Introduction
First, let me share a scary fact – over 2.5 million homes get broken into each year. However, there’s good news! A well-placed camera can stop thieves in their tracks. Over the years, I’ve helped hundreds of homeowners with security, and now I’ll share my top camera tips with you. Most importantly, you need to know that break-ins usually happen through the front door. Unfortunately, many people still put their cameras in the wrong spots. But don’t worry – I’ll guide you step by step to make your home safer!
Front Door and Porch Cameras
Your front door is your first line of defense, so let’s start here. First, mount your camera 6-8 feet high and face it slightly downward. This height gives you the best view of anyone approaching your door. For the best coverage, place the camera about 15 feet from your door. This distance lets you see people’s faces clearly and captures the whole porch area.
Don’t forget to add a doorbell camera! These work great alongside your main camera and should sit at face height. To make your setup even better, add bright lights near your cameras. This helps you get clear footage at night and scares off unwanted visitors. Finally, use a wide-angle lens to see your whole porch, and mount everything under the roof to protect it from rain.
Garage and Driveway Cameras
our garage needs special attention since it’s another common entry point. Start by putting a camera high on your garage corner. From here, it can watch your whole driveway and capture license plates of cars coming and going. If you have a side door on your garage, make sure to cover that too.
Motion sensors work great in this area. When something moves, they tell your camera to start recording right away. Also, since most crime happens at night, use cameras with night vision here. This way, you won’t miss anything, day or night.
Window and Side Camera Spots
Most thieves check windows if they can’t get through doors, so good coverage is crucial. Put cameras on your house corners to watch several windows at once. Don’t forget about basement windows – they’re often forgotten but need watching too.
Mount these cameras up high and use more than one to cover all areas. Keep them out of direct sunlight, as this can mess up your video quality. Make sure your cameras’ views overlap a bit. This way, if one camera misses something, another will catch it.
Backyard Camera
Setup Your backyard needs different camera positions than the front. Start with cameras on your back corners to watch sliding doors and your yard. If you have a pool or outdoor seating areas, make sure to include these in your camera views.
For large yards, get cameras that can move and zoom – they’re worth the extra cost. Most importantly, add good lighting all around. Even the best cameras need some light to get clear night videos.
Smart Camera Tips – Here are the key technical details to remember:
- Make your cameras work together with overlapping views
- Mount them where thieves can’t reach
- Use strong, weatherproof cases
- Add backup power for outages
- Get cameras that work without WiFi as a backup
- Test all your views monthly
Conclusion
First and foremost, good camera spots make all the difference in keeping your home safe. To get started, focus on your front door since that’s where most thieves try first. After that, work your way around your house step by step. Meanwhile, make sure to cover each key spot we talked about. Additionally, check your cameras often to ensure they’re working right. In the end, remember this: a good security system works just like having a guard watching your home 24/7!
