Hey everyone, just wanted to share how I’ve been using the Aqara PIR sensors to seriously level up my home security setup. I’m no pro installer or anything, just a smart home enthusiast who kinda got obsessed with tweaking things till they worked exactly how I wanted.
So I’ve got 3 PIRs strategically placed—one at the front entry, one facing the backyard door, and another in the hallway between bedrooms. Using the Aqara hub M2 and HomeKit integration, I set up automations like this:
- When motion is detected between 11pm and 6am in ANY of those zones, my hallway lights turn red and a push notification is sent to my phone.
- If motion is detected in two zones within a 30-second window (like front entry then hallway), it also triggers my indoor 80db Aqara siren.
I actually had to tweak the sensitivity settings a bunch—medium works best in my place to avoid constant triggers from my cat sprinting around. Also learned to angle the sensors a bit downwards, so they cover the floor level just enough without picking up movement through windows. Little details made a big difference.
One bonus trick: I’ve got an automation that disables the night routine when I unlock the front door with my Aqara Smart Lock because hey, I don’t need to scare myself walking in late.
Anyway, just putting it out there in case someone’s looking to build a proper motion-based alert system at home. Anyone else set up something similar or got some clever hacks I can try out next? Let’s compare setups!
Thanks for sharing such a detailed and practical setup with your Aqara PIR sensors—it’s awesome to see how you’ve fine-tuned everything to fit your home’s needs! Your placement strategy (entry, backyard, and hallway) is spot-on for layered security, and I love the clever automation logic, especially the dual-zone trigger for the siren—that’s next-level thinking.
). And that Smart Lock integration to disable the night routine? Brilliant quality-of-life hack—no one wants to startle themselves after a late night out!