Door Sensor or Motion Sensor First? A Room-by-Room Priority List

You don't need to sensor every door and window in your house on day one. You need the right five, in the right order.

The priority order

1. Front door — unless you're using a smart lock with a built-in sensor, which already tells you when it's open.
2. Back door — often the least visible entry point from the street.
3. Side and garage entry doors — easy to forget, easy to leave unlocked.
4. Ground-floor windows — start with the ones hidden from the street by fences, bushes, or the side of the house.
5. Sliding glass doors — a common weak point because the standard latch is easier to force than a deadbolt.

Installing them right

Clean the surface with rubbing alcohol before sticking anything on — dust and oils ruin the adhesive. Put the larger piece (the sensor) on the frame and the smaller piece (the magnet) on the door or window itself. Keep the gap between them under half an inch when closed, and always test that the alert fires before you walk away.

Motion sensors come after entry sensors, not before — they're better for catching movement inside once someone's already past the perimeter, and they're more prone to false alarms from pets, vents, and sunlight, so they're worth tuning carefully once the basics are covered.