Priority Order Matters
The first sensor should not go on the least-likely basement window just because it was top of mind. Cover the openings people use, forget, or leave cracked without thinking.
- Front door
- Back door or garage-entry door
- Patio slider or side gate access point
- Ground-floor windows hidden from the street
Keep the Gap Tight and the Label Obvious
Bad alignment creates flaky alerts. Spend the extra minute getting the sensor and magnet lined up cleanly, then label it like a normal person would describe it.
Kitchen Window Left is better than Sensor 04. During an alert, clarity wins.
Do Not Try to Sensor Every Pane on Day One
You are not failing if every window is not covered right away. In a lot of homes, the sensible first pass is doors plus the vulnerable ground-floor windows.
Adding more sensors later is normal. Honestly, it is probably the better way to do it.
Common Placement Misses
- Skipping the garage-entry door because it feels inside the house
- Ignoring the patio slider because it is used less often
- Mounting sensors where trim flex creates random misalignment
- Using vague names that nobody understands during an alert