How to Make the Most of Your Home Security Cameras
If you watch the news diligently, you might feel worried and concerned when you see stories of home burglaries and theft. It isn’t surprising that many people choose to install home security cameras to help catch these criminals and protect their home. If you don’t yet have a security camera system at home, you may consider one.
Security cameras provide you with eyes inside and outside of your home. When you sleep, the cameras can keep monitoring for any disturbance. If anything happens while you are gone, the cameras will catch it all on record and could help police catch the culprit. If you do decide to purchase a system, here are some tips that can help you make the most of out of your security cameras.
- Choose the Right Type of Cameras
Perhaps the most important advice of all is to choose the right type of cameras. Understand that there are a wide variety of cameras available with each having their advantages and disadvantages. In choosing the right CCTV, determine your needs and see which cameras can satisfy those needs. Take the time to read up on the different types of security cameras available in the market. Consider things like, do the cameras have night vision, do they record audio, are they wireless or wired, etc.?
- Proper Placement of Cameras to Cover Enough Area
After choosing the right cameras, the next important thing to do is to place them in the right location. Proper placement is incredibly important since no matter how great your CCTV is, it is useless if it doesn’t cover the most vulnerable areas – front door, back door, backyard, windows, and gates. Do not be tempted to set up the cameras too high because it provides the most coverage as this will result in footage that is too far away to record details for identification.
- Secure Internet-Connected Cameras with Passwords
One of the vulnerabilities of wireless security cameras is that they are hackable. If the person trying to get inside your home is skilled, and your security is lax, they can still get inside undetected if you don’t properly secure your cameras. On that note, it is crucial that you secure your internet connected cameras with the most secure passwords you can think of to ensure no one would be able to bypass them.
- Place Cameras in Plain Sight to Deter Would-Be Thieves
Placing the cameras in plain sight is an excellent way of deterring the would-be thieves from entering your home. When they see that you have security measures in place, anyone who would attempt to enter your property will second-guess. Would they risk being seen? Most likely they would not, and with that, they will often turn away from committing a crime on your property.
- Take into Account Sunlight or Weather When Placing Cameras
When it comes to the placing of the cameras, the weather or sunlight is an essential factor to consider. It is critical that you consider how the light changes during the day, particularly for outdoor cameras. In mounting cameras outdoors, their location will be more or less affected by sunlight which essentially shines into and blinds the cameras. Also consider the effects of rain or snow build up on cameras, which would obscure the lens. On that note, place the camera somewhere where it won’t be affected as much.
Even though there is a lot to consider, a security camera system can add a great level of protection for your home and peace of mind is priceless.