Your home should be your safe haven, so investing in its safety is always a good decision. One of the best ways to make your home even safer is to install a home security camera. These cameras can be your eyes (and ears) even when you’re not at home, and they are particularly useful for people who are living alone.
Additionally, when other people see that your home is covered in cameras, they will be less inclined to intrude. There is also another reason for installing home security cameras: you can never know when your cameras might catch something interesting happening in your street and even be useful to police.
Home video surveillance is becoming the favorite safety measure for many homeowners, and it is easy to see why. So, if you want to enjoy more safety in your home, let’s see how to choose the best camera…
Understanding Your Security Needs
When choosing a home security camera, your goal should be to evaluate and cover your home’s vulnerabilities. Basically, you should think of potential break-in points of your home: front door, back door, balcony, windows, etc. You will need to buy enough cameras to cover all these spots.
Next, you need to decide whether you need indoor or outdoor coverage. Outdoor cameras are great for capturing the surroundings of your home but weatherproofing may be necessary. On the other side, indoor cameras are safe from the elements, but they can only catch your home’s interior, which might not always be enough.
Of course, you can always combine different types of cameras for optimal results. Use indoor cameras where you don’t need to see the outside, and try to place your outdoor cameras so that they are protected against the elements.
Features to Look For in a Home Security Camera
You also need to think about the features that your home security camera should have. For instance, it needs to have a decent resolution and a wide enough field of view. Otherwise, it won’t capture much of its surroundings, and the picture will be too murky and grainy to be useful.
Additionally, consider getting a camera that has built-in night vision. Many regular cameras don’t perform well in low light conditions, and at night, they are very useful. Given that many break-ins and similar incidents happen at night, it’s obvious why you need the night vision feature in your cameras.
Furthermore, home security cameras aren’t just there to record when something bad happens. They can also alert you that someone is sneaking around your home, thanks to the motion sensors and alarm systems that many of these cameras have.
Finally, you also need to think about connectivity and storage options. Most modern cameras offer wi-fi connectivity, allowing you easy access to the footage. Also, when it comes to storage, you should get a camera that has at least 128GB of memory. This sounds like a lot, and it is, but it also ensures that some of your past footage won’t get lost just because there’s no more free space on the device.
Reviewing Top Home Security Camera Types
The shape of the camera also plays an important role in its overall functionality. The two main shapes are dome and bullet, each coming with its set of pros and cons:
Dome Cameras
Dome-shaped cameras have a wide field of view, which is great when you want to cover large spaces with fewer cameras. Dome-shaped cameras are mountable indoors or outdoors. However, they aren’t always great at focusing on certain angles and areas you want to see better.
Bullet Cameras
Bullet-shaped cameras, on the other hand, are perfect to cover specific areas and focus on them. They are also great for covering long distances and recording far-away areas. Bullet-shaped cameras adhere to the walls, pillars, and lamp posts outdoors.
Most bullet cameras have weatherproof casings to protect them against the elements.
However, with bullet cameras, it is easy to find a blind spot, i.e., where the camera isn’t recording. They are also easier to destroy than dome cameras.
Wireless Cameras
Obviously, wireless cameras don’t refer to any specific shape of the camera. However, they are convenient and useful enough to be mentioned in more detail. As we already said, these cameras are great because they can be easily accessed via your home’s WiFi connection.
This is also great security-wise, as these cameras don’t come with dozens of wires that can be easily cut off. They are also easy to install, rechargeable, and you can even monitor these cameras with your smartphone.
Camera Installation Tips for Better Security
Given that you have found a perfect camera (or cameras) for your home, it is time to install them. You should install them in a way that they cover the most important points: doors, windows, etc. If possible, try to install these cameras in places that are out of reach, to avoid them becoming vandalized and destroyed.
Make sure that you minimize potential blind spots by strategically placing the cameras. If you are installing several cameras, their fields of view should complement each other and even overlap wherever possible. This way, you will have everything covered, with some areas even covered from multiple angles.
Of course, ensure you protect your cameras against the elements and have mounted them well so they can’t shake with your every move. Always respect the privacy of your neighbors when installing home security cameras. Finally, if you want everyone to know that your house is under surveillance, you can place a sign (ex: “This property is under surveillance”) in your front yard or at your front door.
Securing Your Future: The Final Verdict
Home security cameras are no longer for fancy villas and rich people. They are a great way for us regular people to improve the security of our homes. Modern home security cameras are affordable and easy to install, and you can choose between several types to find the one that fits your needs.
Be aware, and stay safe!
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