No one can afford to take home security lightly. Burglary rates are on the rise, with up to 2.5 million cases reported every year. You, therefore, need to take steps to secure your home and property. You can find a lot of information on security systems from sites such as porch.com.
Choosing the right system is a personal decision. What works for one individual may not necessarily work for another. We will simplify the process by sharing an ultimate guide to home surveillance with a focus on video surveillance. With so many options available, knowing what to look for is critical.
Why is video surveillance vital
Video surveillance gives you an extra pair of eyes; eyes that you can leave at home. Thanks to technology, you get to see what is happening in your household no matter where you are. A visible system will act as a deterrence, and the footage can help police track down criminals.
What You Need To Have In Your Checklist
1. Does It Send Notifications?
No one has time to sit and watch live feeds the whole day. Your surveillance system should send notifications to your smart device in case of anything. Set it up to forward the alerts to you and someone else in case you have no access to your device.
It would beat the purpose of having an alarm system if no one is at hand to respond when the need arises.
2. Alternative Sources of Power
You are better off buying a home security system that doesn’t depend on one source of power. If a burglar wants to disarm your system, he will cut the electrical wires. You will also have a problem if there is a power outage. You need to have a battery backup.
3. Storage
Storage is an important feature to consider when looking for a home security system. Most of them come with internal storage, but it is usually not much. Due to the weight of the footage, you will need to keep on deleting or backing up data.
With cloud storage, all the recordings are in a remote server. You can, therefore, access the records from wherever you are.
4. Smart Features
Look for a home security system that has certain smart features for better functionality. One such feature is facial recognition, which will learn the identity of the people within the home. If it doesn’t recognize a face, it will send you an instant alert.
Another great feature is motion detection. Motion detection is excellent because you’ll get an alert if it detects movement. Be careful about the settings, though; you don’t want to get an alert every time the cat decides to pass under the surveillance camera. To minimize the amount of footage you collect, you can set your video surveillance to record only when it detects motion.
Night vision is also critical as break-ins can and do happen at night. While most burglars prefer to work between 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., it doesn’t hurt to guard against the night break-ins. You will find video surveillance cameras with infrared LED illumination. Others will automatically switch to night vision setting when it detects low light conditions.
5. Clarity of Images
If the camera gives blurry or distorted recording, it won’t serve its intended functions. The newer cameras have 1080p resolution, but you can get higher if you so desire. You will need higher internet bandwidth as well as cloud storage because of the weight of the footage.
6. Scheduling Abilities
You can set your alerts depending on what your needs are. If you need to know what time the cleaning crew comes in, you can schedule this so that you reduce any false alerts.
7. Integration Capabilities
Look for a camera that will allow for integration with other smart devices. For example, the voice control function will give you access to Alexa, Google assistant, or Siri. Through the use of voice commands, you can control certain aspects of your home like locking and unlocking the doors.
8. Two-Way Audio Communication
Two-way audio communication is essential if you’d like to know what is happening while you’re away from home. It can be useful in cases where you live with children under the care of a nanny. Imagine how cool it would be to startle a burglar while they’re trying to sneak in. You will need to invest in a powerful speaker, but it will be worth it.
Final Thoughts
There are so many features that modern surveillance video cameras have that lack in the traditional models. We have just touched on a few of the basics. Also consider things like web access, connectivity, the installation, and setup process, among others.
Your needs may not be the same as someone else’s. So even as you seek advice, be clear about what it is that you require and make your purchase accordingly. If you are considering selling your home, check out this property depreciation schedules FAQ guide for details of everything that you need to keep in mind.
