Funny you mention the sun messing with sensors—I had a similar thing with my kitchen motion light, except it was the neighbor’s car headlights through the window at night. Ever try those peel-and-stick hooks for mounting stuff? I’m always a little skeptical they’ll actually hold, especially on old plaster. Wonder if there’s a trick to getting them to stay put without wrecking the wall...
I hear you on the peel-and-stick hooks—those things are hit or miss, especially on plaster. The adhesive just doesn't always bond well if the wall's a bit dusty or textured. I've had better luck cleaning the spot with rubbing alcohol first and pressing really hard for a good 30 seconds, but even then, heavier stuff tends to fall off after a while. If you absolutely want to avoid holes, maybe try those removable strips that are rated for higher weights, but double up on them. For anything valuable (like cameras), I usually end up using a tiny screw and just patching it later.
On the budget security front, I’d say stick-on hooks are fine for lightweight sensors or fake cameras, but not for anything that's actually expensive or critical. Maybe test one with something non-breakable first... saves a headache if it drops in the middle of the night.
Title: If You Had To Rig Up Your Own Home Security On A Tight Budget, What Would You Do?
I’ve wondered about those heavy-duty strips too—do they actually hold up over time, or do they just give out after a few months? I’m always worried about stuff crashing down at 3am. For patching holes, is it really as easy as spackle and paint, or does it end up looking obvious? I’d rather avoid drilling if possible, but sometimes it feels like there’s no way around it for anything that matters.
Heavy-duty strips are hit or miss in my experience. I tried them for a motion sensor by the front door—held up fine for about six months, then one humid week and boom, down it went at 2am. Not fun. For patching holes, spackle and paint does the trick if you’re patient and sand it smooth, but I can usually spot where I patched unless I really take my time. Sometimes drilling just feels more reliable, especially for anything that needs to stay put long-term.
Sometimes drilling just feels more reliable, especially for anything that needs to stay put long-term.
Yeah, I hear you on that. Heavy-duty strips are like a gamble—sometimes they stick, sometimes they just give up in the middle of the night. I’ve had better luck with anchors and screws, especially for stuff like cameras or motion sensors. If I’m worried about patching later, a little spackle and some textured paint usually hides my crimes... unless you’re looking at it in direct sunlight, then all bets are off.