Why Should You Have Home Security Cameras?

Home security cameras are a great way to protect your home and stay connected to it on-the-go. Today, you can stream your cameras live to your phone with nothing more than a WiFi connection. They do more than just catch burglars. They help you stay connected to your home and family!

Beyond feeling safe, there are plenty of reasons to stay connected. Here are a few:

• To see your kids coming home from school
• To lazily let the dog out the back door, but still keep an eye on them
• To check on pets throughout the day
• To answer the front door
• To create home movies and memories

Choosing the Right Kind of Camera

Now that you know how your family will use cameras to keep your home protected and connected, let’s talk about which cameras are best for your home. There are countless options out there, but to keep it simple, you can break cameras down into three basic types: Indoor, outdoor, and doorbell cameras.

Indoor vs Outdoor Cameras

There are a few differences between indoor and outdoor cameras. First, outdoor cameras need to be weatherproof in order to withstand the elements. Check the camera’s IP Rating before putting it outside to see if it’s weather and waterproof. Second, outdoor cameras need their own power source like a solar panel. Both allow you to check in from your phone day or night.

Doorbell Cameras

Doorbell cameras are a little different. Rather than just recording on motion (though they do that too), doorbell cameras will start recording when someone rings. Then, they’ll connect you to the front door through a video call! They replace your existing hardwired doorbell. If you don’t have a hardwired doorbell, don’t worry. You can still set up battery-powered doorbell cameras too!

Things to Consider When You Set Up Home Security Cameras

While you’ll surely be using your cameras to keep your home safe, they’ll quickly become part of your daily life. To make sure you are getting the most out of your cameras, there are a few things to keep in mind when setting them up.

Camera Position

All cameras have a specific field of view, usually around 130°. This is what the camera is able to “see” in front of it. If something is too close to the camera, part of it might get cut off. For this reason, when placing an indoor camera, it’s better to put it in the corner of a room to get the most out of its field of view.

Camera Range

How far do you need the camera to see with clarity? Some cameras have zoom capabilities, however, digital zoom does not improve clarity when you zoom in. If you’re just trying to see the area around your home, most cameras will have all of the range you need. If you need to see further than that, you might need to explore other camera options. When it comes to night vision, most cameras use high-power infrared LEDs to light up the field of view. This usually lights about 20-50 feet in front of the camera, which is perfect for protecting a home.

Motion Detection

When something moves in front of your camera, it’ll start recording. This is great for catching bad guys, but not so great if you live on a busy road. Cars driving by constantly could trigger your motion detection and send you unwanted video clips! Luckily, the sensitivity can be easily adjusted to prevent these unwanted motion recordings. When setting up your cameras, test the motion detection to make sure you are only getting the videos you actually want to see throughout the day!

How to Buy and Install Home Security Cameras

Now that you know you definitely want to set up home security cameras and you know which ones are right for you, it’s time to protect your home! If you are a DIYer, this is a task you’re probably looking forward to. If not, you might be a little intimidated at the task of installing cameras around your home. Don’t fret! That’s what we’re here for! Cameras can be easy to set up, but if you need some help, you can always go with a professional installation to make sure everything is done right.

Have more questions about home security cameras? We’re here for you. Call us today to talk to a security specialist to find out which cameras are best for you or to set up an installation!

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Where Are the Best Places to Put Home Security Cameras?

While every home is different, there are a few basic principles to keep in mind that will ensure your home feels safe and connected. When considering the best places to put home security cameras, first keep in mind that most break-ins occur on the first level of the home. A large portion of these come through the front door! Here are some of the best places to put your home security cameras.

1. Outside the Front Door

KGW News asked 86 convicted burglars how they would typically break into homes. Most said that they would either use an unlocked door or kick the front door open, “…Loud bangs are better than loud glass breaking.” This makes protecting your front door an absolute must! When setting up front door cameras, you have a couple of options.

Doorbell cameras are a great way to protect your entire entryway. Most of these cameras give you the option to record on motion. So, you don’t have to rely on the burglar to ring the doorbell for the camera to begin recording. If you want to cover a bigger portion of the front of your house, you can also set up an outdoor camera on the upper corner of your porch area. Angle it down to see anyone approaching your door.

However, you won’t just be using your cameras to prevent burglary, you’ll be using them to stay connected to your home and family! Putting your cameras by the front door can give you a daily reminder when your kids come home from school, or make sure you’re there to pick up a package when you can’t be!

2. The Back Door and Back Windows

Considering that most break-ins occur on the first floor of the home, it’s also a great idea to put cameras outside the back of your home. The backs of homes usually aren’t visible from the street, which means someone could attempt a break-in while being hidden from passersby. To get the most coverage, place your cameras on the side corner of your home. Then, angle them to face your back door and yard.

You can also use a backyard camera to keep an eye on the pets when they’re outside. Use an Amazon Echo Show to ask Alexa to show you the backyard. The camera will then stream right to your Echo Show, so you can be a little lazy when letting the dogs out.

3. The Driveway or Garage

Aside from our houses, our vehicles are often the most expensive things we own. So, obviously we want to keep them protected as well. If you keep your car in the garage, it’s a good idea to angle your camera to cover the entry points. If you park in the driveway, you can put your cameras on the side of your home and angle them to keep the whole area in view.

Depending on your home, you might be able to find the right angle that allows you to protect the driveway and the front or back of your home with the same camera! Get creative with the positioning to make your camera show you exactly what you’re looking for.

4. The Nursery

Moving to the inside of the home, baby monitors are one of the most sought after products for new parents. If you’re a parent, you know how much stress can be alleviated with this simple device. Rather than getting an entirely new baby monitor, more and more parents are now placing their indoor cameras in the nursery. This helps them feel like they’re still there even though they’re in the other room.

Use motion activated clips, or watch a live stream with 2-way audio to make your cameras act as a baby monitor. Using the same cameras inside as outside allows you to keep everything that has to do with your home on the same app — safe, connected, and in control of the things that matter most.

5. Facing the Gauge on Your Oil Tank

Why walk all the way to the basement to see how much oil is in your tank when you can simply pull out your phone to check? This camera setup is entirely a convenience factor, but you’d be surprised how often you use it. Cameras aren’t just about keeping your home safe, they should give you peace of mind and make your life easier.

When winter rolls around, you’ll be doing everything that you can to prepare your home. This is one simple way you can stay in-the-know of your oil level to avoid having to hire an emergency refill on the coldest day of the year!

Other Places You Can Put Your Home Cameras

People have gotten pretty creative over the years with their home security cameras. Once you nail down the essentials, you can start adding them for convenience. Here are a few clever places to put your cameras:

• Near the thermostat to see who’s changing the temp when you’re not around
• With dogs or cats to see what they do when you’re away
• Facing a swimming pool to help childproof it
• In your favorite hangout spot to capture the social media-worthy moments

Ready to protect your home? We can help you set up cameras in all of these key locations! Contact us to learn how we can help you get the most out of your security cameras.

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The end of the year is a time for reflecting and setting goals, and one important goal you can accomplish in 2019 is taking a few simple steps to ensure your family’s safety. Home security is one of those things many of us don’t think about until after something bad has already happened, but a little forethought now could save you from major headaches down the line. From home surveillance to monitoring services and more, here’s how Orlando residents can better protect their homes next year.

SEE ALSO: See how automation can keep your home secure

INSTALL SMART LOCKS ON YOUR DOORS

It’s time for a digital upgrade for your home’s doors. Smart locks either require a code to be unlocked or can be unlocked through an app, making them a much stronger security measure than regular locks.

There are other security benefits from smart locks as well. If you’re out of town but you know someone is stopping by your home, you can give them the code instead of needing to stash a key somewhere where a potential intruder could find it.

You can also program your locks to automatically turn on or off at certain times of the day, making it less likely you’ll accidentally leave a door unlocked and invite potential trouble. Finally, you can link your locks to your home’s existing automation system and program them to unlock in the event of a fire, saving you much-needed time if an emergency occurs.

UPGRADE YOUR FIRE AND CARBON MONOXIDE ALARMS

A complete approach to home security means planning for more than potential intruders; fire and other hazards need to be accounted for as well. 2019 is the year to make sure your fire and carbon monoxide alarms can handle your security needs.

Newer fire alarms can be integrated with other automation systems in your home and trigger your doors to unlock if a fire is detected. Every second counts when it comes to getting your family out of the house, and those automated systems could save your life.

To be prepared for carbon monoxide, you’ll want a carbon monoxide detector on every floor of your house. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 2,200 people in the United States died from carbon monoxide poisoning between 2010 and 2015, so proper preventative measures should be taken. Another step to consider is switching to an automated HVAC system that can shut itself off in the event of a fire, thereby minimizing the spread of smoke throughout your home.

GET A PROFESSIONAL MONITORING SERVICE

The best, easiest way to ensure your home’s safety is to have someone else watch your home when you can’t with a home surveillance system. Professional monitoring services from a company like Safe Home Security can be an invaluable security tool, especially for times when you or your family are away from home.

Traditional alarm companies may not respond in time for you to act if an emergency occurs, whereas our security professionals will alert you the moment we detect anything amiss. In addition to home surveillance solutions, Safe Home Security can help protect Orlando homeowners from fire, carbon monoxide poisoning and much more. To learn more about how we can give you greater peace of mind at home, call us at 800-833-3211 or visit our website.

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