Can Smart Home Sensors Help You Find Bugs and Pests?

If you've spotted potential signs of mice, roaches or other pests, there's a unique way you can get a closer eye on the problem -- and where it's coming from. It turns out your smart home devices aren't just great at monitoring temperatures or opening doors. Their sensors can also pick up annoying insects and rodents!

It can take a little work to arrange home security devices to watch for pests, too. We'll cover your questions, explain how it works and talk about what you should do if you're getting seriously bugged. 

Can home security motion detectors detect cockroaches and other pests?

Yes. Most smart home motion sensors use PIR, or passive infrared technology, that detects nearby infrared light, letting them detect people and objects. Since these sensors don't need to create active infrared light themselves, they excel at saving battery life, but they're sensitive enough to trigger from nearby roaches -- especially if a cockroach crawls directly across the sensor.

Since home sensors typically get placed beside doorways, cabinets and windowsills, this happens often if roaches are present. Plus, cockroaches may be attracted to the heat signatures some sensors give off.

Sensors like these and the more advanced motion detectors found in home security cams can also detect bats, mice, raccoons, squirrels, termites and a whole bunch of other pests. Roaches are just well-positioned to trigger indoor sensors, especially in the middle of the night.

A Swann sensor on a wall.

Could roaches actually trigger an emergency alarm system?

Depending on how your home security system is set up, they could. Cockroaches climbing around an armed system could trigger it and send you an alert. Most home security systems won't directly contact police and give you a false alarm fine. Monitoring companies may contact you with some concerns, they're not going to send in emergency responders for a roach.

There have been cases where scared homeowners have called police because their system triggered while they were away, only for police to discover that it was a cockroach creating the alert. That's why it's useful to pair a security system with a smart camera so you can peek through the live view if you get an alert and see if there's really an intruder.

Could I use a smart home sensor to detect bugs under my appliances?

It's possible, but it might take some work. You would need compact sensors that could easily fit in these dark spaces and careful positioning to detect motion from roaches scurrying across the floor. It's more likely to work well with bigger pests like mice. For example, here's a whole story of a homeowner who positioned sensors in different locations to track how mice were entering the kitchen and uncovered all access points, including how they were squeezing under the doors.

Ecobee's sensors skip the need for a hub or keypad.

Can night vision cameras capture the presence of roaches and other pests?

It's not likely. In our tests, we've found home security cameras tend to ignore small motions so they won't get triggered by swaying leaves, etc. Cockroaches and other bugs are just too small for the camera's sensors to activate. You could try placing a camera on the floor and using it in conjunction with a PIR motion sensor to check out the live view for roach activity. In these cases, the night vision on modern cameras could be an asset.

Is there a way to stop getting nighttime alerts about roaches if my sensors keep triggering?

You have several options. First, we suggest bumping the adhesive sensors several inches higher, which is still enough to tag humans (or pets) but makes it less likely any roaches will get close.

If that doesn't work, look in your app settings to see if you can disarm certain sensors for the night or create schedules where sensors are allowed to activate only at certain times. There's usually a way to fix your problem. If issues persist, you can just silence notifications from your smart home app at night.

Catching roaches with sensors may take careful placement, but it can happen -- even by accident.

Can roaches set off smoke detectors?

They can't trigger smoke detector sensors, but they can cause related problems. If bugs find their way into smoke detector wiring, they could trigger false alarms. It's been known to happen before, and it's a sign to call a pest control company ASAP.

Can home automation keep roaches away?

Not effectively. Some suggest connecting a strobe light to a motion sensor or using a sensor with a built-in flashing light, but that's not a guaranteed deterrent, especially for pests beyond light-averse roaches. Get rid of pests by sealing even the tiniest access points, removing food sources and contacting experts if necessary.

Can cockroaches damage my smart home devices?

If they start crawling around in the wiring, they can cause damage. Homeowners have discovered roaches making a mess behind keypads, security hubs and even inside Wi-Fi routers.

Don't use home automation to try to get rid of roaches -- call in an exterminator instead.

Can pest control use sensors to detect roaches in my home?

In some cases, maybe. Certain pest control companies set up their own sensor systems to detect larger pests like rats as part of a pest management plan. Using these sensors for pests as small as cockroaches is unusual, although some pest control companies may try using thermal imaging and other tricks to see where large groups of roaches are hiding.

Along with finding ways to deal with insects, stop by our guides on how to install security cameras the right way, non-toxic sprays you can use to deter pests and houseplants that can help ward away the bugs.