Smile! You’re on candid camera. The security system is crucial to keeping your home safe from break-ins, and vandalism and occasionally can even assist in solving crimes unrelated to your home. From wireless cameras to motion detection, we’re keeping a close eye on the best home security camera options for you and your home. With our help, you’ll have a complete home security system with the best home security cameras for the job.
Table of Contents
Benefits of Home Security Camera Systems
Deters Criminal Activity
The last thing a burglar wants is to be caught and a handy reminder of the potential consequences of their actions could convince them to back out. Few things get the point across you’re being watched like the sight of a security camera. Teamed up with some motion sensor lights, you’d be surprised how often this will scare people off. This isn’t fool-proof, so be sure your camera is working as it could come back to bite you if the thief isn’t smart enough to take the hint.
Remote Monitoring and Surveillance
With smart devices and internet connection, it’s never been easy to remotely monitor your home. While you do have real-time access to footage, it is also stored (either online or off) and can be checked at a later date if need be.
Peace of Mind
We all get anxious sometimes about how safe our property is and especially about the safety of our family. The simple presence of security cameras can be a deterrent to break-ins and vandalism. It also provides reassurance for you and your family.
Provides Evidence for investigations/insurance claims
If the worst is to happen and someone breaks into your home, having footage of the incident could provide invaluable information. Even if the perpetrator covers their face, factors such as entry time, height and size, clothing and how many people were involved can all be determined by the security camera
Features and Considerations When Choosing Security Cameras for your home
There’s a lot of variety when it comes to security cameras, including different brands, types, features and sizes. With so much choice, you might wonder where you even begin when deciding on the best option for you. Here are some key factors to consider when choosing the
Weatherproof and Durable Design: This is especially relevant to any camera installed outside.
Coverage: Different cameras will have different scopes concerning how much area they’re able to film. Placement plays an essential role in making the most of your security cameras’ coverage.
Flexibility with placement: Look into how a security camera system can be installed and whether you can install it where you wish.
Battery life of wire-free cameras: The last thing you want is for there to be an incident, only to discover your camera has a flat battery.
Installation difficulty: Is this camera something you can DIY, or are you going to have to call in a pro?
Maintenance requirements: Like any equipment, upkeep will help your camera run the best. This can range from physical cleaning to software updates.
Stable and Reliable Connectivity: On a similar track to the batteries, you don’t want your internet connection to cut out when you need it most.
Continuous Power Supply: A reliable power supply is a must for any security camera.
Resolution and Image Quality: High-resolution footage will capture more detail in the footage which could be crucial for identifying a suspect or understanding what happened.
Balancing Image Quality with Storage Requirements: The problem is the higher your resolution, the more storage space it will require.
Pan-Tilt-Zoom (PTZ) Options: Allows you to adapt your coverage and the footage you capture.
Night Vision Capabilities: Your house is most vulnerable during the night, and night vision can help capture details even in pitch-black darkness. Many cameras with infrared night vision offer poor-quality footage that makes it difficult to make out details like faces. If you’re going to have night vision, it’s better to have one capable of high-quality footage even in the dark.
Connected Smart Home security camera systems
Storage Options for Recorded Footage
There are two key ways to store your recorded footage which are:
- Cloud Storage
- Remote Access to Footage
- Come with subscription plans and costs
- Local Storage
- On-Site Storage Solutions
- Can be stored on SD Cards, NVRs, and DVRs
Installing Home Security Camera Considerations
Most security cameras (especially wireless security cameras or battery-powered cameras) can be installed by homeowners. However, if any wiring is required, you’ll need to talk to a qualified electrician. Experts can also help you decide on the best places to install your camera for maximum coverage.
Where to place and position your home security cameras
Even the best security camera is only as good as its placement. Poor positioning will compromise your home’s security, so you think like a burglar when installing cameras. What are the possible entry points to your home? How can you get the most coverage from each camera?
Entry Points and Perimeter
The most obvious entry point for you is also the most obvious for any unwanted visitors. You’d be surprised how many break-ins happen because someone didn’t lock their door or leave the garage door open.
Monitoring Doors and Windows
Windows is another common entry point for break-ins. Along with installing security screens, bars and alarms, a security camera can act as a deterrent.
Install security cameras where they’ll receive lots of coverage.
Ideally, your camera will either monitor a very specific area of concern or cover a large area (for example, the front of your house). The more areas you can monitor, the better your chances of capturing suspicious behaviour.
Place your cameras high
The higher you can install security cameras the more coverage they will receive. When you visit commercial buildings, you’ll notice all the cameras are on the roof or high up on walls.
Avoid obstructions
Life happens and sometimes things will get in the way. However, you don’t want a huge blind spot on your camera.
Privacy Considerations
While it’s understandable you want to protect your home, you need to consider whether you may be capturing more than you intended. Your camera shouldn’t be capturing footage of neighbours in their homes. There are also rooms such as bathrooms and bedrooms where installing a camera is not only weird but potentially illegal.
Home Security Camera System Frequently Asked Questions
What features should I look for in a Security Camera?
Here are some of the key features you should look into when purchasing a new security camera.
- Night vision
- Field of view
- The ability to store footage/ cloud storage
- Two-way audio communication
- Video quality
- Motion Detection
- Rain resistance
- Durability
- Power source
- Battery life
Are security cameras safe?
Any product that uses an internet connection can potentially be vulnerable to hacking. Security cameras that store footage on the cloud are also more vulnerable to hacking than those with local video storage. Like a computer, there are steps you can take to improve your camera security including:
- Use a router with Wifi Protected Access (WPA) which will encrypt data.
- Use a firewall
- Turn on two-factor authentication.
- Use a strong password.
- Keep firmware updated.
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