Would you put smart tech on every window or just stick with doors?

I hear you on the battery shuffle—I had the same thing happen with my first setup. I thought I was being clever putting sensors on every single window, but by month three, I was regretting it every time the app pinged me for low batteries. Now I just cover the main doors and the basement too. Curious, has anyone tried those glass break sensors instead of window contacts? Wondering if that’s a happy medium or just another thing to maintain...

I hear you on the battery shuffle—I had the same thing happen with my first setup.

I ran into the same issue with battery changes—felt like I was always swapping something out. Ended up scaling back to just doors and a couple of windows that are easy targets. Tried glass break sensors for a while. They’re less hassle than window contacts, but still need testing and occasional battery changes. Honestly, they’re not perfect—sometimes loud noises set them off, sometimes they miss actual glass breaking. For me, fewer sensors and strategic placement worked better than trying to cover everything.

- Ran into the same thing with batteries—felt like I was always climbing a ladder or searching for that one weird size.
- I usually tell folks: focus on doors and maybe basement windows, unless you’ve got ground-level access all around.
- Glass break sensors are nice in theory, but I’ve had them trigger from thunder or even a dropped pan.
- My own place? Just the main entry points and one window that’s hidden from the street. Less hassle, and honestly, I sleep better not worrying about false alarms every time the dog barks.
- Sometimes less really is more with this stuff...

Glass break sensors are nice in theory, but I’ve had them trigger from thunder or even a dropped pan.

That’s exactly why I ditched mine after a month. My cat knocked over a glass and—yep, full siren mode. I’m with you: doors and maybe the odd window that’s tucked away. Less stuff to maintain, less to worry about when the weather acts up.

That’s the thing—after a few false alarms, I just stuck to door sensors and one on the basement window that’s hidden behind a bush. Way less hassle. If someone’s breaking in, it’s probably not through every single window, right? Curious if anyone here actually covers all their windows and finds it worth the extra setup and batteries.

I get wanting less hassle, but I keep wondering if we’re just making it easier for someone who checks the “hidden” spots. Like,

If someone’s breaking in, it’s probably not through every single window, right?

—sure, but what about that one window no one expects? I’m tempted to add sensors to the upstairs windows just because they’re easy to pop open if you know how. Maybe it’s overkill, but is it really that much extra work once you’ve got the system going?

I get where you’re coming from. It’s so easy to fall into the “if they want in, they’ll find a way” mindset, but the truth is, most break-ins seem to happen through the obvious spots—doors, ground-floor windows, maybe the garage. Still, I’ve always wondered about those less obvious points too. In my own place (built in the 60s, so not exactly a fortress), we had a break-in attempt years ago and it was actually through a back upstairs window that wasn’t even locked properly. The guy used a ladder from our shed. Never would’ve guessed that was the weak spot until it happened.

Honestly, after that, I went a bit overboard and put sensors on every window, even the little bathroom ones. I thought it’d be a pain to set up, but once you’re already running wires or syncing wireless stuff, adding a few more sensors doesn’t make things that much harder. Maybe an extra hour or two tops. And once it’s done, you don’t have to think about it again—unless you’re like me and obsessively check the app every time you leave for vacation.

I wouldn’t call it overkill if it gives you peace of mind. The cost does add up if you’re paying per sensor (some brands are ridiculous), but for me, it was worth not having to second-guess whether I’d covered all my bases. Plus, burglars tend to go for the easiest target. If they see you’ve got everything covered—even those “hidden” windows—they might just move on.

Not saying everyone needs to go full Fort Knox, but if you’re already setting up smart tech, throwing in some extra sensors isn’t as much hassle as it sounds. And yeah, maybe nobody’s coming in through your upstairs bathroom window…but after what happened here, I’m never assuming again.

The cost does add up if you’re paying per sensor (some brands are ridiculous), but for me, it was worth not having to second-guess whether I’d covered all my bases.

I get that, but I’d argue there’s a balance. Every extra sensor draws power—battery or mains—which adds up over time. I’d rather focus on the main points of entry and invest in better insulation or smart thermostats. Security’s important, but so’s not making your house a tech energy hog.

- Totally get the peace of mind thing—knowing every window’s covered does help you sleep easier.
- That said, I’m with you on the “balance” part. Like you mentioned,

“Every extra sensor draws power—battery or mains—which adds up over time.”

I’ve seen batteries in window sensors die way faster than advertised, especially in cold weather. Swapping them out gets old.
- For my place (old 60s ranch, lots of small windows), I just did sensors on the main doors and a couple of basement windows that are easy to access. The rest? I trust the locks and keep valuables away from them. Haven’t had any issues so far.
- Insulation and smart thermostats made a bigger day-to-day difference here than extra sensors ever did.
- If you’re really worried about a specific spot, maybe just add a sensor there instead of blanketing every single window. Otherwise, it starts to feel like tech for tech’s sake.

Everyone’s comfort level with security is different… but yeah, not keen on turning my house into a low-key server farm either.

I’ve had similar issues with battery life—cold snaps seem to drain them way faster than expected, especially on north-facing windows. I ended up prioritizing the main entry points too, and honestly, I haven’t noticed any drop in peace of mind. Out of curiosity, has anyone tried hardwired sensors in older homes? I’ve considered it, but not sure if the hassle of retrofitting is worth it compared to just swapping out batteries every so often.