Minut Sensor Placement on a Suspended Ceiling

 The Minut sound sensor for monitoring sound levels in a house or parts of a building is a very good tool for rental property owners and managers.   Each sensor covers ~700 sq ft on a horizontal plane.

Ideally, it's intended to hang suspended from a ceiling over the monitored area.  They even provide a magnetic mount plate and a screw with a plastic anchor.

But what if you need to mount it on a suspended ceiling?  Using a screw and a plastic anchor is not the ideal solution.   Here's how I mount them in the properties I do work in...

First, I pick a ceiling tile that's roughly center of the area we intend to monitor.  It doesn't have to be exactly center but it helps to be near.

Specifically,  I'll pick a spot not in the center of the tile, but about 3 to 6 inches near a cross-section of ceiling frame.  I like to have the extra support there instead of a potentially weaker spot in the center of the tile.  I mark that point with a marker, then take the tile down.

Using an awl or something similar,  I'll make a hole to fasten the mount plate to the tile.  Instead of using the provided screw and plastic anchor, I choose a similar sized machine screw with a washer and nut to fasten the mount to the tile.

Once the mount is attached, I replace the tile in the suspended frame.  Then, attach the sensor.  Make sure it's turned on first.

Using an awl to make the hole makes less of a mess than a drill or something similar that just tears up the tile.  Using a screw with a washer and nut is a more secure hold in a ceiling tile than a screw will have. 

In the end, you have a useful sound monitor that does a lot more, right where it needs to be.