How to Install Entry Sensors

John Carlsen

Senior Staff Author, Security & Smart Home

Entry sensors (also called contact sensors or door and window sensors) provide intrusion detection if someone tries to enter your home. Along with the alarm panel and motion sensor, they're something your home security organisation can't practise without.

And here's the skillful news: entry sensors are a breeze to install one time you lot figure out the basics.

We'll walk you through installing entry sensors in 4 easy steps.

Video: How to Install Door and Window Sensors

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one. Insert the battery and examination sensor

Before you can install the sensor, information technology'due south a good idea to power information technology up and test it. Entry sensors are harder to move later on installing them, so this tin can save a lot of trouble later in the process.

Another reason to insert batteries is that some security systems and smart hubs crave pairing before installation, particularly if you lot're buying addition sensors.

ii. Find a suitable location

Tracking when doors and windows open is a crucial component of security systems—and the foundation of intrusion detection. Let's explore how entry sensors work so yous can understand why placement matters.

Entry sensors work all-time in these locations:

  • Doors
  • Windows
  • Cabinets and safes

Doors and windows

A door and window sensor works best when you mount information technology on a flat surface with the magnet on an adjacent surface: ane one-half on the door/window and the other one-half on the door/window's frame.

Information technology normally doesn't thing which half goes where—equally long as the two halves are near each other (within an inch or ii).

Installing sensors on metal

You may need to adjust the installation if y'all desire to install a magnetic sensor on a metal surface since that can interfere with regular operation in some cases.

Metal door, wooden frame: Place the magnet on the door and the door alarm on the frame. You might non need additional mounting hardware if the magnet sticks well plenty to the door. But information technology doesn't hurt to secure it in place to preclude it from flight off if the door slams.

Metallic window/door and frame: Try out your sensor outset to see if it works normally. You lot can temporarily use your hands or a small piece of tape to hold it in place while testing.

If it works as expected, install the sensor equally normal. If it doesn't work, here's what to do:

  1. Contact the manufacturer to come across if at that place's a way to jerry-rig the sensor. Be prepared to hear that there's nothing you tin do. Take some deep breaths and a few spoonfuls of water ice cream, and movement to step two.
  2. If jerry-rigging doesn't work, come across if your system supports a plunger sensor, hinge sensor, or vibration sensor.

Cabinets and safes

Another manner to use a contact sensor is to place it on a cabinet or condom to rail if curious fingers manage to go into something forbidden. This could be anything, similar a pantry total of treats, a bathroom medicine cabinet, a cupboard total of chemicals, or a condom full of valuables.

While this use of entry sensors is improve for homes with children, it can work anywhere you want a piffling extra security.

three. Mount the sensor

Later on yous take a working sensor and a suitable location, it's time to install everything. Most contact sensors employ agglutinative tape that makes them easy to install, but some accept mounting screws.

Both methods piece of work fine but take unlike strengths:

  • Adhesive tape is easier to attach, just it'due south harder to remove, and y'all can't reuse it.
  • Screws are reusable, but are mainly useful for forest surfaces, involve more tools, and exit holes backside.

Door and window sensor mounting steps

  1. Clean the surfaces where you'll install the sensor's two halves then the adhesive works amend.
  2. Place the primary sensor outset, holding for around 30 seconds to ensure a strong agglutinative bond.
  3. Identify the magnet on the surface opposite the sensor. If you're mounting on a door, brand certain there's enough room for the door to move freely without bumping the door sensor.
  4. Examination the sensor past opening and closing the door or window. You tin can usually see the condition via a mobile app, small LED light, or your burglar alarm'southward control panel.

Repeat the procedure for all of the sensors y'all desire to install.

4. Set up arming and disarming rules

After installing your sensor, accept a few minutes to familiarize yourself with the alarm system and to assign the sensors to specific roles. In most cases, sensors should trigger an alert when you lot arm your organisation in abode or away mode.

You don't need to set upwardly sensors on cabinets to actuate the alert unless yous want to. Instead, you tin can get a notification on your smartphone, saving y'all the hassle of contacting the professional person monitoring center.

Entry sensor installation FAQ

Usually none, if you utilise double-sided agglutinative tape to install your wireless door and window alarm. If y'all demand new adhesive afterwards moving a sensor, 3M Command Refill Strips work very well.

If you mountain entry sensors with screws, yous'll want a screwdriver and maybe a drill for small pilot holes. You definitely want a drill if you plan to install recessed contact sensors. This type of door alarm sensor hides inside your door and door frame.

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John Carlsen

Written by

John Carlsen

John is a engineering science journalist specializing in smart home devices, security cameras, and dwelling house security systems. He has over nine years of experience researching, testing, and reviewing the latest tech—he was the Smart Home Editor for Top Ten Reviews and wrote for ASecureLife before joining SafeWise equally a Staff Writer in 2020. John holds a Bachelor'southward degree in Communications, Journalism emphasis from Utah Valley University. In his spare fourth dimension, he enjoys hiking, photography, cooking, and starting endless DIY projects he has withal to consummate.

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