1 Message
Removing sensors from walls
Does anyone know removing sensors that were attached with adhesive will result in peeling off paint?
I have issues with system so I'd like to switch over to other security system but I am afraid I will peel off the paint.
Please help!
I need to make a decision whether keeping Simplisafe or not.
Thank you in advance!
I have issues with system so I'd like to switch over to other security system but I am afraid I will peel off the paint.
Please help!
I need to make a decision whether keeping Simplisafe or not.
Thank you in advance!
Official Response
davey_d
Community Admin
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4.8K Messages
2 years ago
The adhesives on our sensors are designed to come off cleanly on almost any surface, though yes, it really does depend on the quality of the paint.
Sounds like you haven't got a system yet, but when you do, you'll see that each sensor has the adhesives pre-attached, and each adhesive has a non-sticky tab on it. If you pull on the tab gently but firmly, and take your time, that will stretch out the material and the actual "sticky" surface comes apart, losing grip on your wall.
@Worthing,
There are some sensors that might still have a different brand, but we're slowly switching all of them to actual 3M. If you've gotten Entry Sensors recently, they most likely already have 3M adhesives. We heard loud and clear that y'all needed the real deal for best performance.
- Davey D.
Community Development Manager
SimpliSafe Home Security
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worthing
Advocate
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597 Messages
2 years ago
The answer is "maybe" and don't let anyone tell you differently. Why? Because everyone has a different set up with regards to the type of paint, the surface that is painted, how old everything is, etc. as well as the techniques they use to remove stuff from the wall.
(I can tell you from personal experience I have definitely removed paint at least once when I removed a glass break sensor and didn't do it carefully.)
For some of the sensors I believe it's basically a command strip so you can try https://www.command.com/3M/en_US/command/how-to-use/picture-hanging-strips if you can access the tab to pull down. If that doesn't work the two things I'd try would be:
1) Hair dryer set on medium to give the adhesive a bit of heat which should loosen it up and make it less sticky. Don't overheat the sensor too much (you an use cardboard or something to direct the hot air to the sticky bits and not on the sensor as a whole) and don't overheat the paint either as latex paint can be affected by too much heat.
2) Get some dental floss (not dental tape, floss!) and see if you can "saw it" off the wall. Press the floss flush to the wall above the sensor tape then *slowly* work it back and forth while pulling down to loosen the tape on the wall. Even if this winds up popping off the sensor but not the tape you can at least get better access to the tape
You can also try razor blades in lieu of floss but if floss is more forgiving, imo, and less likely to damage the paint. (This is especially true if you can't see the work area because the sensor is in the way.)
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jackl89
3 Messages
2 years ago
I have just upgraded my SS2 system to SS3 and have found that removing the old sensor adhesive is the most tedious task. I got best results by using a heat gun for 2 seconds to warm the sensor backing slightly and then lifting and rocking slightly to remove the sensor frame and hopefully the underlying adhesive strip. About 80% of the time it all came off. Dealing with the magnets was more challenging; 50% of the time the adhesive remained on the wall. In the case of one motion sensor and one glass breakage sensor, a bit of the wall skim coat and paint came off. To remove an adhesive strip still stuck on the wall, the procedure was to warm it very slightly and gradually use my fingernails to roll it up from one end.
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dawnfinkle
1 Message
2 years ago
I can't access the tabs to pull them down; its in the corner of two walls and the back is completely unaccessable. Do they come apart so can reach the 3m tabs to pull them down?
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