Security Cameras Use Internet to Offer Protection & Peace of Mind

We’d all love to be in two places at once, but those pesky laws of physics make it impossible. Home security cameras are the next best thing and with many brands and models to choose from, they can be an excellent investment for your property.

Benefits of Security Cameras

There are many benefits to setting up a home security camera. In addition to providing peace of mind, a camera will:

• Act as a crime deterrent. Just the sight of a security camera is often enough to convince thieves of all stripes, from opportunistic porch pirates to cat burglars, to bypass your home in favor of easier pickings. A study by the University of North Carolina at Charlotte’s Department of Criminal Justice and Criminology found that most burglars take surveillance cameras into account when choosing targets.
• Enable you to monitor your family. Security cameras allow you to keep an eye on kids who are home alone or being cared for by a babysitter or nanny. You can also check in on elderly parents or grandparents who may be dealing with health issues.
• Let you check in on your pets. You can watch over your four-legged friends if you’ve got security cameras installed around your property, too. This is especially helpful if they are recovering from an illness or injury, or neighbors have complained they are a nuisance.
• Assist law enforcement agencies. If you are the victim of a burglary, footage from your security camera can aid the police during their investigation. The same holds true for crimes committed against others; your security footage might just catch a perpetrator in the act elsewhere.

Cameras can serve other purposes, as well. Burt and Susie Burggraff raise livestock in Colton and utilize a four-camera setup during calving season to watch over their herd.

“It’s especially helpful when the weather is bad,” Susie says. “We were needing them to work through snowstorms.”

The Burggraff’s system is very high-tech; everything runs off the internet, and signals are transmitted remotely from the barn to their computer. They went a step further than the average camera user and purchased a static IP address from Golden West to ensure remote access and a more reliable connection even in the harshest of conditions. Their cameras also include defoggers and heaters to melt away ice and snow. During the offseason, they can be turned around to monitor the front yard and provide security.

Choosing a Security Camera

When it comes to purchasing a security camera, you have a lot of options. Your choice will depend upon factors such as:

• Location. Decide first where you want to place your camera. Indoor cameras are ideal for monitoring living rooms, hallways, and other high-traffic spots. Outdoor cameras cover larger areas and can be mounted to surveil front and back yards, driveways, and sidewalks. If you’re primarily interested in monitoring a front or back porch, consider a video doorbell.
• Power Source. Both wireless and hardwired cameras have pros and cons. Battery-powered wireless cameras are easy to install, offer flexibility, and can be mounted virtually anywhere, but you’ll need to either replace or recharge their batteries periodically. Hardwired cameras and doorbells will save you the hassle of dealing with batteries, but your options for placement are more limited, and they won’t work if your power or Wi-Fi goes out.
• Connectivity. Most security cameras connect to your Wi-Fi and include a smartphone app for remote monitoring and control.
• Style. Cameras come in a wide variety of shapes and sizes, making them useful for many different spaces. The most common types are:

• • Bullet. Wireless indoor cameras ideal for corners of rooms.
  • Dome. Ceiling-mounted cameras that provide a wide field of vision.
  • Pan, Tilt, or Zoom. Rather than being limited to a fixed field of view, these cameras allow you to scan a larger area.
  • Turret/Eyeball. Similar to a dome camera, these feature a ball-and-socket design that allows the lens to rotate freely for more comprehensive room coverage.
  • Hidden. Hidden cameras are designed to resemble everyday household objects such as ballpoint pens or teddy bears.

Pick up your video cameras from a local provider if you can, or shop online if necessary. If you decide to give security cameras a try, you should also ensure you have the right internet package to meet your needs by calling Golden West at 1-855-888-7777.

Sources: Some information for this article was provided by online articles from American Family Insurance, U.S. News & World Report, security.org, and Consumer Reports.