Is It Worth Investing in a CCTV System for my Home?
There are many ways to make your home safer such as improving lighting around the house, making sure trees and bushes are well trimmed and using good quality locks and padlocks on sheds and garages. Another way to help protect the home is by installing a good quality CCTV System and/or intruder alarm.
The police are keen to encourage the use of domestic CCTV systems – earlier this year Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe, head of London's Metropolitan police said more homeowners should install CCTV cameras outside their houses as it could help the police to solve crimes. He also encouraged people to install them at eye level so that facial recognition could be used to identify criminals.
CCTV Cameras can serve a dual purpose :
They have a deterrent effect, as criminals are more likely to avoid areas with them
Any incriminating footage that they record can be used to prosecute where a crime has been recorded.
Here we’ll go through various options with CCTV systems to answer any questions you may have.
CCTV and Data Protection
CCTV systems can be very effective but you have to be aware of the limits of the law. Using them to snoop on neighbours for example, would not be allowed. There are several restrictions such as :
Putting up clear signage so people know that CCTV is being used
Only keeping the footage for as long as it’s needed
Not releasing the footage to third parties
Keeping any footage sage
Only using the footage for the purpose that it’s been taken.
If a CCTV system has been installed and it doesn’t comply with data protection, it may be inadmissible in a court of law.
What is the best CCTV System for use in my home?
There are many different systems on the market, ranging from shop bought cameras from £50 each to vandal proof cameras up to a few hundred pounds each. Each has its benefit. They can be installed inside and outside the house.
There are wired and wireless kits (although wireless cameras still need power) but it’s wise to set up cameras to cover areas such as garages, entrance ways to property, vulnerable areas (such as dark areas) and back gardens/windows.
A good quality camera is essential with a great image quality and infra red sensors to record in any light condition. There is no point in installing cameras with a poor image quality as it’s useless if something was to happen at a later date. If you want to, you can also invest in motion sensors on the cameras which can alert you if there is movement in the area.
What Equipment is Installed?
It’s relatively simple, we install as many cameras as is needed or desired to cover any vulnerable areas, a recording DVR/NVR with as much memory as needed (on average around a few weeks worth), a monitor (if desired) and cabling/power.
The cameras will usually have features such as infra red to enable viewing in all light conditions, an HD picture so that the image is clear and usable if needed and can occasionally have motion sensors fitted too. It can have a zoom in feature depending upon the type of lens fitted to it. They are available in a bullet or a dome camera, depending on your choice and they can be used internally or externally.
The DVR/NVR will record the footage and allow you to swap between cameras, split viewing and pause or rewind any footage. This can be small enough for 1 camera to be used or configured for many cameras and a large memory.
CCTV and Remote Viewing
Remote viewing enables you to view your cameras on a device such as a tablet or a smart phone from anywhere in the world and is a great option. You can also watch the image from your own TV on most of the systems.
CCTV Camera Systems can be purchased off the shelf now, but it always preferable to have one fitted by a security system professional. They can explain about the many options available so that you get the right one for you. They also know the best area to position the cameras and can give good advice over the best products on the market (there are many).
The Aerial Man Scotland have fitted many CCTV systems over the years, both domestic and commercial, so if you’d like any advice at all or a free estimate, please just give us a call or book in to have a chat with one of our engineers.
