Keeping your property safe should be a priority of yours, and that is why you have installed a home CCTV system in the first place. Protecting your place has to be done constantly, even when you are not present there. Not only that you will be able to scare people with bad intentions, but if they proceed you will be able to see their faces and call the authorities quickly.
However, this will not possible if you don’t maintain your CCTV system regularly. Without proper care, the camera and all of the other parts can be damaged, and that compromises safety. If you neglect any of your CCTV parts they can break down, and they are pretty expensive. Hurting your budget because of a lack of maintenance is unforgivable.
To understand better how you should take care of your equipment, we have made this article. We have included a few tips, which if you implement in your regime, you will definitely increase the longevity of your home CCTV system.
1. Keep your camera pristine
One of the biggest reasons why you should engage in the maintenance of your surveillance is to keep your camera clear. Without the vision, everything falls down. Because of the weather changes, the camera can get stained, and that will obstruct the vision.
Keeping your camera pristine is pretty easy. All you will have to do is to climb up to reach it and wipe it out. You can use alcohol to assist you with getting the stains off. In case there are leaves stuck, remove them before you do the wiping.
Taking care of the cleanliness of your camera should be done after every season. You can do this more frequently if you are living in a place where it rains often, or when you notice stains on the video.
2. Make sure that the casing is good as well
The cameras are placed in a casing that is weatherproof to prevent damages when there is rain. If water comes inside the case, you will have a great expense to settle. When you are doing the cleaning process, it is not hard to observe the casing as well to see whether you have to improve the resistance.
3. Look at the condition of the wires
Since everything is connected in this way, you have to pay attention to the condition of the wires. If you notice slight damage on them, consider replacing them. Although if you do not feel comfortable working with wiring/electricity, it’s best to hire a professional as suggested by titusalarmandcctv.co.uk.
4. Make sure that the power is sufficient
To have the system running you need enough power. The cameras have to be running even if there are outrages. That is why you should install power supplies, and generators to make sure that they will have nonstop work. When you are checking the power, make sure that you use a proper tool to see whether it is efficient.
5. Remove things that obstruct the view
If you have set the camera on a place that has trees around, make sure that you cut the branches short enough to avoid blocking the view. Also, if there are any other obstacles, like items you have placed close to the cameras, make sure that you move them away.
6. Improve lighting
In the nighttime, lighting is essential to get a better image. That is why it is important to place new lighting sources near the cameras. That way, the scene will be more visible, and this information might be beneficial for you,
To improve the lightning while still saving electricity, you can install new sensors. That way, when someone walks in, they will trigger the lights and they will be caught. Make sure that you think about the whole process so you can have a better-planned CCTV system.
7. Correct the positioning
The positioning of the cameras can be changed after storms or strong winds. That is why when you are doing your maintenance run you should correct the positioning. This can be done mechanically with you moving the camera by hand, or having an electrical mount and being able to move the camera with software.
You should often turn on the program where these cameras emit, so you can see whether the perspective is good enough. This can give you an idea of whether you have to move it, and if you have, you will know the directions.
8. Make sure you’re recording
It is easy to forget to turn on your recording device after maintenance. However, this is a dangerous thing because it endangers your property. Make sure that you give the recording command after you finish with the regular maintenance.
In addition, these checkups whether your camera is working has to be done more frequently, let’s say once a week. There are situations where the device can turn off. Or in other situations, the storage gets full and it automatically stops with the recording.
9. Adjust the timing
There are stamps on the footage that tell the time that has to be fixed if they happen not to be correct. They are really important because they help you to look at a recording that happened in that exact period. For example, if you are suspecting something on a certain period, and you have your timing not adjusted, you will have a hard time finding the footage.
10. Make sure that your storage is efficient
The recordings have to be saved somewhere, and if are insufficient in storage, you might have problems. You have to upgrade the units constantly, depending on how many days you kept saved.
If you don’t have free space for new recordings, you are having a camera that is not recording.
That compromises your safety because if you have run out of luck, and something happens, you will have no proof. That is why it is important to check your storage regularly and make sure that you have free space more than you need for continuous work.