A PIR, or passive infra-red detector, is a motion sensor used in business and home security systems.

It uses an infrared sensor to check for movement at all times of day.
The sensor sees movement by monitoring temperature changes in its field of view.

If a person walks in front of the sensor then the movement in heat is detected and the alarm will trigger.
This type of heat sensing alarm helps to reduce false alarms compared to other movement sensors which could be set off by anything from falling plant pot leaves to cats walking around.

They look a little different to some alarms you might see, there's no camera or visible sensor. That's because infra-red signals can penetrate the silicon cover on the alarm, activating the sensor, so they look like they are just small plastic boxes.

Dual Technology

Some alarms are more reliable than others, for example they use two signals and need both of them to be activated in order to trigger. Designed to give a more accurate trigger rate and reduce false alarms, these sensors are a must have if you want a burglar alarm but are worried about your pets setting them off.

For business owners, a reduced false alarm rate means you (or your keyholders) won't be getting out of bed at all hours for no reason!

Did you know? We were awarded the Gold Award for medium businesses in the Metropolitan Police's Alarm Performance Awards in 2005. Though these awards no longer exist, we still strive to reduce false alarms and increase security for all of our customers.

PIR Sensors Perfect For Pet Owners - But Why?

PIR sensors are often regarded as a good option for pet owners. This is because pet friendly sensors work by creating two horizontal signals - at different heights - that need to be triggered in unison in order for the alarm to go off.

This means that, when your dog walks past, it is only triggering one of the signals, so the alarm doesn't activate.

Some sensors don’t just look at the movement of heat, they compare the temperature reading of both signals to verify that they are related.

Meaning that if your dog is activating one signal and a van driving past is activating the other, the alarm will recognise that they are different objects and won’t trigger.
When a person walks past, they activate both signals and each heat signature will match with the other, causing the alarm to activate.

Learn More, Get In Touch

It's easy to get caught up in the specifics of burglar alarms and become overwhelmed with information. That's why we offer a free home security survey, where our professional installers can plan the perfect system that's tailored to your exact needs. Our team are ready to take your call and assist you further with any questions you may have.