Home security camera installation

Overview

Indoor, outdoor and doorbell — mounted where they actually see faces

A camera pointed from too high sees the tops of heads. A camera pointed at a west-facing driveway is blind every evening. Where cameras go matters more than how many megapixels they have, and that is the part a professional installation gets right.

The three camera positions that earn their place

• Front door, at face height — a doorbell camera that shows who is there before you open
• Driveway or main approach — wide enough to catch a vehicle and a plate
• Back or side entry — the way in that nobody watches
• Indoors, covering the main hallway rather than a living space
• Any outbuilding, garage or side gate with its own access

Smart home, same system

The same touchscreen panel that arms the alarm can run smart locks, a thermostat, garage control and lighting. One panel, one app, one monitoring plan, rather than four apps that do not talk to each other. Vivint is the strongest of the national providers on this — see the Vivint page for what it includes and what it costs.

What to ask about recording

Ask three things before you buy. Is clip recording included in the monthly fee or billed separately? How many days of footage are kept? And does the camera record continuously or only on motion? The answers change the monthly cost more than the hardware does.

Privacy and your neighbours

Outdoor cameras that overlook a neighbour’s property or a public footpath can raise issues depending on your state and local rules, and audio recording in particular is treated differently from video in many places. A professional installer will angle cameras to cover your property. If you are unsure about the rules where you live, check locally.