The How’s and Whys of Setting Up Video Surveillance for Homes

Part of being a great real estate agent is keeping up with home trends.  One of the hottest trends right now is the “Smart Home“.

With brands like Nest, Amazon Echo, Google Home, Philips Hue, iRobot, and Ring Video Doorbell becoming household names.

Home security is not new… but today you can set up your own video surveillance systems as a part of your Smart home.

There are a lot of reasons why people would want to install a video surveillance system in their homes or workplace. From protecting your kids from criminals to monitoring the activities of their employees, a CCTV camera comes in handy every time.

Thanks to technology, homeowners can now keep an eye out on their home from a remote location in real time and take immediate action in case of a mishap.

Why is Video Surveillance Important?

Video surveillance devices have become an integral part of our daily routine.

• Shopping malls
• Parks
• Alleys
• Side streets
• Offices
• Personal properties

All have at least one CCTV camera that records and alerts the user about some impending danger.

Mentioned below are some reasons why security cameras are necessary for homes.

• Security cameras are a better, smarter and more practical alternative to house alarms, you can even integrate the CCTV cams with the home alarm system for more efficiency
• You can set up the cameras at specific locations for better surveillance and capture detailed images.
• The footage recorded by these cameras are a lot clearer and hence used as evidence by the police
• Having CCTV cameras set up around the house also gives you a sense of security. The inhabitants of the house feel a lot safer and at ease with security cams.

How to Go About it?

Video surveillance can reduce the risks of theft, vandalism, and accidents to a great extent.

Selecting a security camera is not an easy task; a lot of factors have to be taken into consideration. Now that you know “why” video surveillance is necessary, let us discuss “how” we go about it.

• The area
• The budget
• The type of camera
• The technical specifications
• The installation process

These are just some of the things that cover the “how” part of the question.

How Big is the Area?

The first and foremost factor that one has to look into is the location where the camera will be set up.

You’ll have to thoroughly inspect the area that has to be enclosed and monitored by the cameras.

Also, the kind of camera equipment you use depends largely on the overall size and layout of the area that you want to cover.

If the surveillance premise is small, then one camera will be sufficient. However, in case of an enormous area, multiple cameras have to be installed at separate locations so as to get a clear and detailed footage of each corner.

What is Your Budget?

The second critical factor that you will have to think about is the budget.

If you are among those people who would willingly spend a fortune on securing the house then get those premium CCTV cameras and hire professionals to set it up for you.

However, if you have a stringy budget then DIY video surveillance devices are a great idea.

For this, you can either repurpose your smartphone cameras, tablets and webcams. Mount these devices on the chosen location and then connect the camera to the local Wi-Fi network. Also, ensure that the device is plugged into a nearby power source for uninterrupted signal and updates.

Types of Video Surveillance Devices

There are many types of surveillance cameras of varying sizes depending on the locations and budget limitations.

The front-door or doorbell cameras are the advanced versions of the traditional peephole. It allows you to view the live stream from the peephole camera.

Another type of security device is the outdoor cameras that offer a wider reach and monitoring. These camera models are bigger and require wires for proper installation.

Indoor cameras, on the other hand, are compact and can be set up without wires.

Discussed below are some of the characteristics and features you should look for in a security camera.

Home Use

For a house owner, there is nothing more important than the security of the family members.

New and improved camera systems are launched regularly incorporating high-tech online features. These cameras allow you to witness the happenings of the surveillance area from the comfort of your home.

The footage is streamlined online and can be accessed from anytime, anywhere. However, the information available online can be seen by anyone if not protected properly.

Ensure that the surveillance system is encrypted and password protected to reduce the risk of unauthorized access.

Night Vision

Once you have decided upon the technical specifications, you must think about the additional features in the camera.

One of these features happens to be night vision. Most criminal activities take place at night, so it is only obvious that you would want a camera that offers night vision.

Go for a camera that offers LED lights support and has a high-resolution display. Although most people don’t prefer the high-resolution camera as it is usually expensive.

The basic home security requires a low-cost standard surveillance cam.

Premium Security Devices

Security cameras are becoming increasingly popular among people.

The video surveillance system is not just for protecting the house against criminal activities such as theft and vandalism. Oftentimes, the CCTV cams are installed to keep an eye out on the housekeeping staff and other employees around the house.

These cams also keep an eye out for the children (this is especially useful for single or working parents who have to leave their kids along in care of nannies).

You’ll need to install multiple cameras in different rooms.

The Bottom Line

With such an alarming increase in crime rates over the past few years, it is only natural that you would want to safeguard your family and home from any harm.

CCTV cameras and other video surveillance devices assist you in monitoring and tracking the activities that take place in and around the neighborhood in your absence.

The camera not only gives you live updates about the things happening in the area but also stores the video files for future reference.