ADT Security Sensors

Today, home security systems offer a wide range of devices and capabilities. You can add sophisticated cameras, integrate smart devices, and automate your home through your security system.

Even with all of these bells and whistles, security providers are still focused on one main goal: keeping you, your family, and your home safe.

ADT protects your home and well-being through some of its smallest products. These security sensors and safety alarms may not be large, but they offer powerful protection against both security and environmental threats.

In this guide, you will learn all about the sensors ADT uses to secure your home. You can then understand the strength of your protection with ADT’s security solutions.

Key Takeaways

• ADT offers both security sensors and environmental safety alarms to protect your home from all threats
• An ADT security system may include door/window sensors, motion sensors, garage door tilt sensors, smoke alarms, carbon monoxide detectors, and flood sensors
• You can choose either wireless or wired sensors for your home, but all of them will be professionally installed by the company

What kind of sensors does ADT use?

ADT doesn’t just protect you from intruders and burglars. It also watches for environmental dangers, such as fires, floods, and carbon monoxide leaks. With its range of sensors, you will learn about every threat as soon as it occurs.

Advance warning gives you time to respond to the emergency. It also means that ADT’s monitoring team can get first responders to your home as quickly as possible. No matter what happens, you can trust in your sensors to keep you safe.

Security sensors

These devices alert you when someone enters or attempts to enter your home uninvited. Your sensors are connected to your control panel, so your system will send an instant notification as soon as it detects the problem. It will additionally alert ADT so they can make sure you’re okay.

Door and window sensors

Even the most basic security system includes door and window sensors. These small devices are placed on every window or door that may be vulnerable to intrusion, typically covering all the potential entry points on the ground floor.

When you get a home security system through ADT, you will get a minimum of three door and window sensors. Larger equipment packages include four sensors. You can add as many door and window sensors as you want during your purchase.

These sensors are made of two pieces. Each piece includes magnetic sensor technology that connects when the pieces are placed parallel to each other. 

For doors, the professional installer will place one piece near the frame at the top of the door. They will install the other piece on the door frame, parallel to the first. When the pieces are together, the magnetic connection between them tells your security system that the door is closed. Opening the door pulls them apart and breaks the connection, alerting your system to the change.

The same concept applies to windows. The installer will place one piece on the window next to the frame and the other on the frame. If someone pulls the window up or outward, it will pull the sensor apart.

Unarmed, your system will just beep to let you know an entry has been opened (you can change this in your system settings). If your system is armed, it will immediately blare an alarm when the sensor connection breaks. 

In addition to the audible alert, you will get a notification on your phone and the system will contact the monitoring center.

Most homes will use standard sensors that feature a peel-and-stick adhesive for attachment. Slimline sensors, which are essentially thinner versions of standard sensors for narrow frames, also use this installation method. 

Though they generally stay in place, the adhesive sometimes fails. Part of the sensor may then fall and cause a false alarm. Keep an eye out for sagging or slipping sensors to prevent this heart-stopping experience.

To make sure its systems work with every home, ADT also provides several other sensor options.

Recessed door sensors, for instance, are mounted inside the frame, where it would be difficult to put a standard sensor. This makes them nearly invisible and, thus, hard to tamper with. 

Rather than using a peel-and-stick adhesive, these sensors are screwed into the door frame. This method prevents any accidental falls, which makes them even handier. The installer will attach the device in the ideal location to make sure it functions properly. 

Finally, ADT is one of the few security providers that offers both wireless and wired security sensors. If your home is wired for this type of set-up, you can request wired devices instead. It will take a bit longer to install everything, but this method works just as well to detect intruders.

Motion detectors

Even with your door and window sensors, there’s always the risk, however unlikely, that an intruder will find another way in. In this scenario, your motion detector can save the day.

Motion sensors are bigger than your other security sensors, but only about four inches tall. As you might guess, these devices are triggered by movement in the detection field. 

ADT’s products use passive infrared sensors to look for temperature changes. When someone walks in front of your motion detector, it will react to the body heat they give off.

Since the sensor uses heat to detect intruders, it’s crucial to keep it away from areas of strong heat and light. If the motion detector faces a window that gets a lot of sun, for instance, it won’t be able to tell when someone moves into the room. 

Your installer will make sure that it’s placed in a position that prevents this problem. They will also choose a spot that covers a central area of the house. The device can detect motion in an area that is 35×40 feet, so they will pick a spot that will capture entries from any direction. Often, this location is in the corner of a room and about seven feet up from the ground.

Your motion detector is only active when your security system is armed in “Away” mode. Otherwise, it would trigger an alarm every time you entered the room.

Sometimes large pets are enough to trigger the motion alarm. If you have a pet taller than two feet, you can adjust the sensitivity level on the motion detector so it won’t react to them. The professional installer will be able to put it on the right setting for you and will show you how to adjust it.

You can choose between a wired or wireless option for this device. The wireless model runs on batteries, which typically last about seven years. When the batteries are low, the device will send an alert to your phone.

If your home is equipped with smart devices, you can include your motion sensor in your automated sequences. When the sensor detects motion at night, for example, your system can automatically turn on your smart lights. If you have an indoor camera, you can also set it to record a video whenever movement is detected.

Garage door tilt sensor

Leaving your garage door open is a serious security risk. First, it leaves anything in your garage vulnerable to theft. If the garage is up and no one is home, a thief can easily get away with your belongings.

More seriously, it also provides a clear path to the door that connects your garage to your home. Many people leave this door unlocked so it’s easier to go in and out. Unfortunately, it’s also an easy way for a burglar to enter your home while it’s empty.

Garage door tilt sensors tell you when the garage door is left open after you leave. If your system is armed and the door is open, for instance, the app will send you an alert to let you know. Or if your phone is no longer connected to the system and the garage is up, the app will let you know.

Though many security providers only offer the passive tilt sensor, ADT pairs this device with a remote controller. With one tap in the app, you can close the door and restore your home’s security.

The garage door opener allows you to open the door remotely as well. If you need to let a visitor or contractor inside, you can use the app to let them in through the garage and disarm your alarm.

Smart home systems offer even more capabilities. Opening the garage can trigger automated routines that take care of small tasks and make your home more comfortable. Have your smart lights turn on and your security system disarm as soon as you get home. Or have your thermostat start cooling the house when the garage opens so it reaches a comfortable temperature sooner.

The tilt sensors are small, battery-powered devices that will be attached to the door using a screw or double-sided tape. The smart controller can be placed on the ceiling or directly over the opener. There are both wired and wireless options to choose from.

Safety sensors

Home security systems have expanded their protection to include several environmental dangers that may threaten your home.

Since smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors are required by law, you wonder why you need these devices. As we’ll show you below, using smart safety sensors provides quicker, more reliable detections. They can help save lives and prevent expensive damage to your home.

Smoke detectors

Most of the time, smoke alarms are just minor inconveniences that send you running when you burn the toast. If your home catches fire, however, they may be the only thing that gives you enough time to get your family outside before they are seriously injured.

ADT’s smart smoke detectors are equipped with enhanced sensors that can detect smoke before any of your other devices. These high-tech tools can also tell the difference between a real fire and a false alarm, such as burnt food.

Even better, ADT’s products are dual smoke and heat detectors. If your home starts heating up at a rate of 15 or more degrees per minute, the sensor will trigger an alarm. Additionally, it can detect slow, smoldering fires faster than typical sensors, giving you more time to respond.

You can choose to replace all of your current smoke detectors with ADT’s smart options or just add to your existing system. Either way, all of your detectors will sync with the rest of your alarms, including older models. If any device senses smoke, it will trigger the rest of the system. Your smart detector will then alert you and ADT to the situation.

Fires can start anywhere, so the technician will find the ideal placements to cover the entire house.

You can only get wireless smoke detectors with this system, so you will have to keep up with battery changes. Generally, you will only need to change them every five to seven years. Plus, if the batteries are low, the device needs cleaning, or something isn’t working right, the smoke detector will send an alert to your system to let you know.

Integrating your home security system with smart devices offers several more ways to minimize the severity of a fire. If you have a smart thermostat, for example, you can use the app to turn your HVAC system off so it doesn’t feed the flames. You can also unlock your smart locks and disarm your security sensors to give easier access to the fire department.

Carbon monoxide (CO) detectors

Like smoke detectors, every home is required to have a carbon monoxide detector. This gas is colorless and odorless, so you won’t know it’s there until it’s too late. With a CO sensor, your system can alert you to the danger before it harms you and your family.

ADT’s carbon monoxide detectors use electrochemical sensors to identify CO as soon as it enters your home. You will immediately get a notification to leave the house. At the same time, the monitoring team will send emergency responders to your house as quickly as possible.

It’s important to get this notification when you’re home and in direct danger. It’s even more crucial to get the alert when your family and/or pets are home and unaware of the threat. 

As soon as you see the alert, you can get in touch with your family to tell them to leave. If you have pets or a loved one that can’t get out by themselves, you can contact a neighbor to ask for help. Your smart locks or garage door controller can give them instant access to your home so that your family can be rescued.

You can choose between wired and wireless devices, though these sensors won’t replace your current carbon monoxide detectors. The installer will either mount them on the ceiling or wall, though they can place the wireless devices in any location they deem best.

The batteries in these products typically last about 10 years. When they are low, you will get a notification through the app.

Like the smart smoke detectors, these devices work with your existing sensors to protect your home. If any sensor detects carbon monoxide, all of them will sound an alert and your smart device will notify your security system.

Each CO sensor includes a tamper switch. If someone removes the detector from its base, leaving you vulnerable, you’ll get a notification on your phone.

Similar to your smoke detectors, your CO sensors can work with your smart devices to keep you safe during an emergency. Use your Nest thermostat to turn off the HVAC system and limit the spread of the gas. 

You can disengage your smart locks and disarm your window/door sensors to make sure everyone can get out in time. Once the fire department arrives, they can get in faster. They’ll likely open the windows to air the home out as well, so this makes the process easier.

Flood sensors

A small leak can quickly grow into a major problem. If a toilet overflows upstairs and floods all the way down to the ground level, for instance, you may face thousands of dollars in repairs.

Flood sensors are small devices that detect water in the space around them. They quickly detect leaks and alert you to the problem. You can then fix the issue or shut off the water before it can damage your home.

Often, leaks are inevitable in any home. Common sources include:

• Dishwashers
• Washing machines
• Sinks
• Toilets
• Tubs
• Broken pipes
• Roofs
• And more

Some homes may be built or positioned poorly, leaving them vulnerable to flooding during heavy rains.

No matter the source, most leaks don’t stop on their own. The only way to stop them is to fix the problem.

Your flood detectors can be placed in any spaces that are vulnerable to flooding. You can have the installer place them under sinks, behind appliances, in basements, and behind toilets. ADT uses small sensors that can fit in hard-to-access locations, so you can cover every potential risk.

Once in place, the technician will sync these internet-connected devices to the rest of your security system. When water is detected, it will immediately tell you which sensor was triggered so you know where to go.

Flood sensors are especially important for homes that you rent out. If you own a short-term rental, for instance, you can only hope that the tenants will notice the leak and alert you to it. Otherwise, you will just have to take care of the damage it causes.

Installing water sensors ensures that you are aware of any floods immediately. If you get an alert while you’re away, you can use your indoor camera to look for the leak and understand what you’re dealing with.

ADT’s flood sensors are battery-operated so they will require battery changes, often after about five years.