In the advent days of CCTVs, security cameras were mostly found in banks and retail stores. Today, they are everywhere-at restaurants, gas stations, mini storages, traffic intersections, and almost every location you can think of.
Developing technologies such as cloud computing and the internet have facilitated the rapid growth of security cameras by increasing their efficiency and convenience.
There are a great number of indoor and outdoor security cameras available in the market. All you need to do is plan how you are going to organize, place, and fix your security cameras. Security camera installation depends on your home, budget, and home's security main concerns.
Here is a guide on security cameras installation. Let us start by looking at the most vulnerable places around your home that must be under surveillance.
Front Door
Statistics show that more than 30% of robbers use the front door. It is also susceptible to package thieves. And if you have a sliding door you need to keep an eye on it even more. A security camera on your front door monitors everyone that comes in and out of your home.
Side and Backdoors
Side and back doors are usually out of your sight, hence people can come into your home unnoticed, regardless of whether they were invited or not. To make sure you are aware of everyone who comes in and exits your home, install security cameras on your side and back doors.
Driveway and Garage
A security camera installed on your driveway or garage monitors, cars, tools, bikes, grills, sports gear, and everyone that operates them. A camera installed in your garage gives you an added level of security by keeping an eye on possible entry points into your home.
Backyard
Installing a camera on your yard will help you monitor anyone trying to scope out your home. It is also effective in keeping tabs on the activities of children, pets, and trespassers.
Common Indoor areas
Installing security cameras at gathering areas of your home, such as the living room and kitchen, is a great way of checking what the kids, pets, babysitter, or even repairman are up to.
Main Hallway or stairway
Installing security cameras in your home's main passages will make it hard for anyone to move around your home unnoticeable.
Places within Your Home You Shouldn't install a Security Camera.
- Bathrooms and bedrooms – These places have a justified expectation of privacy. Consider installing baby monitors to monitor kids' bedrooms and glass break sensors in bathrooms to enhance your home security.
- Locations that infringe your neighbor's privacy – Laws regarding privacy and cameras vary from one state to another; therefore, check local laws before installing security cameras. You may have legal issues if your surveillance cameras capture places your neighbor expects privacy, such as bathrooms and bedrooms.
Security Camera Installation Tips
Stick to these tips to achieve effective security camera installation.
- Install outdoor security cameras above the ground
Security cameras should be placed 10 feet above the ground. This position is low enough to record clear details and high enough to be out of reach of vandals and burglars.
- Decide if your security camera will be seen or hidden
Seen security cameras effectively deter burglars but are also highly vulnerable to vandalism and theft. If you prefer a visible security camera, add a heavy-duty casing to your camera, making it harder to damage.
- Protect the outdoor camera from weather elements
Purchase a security camera that is suitably rated for your area's climate. You should go on further and install it under the gutters or in a semi-protected place.
- Install indoor cameras on corners
Installing security cameras in the corner of a room will provide you with the largest potential vantage point.
- Windows cause reflection problems
Pointing a security camera out the window might lower its image quality. Most security cameras have infrared light technology, which facilitates motion detection and enables them to operate in low light. Infrared light sometimes reflects off windows and obscures your recording, especially in the dark. If your recordings look whited out or washed out, you have a reflection issue.
- Test the equipment before full installation
Turn on the camera and ensure it operates as expected. If you are able, do a dry run in the camera's projected spot to keep an eye and assess the feed.
- Use the right tools to install the security cameras
Don't fix your security cameras with tools that may ruin their parts. Don't perform an installation that potentially damages the camera's lens, casing, or electrical components.
- Hide or protect your cables
Do not leave your security camera cables exposed as they can easily be damaged. Besides the cables being protected, they should also be difficult to reach.
- Consider Feed management, storage, and retrieval
Security cameras usually collect information, and therefore, you should have a way of storing and retrieving the data. You may choose to store the data in cloud storage or hard-drive storage. The storage location you decide on should have sufficient space to keep the data. In the event of a burglary, your storage option should facilitate easy retrieval of data.
When installing security cameras, the most crucial part is taking your time and planning. With this information, you will be able to perform an effective security camera installation, thus making your home safer.