live feed quickly and confirm whether it is a bug or a burglary that raised the alert.
Can Smart Sensors Detect Roach Activity?
In theory, detecting the tiny cockroach is possible but not practical. It could detect movement in response to motion sensors placed under an appliance, though it's more suited for larger pests, like mice.
Some homeowner have used smart sensors to trace how rodents entered their home, concealing access points hidden under doors or behind cabinets.
For cockroaches, you would probably need compact sensors strategically placed in the areas where roaches like to hide, CNET advises. Still, they are so small, and the motion detected may not always be reliable enough to identify their presence.
Do Night Vision Cameras Capture Roach Movement?
Most home security cameras filter small movements to avoid triggering false alarms, such as a lot of movement from leaves or bugs that look like large cockroaches. So, your average security camera won't alert you to roach activity.
With that, you might find mounting it lower to the ground and coupled with a PIR sensor, which would be able to detect movement more keenly. If you have newer cameras, there's the night vision feature where you might see cockroaches, but it might miss them every time.
How to Stop Roaches from Triggering Sensors
If cockroaches keep activating your motion detectors, apply the following fixes:
- Increase the sensor height: Raise the sensors by an inch above the ground to avoid microscopic crawlers that might be bugging but still record human movement.
- Adjust settings: Some apps will allow you to schedule the time to have the sensor work and turn off some sensors at night or decrease sensitivity.
- Turn off notifications: Another way to eliminate unnecessary interruption is disabling alerts if the problem persists.
Can Roaches Damage Smart Devices?
Cockroaches can interfere with your smart home components. They are getting into electronic devices and wiring, malfunctioning possibly. Customers report finding roaches in security hubs, routers, and even keypads where connectivity has been knocked out.
Many companies prevent such occurrences through scheduled routine maintenance and pest control.
Do Pest Control Companies Have Access to Smart Sensors?
Some pest control companies use sensors that detect larger types of pests, such as rats, for their management programs.
Detection of smaller pests, such as cockroaches, through such a sensor, is uncommon. A few companies might use thermal imaging to detect roach infestations; however, these are not standard practices.
Such smart home devices will also aid the user in the detection of larger pests; however, in the case of a small and agile creature like cockroaches, this would not be the case; however, PIR sensors, along with smart positioning, may be of help in detection.
If you are suffering through roach infestation, a smart device will prove best combined with an older tradition of pest control for better results.
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