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If you are a customer of next door In the app, you may have seen a lot of footage of eavesdropping and eavesdropping in the eye of a video doorbell or home security camera. Hopefully, you won’t have a first-hand experience of suspicious characters hanging around your front porch, or worse.
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With good reason, the popularity of security cameras continues to grow, and we can expect them to become even more reliable and affordable this year.
Although we don’t need super high-resolution imagery from these different little devices, you can get the most out of them by keeping a few factors in mind – particularly where you keep your camera.
1. Avoid obstacles (even future obstacles)
Obviously, you wouldn’t put the lens behind anything that would block its view. However, sometimes it may include objects that change in size or shape over time, such as trees and bushes. During the winter, when the branches bloom with new leaves in the spring, the clear view of your patio can become a different story.
The same can apply to interior scenes, at least to objects coming and going. Will closing a door somewhere within your camera’s line of sight block a good percentage of its field of vision? Will your pet cat find a favorite spot to sit for hours right in front of the appliance?
2. Windows can also be a hindrance
Indoor-only cameras are less expensive than outdoor cameras, so you may be tempted to invest a little cheaper and install a camera right in front of the glass pane of your bay view casement. Even with the lens pressed close to the window, you will always face the problem of glare.
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Light from the Sun or other sources will be refracted through the multiple layers of glass in both the window and the lens, creating photon-based interference at certain times of the day. At night, street lights and headlights of passing cars may be the culprit. Dust accumulated on the window can also increase this problem.
3. Try not to survey the great blue on the other side
It’s subtle, and it’s all about angles and shadows. In almost any outdoor area only the sky will be visible. But with minimal adjustments, you can enhance your camera’s view and protect it from UV damage.
First, point your lens away from the sky. Even a slight downward angle can reduce glare and refraction coming from the sun (or clouds) overhead, so focus on stationary objects below your ceiling. Secondly, if possible, find a place where the camera is protected from shade.
4. Cameras near vents or heaters are at risk
Smoke from the vents carries particulate matter that rapidly obscures your lens and also endangers the camera’s delicate electronics. This includes dryer vents clogged with lint, gas heating vents, or any other mechanized system designed to rid your indoor area of unwanted dirt and smoke.
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High temperatures are certainly a bigger threat to cameras than dirt (so, at least partial shade is required when placed outside). Direct sunlight alone can compromise the effectiveness of the adhesives used to mount the camera. Excess heat from firepits, chimineas and space heaters can ruin the unit’s battery, wiring and overall lifespan.
In short, don’t place the camera above or near an exhaust vent or heat source.
5. Blind spots are not the most sensitive areas
The narrow lane between your house and your neighbor’s house is a gray area because, generally, you cannot see who or what is coming from that non-passage. But that doesn’t mean it’s the best place for 24/7 monitoring.
according to security company adtMost burglaries occur through the front door of the house. Right behind that figure are two other favorite targets for burglars: an open window and/or the back door. These are the areas you will want to monitor the most.
The main thing is to keep your cameras in plain sight – right where the bad guys can see them. In fact, 83% thief It is reported that they will abandon robbing a house with obvious security and move on to the next target.
6. Privacy and surveillance can be tricky
Research shows that it is ideal to install security cameras where potential vandals can see them when they approach your property. (Keep them visible but not accessible.)
However, camera placement may also affect your neighbors and other lawful citizens around you, and you run the risk of violating their privacy.
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The US Constitution calls for a “reasonable expectation of privacy” in video surveillance. Although there are exceptions in some scenarios (such as renting out your Airbnb property), this law primarily addresses the installation of cameras in bathrooms or bedrooms. If you must do this, it’s important that your camera is accessible to all tenants and residents. Just make sure it is located in a place where they can hang a shirt or towel over it to ensure privacy.
Otherwise, cameras are free to record streets, sidewalks, and general outdoor public spaces in most states.
7. Don’t (accidentally) spy on your neighbors
This expectation of privacy obviously applies to people who live near you. Common etiquette forbids placing a camera directly into a neighbor’s windows or backyard; However, those areas are actually legally protected private spaces.
Even if you don’t intend to capture video of someone else’s property, appearance Cameras pointing at neighbors’ lawns or peeking into their windows can lead to privacy violations and legal disputes.
