What to Look for in a Home Security Camera System

Cameras are quickly becoming the norm for any home security system. These tools add an extra layer of protection, capturing everything that happens in and around your home at all times.

Finding the right camera for your home’s safety can be overwhelming. With the tips in this blog, we’ll help you find the best security cameras for your home.

Key Takeaways

• You can place cameras inside and/or outside your home for an extra security option
• Both wired and wireless options are available, depending on your needs
• Many cameras include additional features that make security more convenient and effective

What should I look for when buying house security cameras?

There are several things to think about when choosing a security camera. We’ll walk you through the most important factors to consider for a robust system that meets your needs.

Location

First, you need to decide if you want cameras inside your home, outside, or in both locations. 

Indoor cameras

When using cameras inside your home, you will use them to cover entryways or central areas, such as your living room or kitchen. If you live in an apartment or condo, you will probably only need indoor cameras.

Outdoor cameras

Monitor areas such as your driveway, garage, and yard to catch anyone trespassing on your property. Since these cameras are exposed to the elements, they are made to be weather-resistant and are typically more expensive.

That said, you can also choose a cheaper option such as a doorbell camera to monitor your entryway and record anyone who approaches your door.

Power

Like security systems, cameras can be either wired or wireless.

Wired cameras

Wired cameras must be connected to a central recording device kept inside your house. Although you won’t need to pay extra for cloud storage, you also may not be able to stream your footage to your phone. Since these cameras are wired into your home’s electrical system, many homeowners hire a professional to install them. 

Wireless cameras

Wireless cameras will store footage through the internet and use either a battery or a plug-in power cord, so DIY installation is much easier. You will need to either change the battery periodically or keep your cameras near an outlet, however, to use them. Wireless options typically connect to your phone for convenient viewing and may offer more features, such as facial recognition or motion sensing, than wired cameras.

Additional features

Lastly, you need to consider which features you want from your cameras. Some of the options you can find include:

• Night vision
• Floodlights
• Geofencing (the camera only records when you’re away from home, which it determines through your phone’s location)
• Live-streaming
• Two-way audio
• Higher resolutions for better video quality
• Audio

Consult with a security expert to learn what you need to protect your home and which features fit your budget.

Choosing the right security system is the only way to protect your home. Find the home security camera system that is right for your home today.