There is nothing worse than having your home or business broken into and no ability to prove who did it or piece together the details. But there is a solution as simple as setting up surveillance cameras in your home or business in South Florida. It may seem normal for a business but may feel a little overboard with your home.
The truth is you can never be overly cautious when it comes to your security both in-home and at the office. But where do you start? It can be tough to know what to look for and with the wide range of prices and options, it can also be easy to get overwhelmed and push it off.
Everything you need to know about securing your home or business with surveillance cameras is right here in this guide.
What are Surveillance Cameras?
Surveillance cameras are a great way to keep your house or business safe. They are usually installed in the entry areas both inside and outside the home or business to get different angles in case you were to experience an intruder. Depending on the size of the place and whether it is residential or business would also determine the number of surveillance cameras you have. It’s also a completely personal preference.
As mentioned, many different types of surveillance cameras will offer different functions like recording capability, storage options, color, extra features like alarm systems, and so many more. In general, the more expensive the surveillance camera the more features and options that come with it.
Importance Of Surveillance Cameras In Miami
Property crime in Miami is both higher than the national median and Florida as a state. Out of 1,000 property crime instances, it nearly doubles the average 21 crimes for both Florida and the national median, coming in at 37.1 per 1,000. This statistic alone is enough to make any South Florida homeowner or business owner want to secure their property a little better.
When you add a surveillance camera to your property you aren’t just aiding yourself and either family or employees, you are also helping the police if vandalism, robbery, or arson, or any other crime is committed to your place.
Noticeable surveillance cameras not only help determine who did the crime but can stop criminals in their tracks from doing something in the first place. It acts as a safeguard, especially because sometimes the offender doesn’t know if the camera has an attached alarm system that alerts authorities. Many as we will discuss below also offer the ability to check from your phone what’s going on. This can be particularly useful for pets that are home or even children.
Another great feature of having a surveillance system is there are usually insurance perks. Because this makes your home safer and you will have a laser chance of break-ins, insurance usually gives you a discount on installation or other perks when it comes to using this type of security system for your home or business.
Types Of Surveillance Cameras
Two types of surveillance cameras can be further broken down into many different categories. These are indoor surveillance cameras and outdoor surveillance cameras. It can be particularly useful to have both but are not always required. The larger the home or business is the more likely you will want to have a few outdoor need entry points and maybe a few indoors as well.
Here are the different types of cameras you can likely get in either category.
Motion Detector Cameras
These types of surveillance cameras are great because they can save a massive amount of storage space by recording only when motion has occurred. Normally, once motion is dedicated the camera will start recording and also alert you that there has been movement. You can set the hours so that when you are home and in the office, the system isn’t constantly notifying you.
Adjustable Cameras
These cameras also follow the movement. Some may be automated to turn and move when motion is detected to get a better view, while others may have you do it manually. Normally, both are an option. These cameras allow for the criminal to be followed up to a certain point and offer a wider range of view for the owner to look at. Sometimes the camera may be set on a pan so it moves back and forth covering the whole room. Sort of what you may imagine a lawn sprinkler to do.
Wireless Cameras
Wireless cameras can usually be paired with any of the other groupings of surveillance cameras. Having a wireless camera can be important because it allows you to put the camera in an important place where simply wiring can’t be done or will be another major investment.
Security System Cameras
A growing type of surveillance camera that is also usually paired with either motion detecting or other categories is security system cameras. These cameras are great because they have some sort of alarm system that when tripped will either alert you and or the authorities. Some may have blaring sounds, lights, voice commands like, ‘intruder alert”, or even a combination. These systems are more expensive than the others but are worth the penny because they may stop the intruder from committing the crime in the first place.
Many of these systems account for animals. If you leave your pet alone and the alarm is going off constantly that wouldn’t be a great option so many smart security system cameras can tell the difference between humans and animals.
Doorbell Cameras
For those who don’t feel like the extra security steps are necessary there are still some great options for you. Doorbell security cameras offer a little bit of relief and turn on when someone is at your door. It can be great to see when packages are being delivered or also if you are home alone and am worried about who is visiting a little bit too late at night.
Night Vision Cameras
Night Vision cameras offer the ability to see things much more clearly in the dark and at night which is usually when you need your camera to perform its best. They come in both black and white and color options and sometimes night cameras instead of having night vision, have floodlights. This will turn on when things start to get dark to get a better picture of what’s going on.
What You Should Look For In Surveillance Cameras
Now that you are familiar with the several different types of surveillance cameras you may have a better idea of what you want. However, there are still so many things that differ even within these categories that still may make the process overwhelming. Here is what you should look for when selecting a surveillance camera.
Good Resolution
There are a lot of surveillance cameras out there that have really poor quality in resolution. This defeats the purpose of having a surveillance camera because if it is too blurry to see who is perpetrating the crime, then you won’t be able to catch whoever did it. On the other end of things, you don’t always need the highest-end picture. If push came to shove you would want a picture that’s more quality than needed than not.
Nighttime Operations
Right along with resolution, you will want a camera that does well in the dark. Whether it is your home or business having a surveillance system that either has night vision and or a light that turns on with motion is crucial. There are cameras on the market that have poor night vision and make it nearly impossible for anyone to figure out who broke in or committed the crime. Nighttime features are one of the most important things to consider.
Connectivity and Storage
Depending on how the surveillance camera operates you will either want to make sure you have plenty of storage and or great connectivity from the surveillance to your phone. If it is constantly running all day and recording then you will need more storage space than others. However, there are a lot of security and surveillance cameras available that record specific moments after being triggered.
You also want to make sure that you can check in with your phone (if offered) and have the picture and connection be clear and working. This is usually a good time to spend the extra money to ensure it works than to go on the cheaper end.
Multi-Camera Options
You may need more than one camera if you have a large business or a residence that has multiple entry points. You won’t want to buy several different cameras because they won’t function together or may be inconvenient for you. A great system will allow you to check in on all your cameras from one app or one space while running on the same WIFI or data plan.
Surveillance Camera FAQs
While you already know a lot about surveillance cameras, there are still a few things that are commonly asked among potential clients. A surveillance camera system may seem complicated but once it’s all set up, it’s quite simple! Here are a few more things you should know!
How Do Surveillance Cameras Work With The Cloud?
Most surveillance cameras can either be connected through wifi and data. If you have a strong router and home-wifi system this will work just fine. But generally, if you are willing to pay for the extra data plan, these cameras can be set up with data and ultimately can be slightly more reliable than home wifi backup. Regardless of what you connect to, most of these cameras can also be connected to any Smart Home Kits so that you can control it from your phone.
Does Audio Work With Surveillance Cameras?
Some brands allow for audio recording as well as video recording so that you can hear if anything is being said. This can be particularly useful for the police if there is more than one person and they can use voice recognition technology to register
What Happens With Power Outages?
Depending on the surveillance system you have set up will depend on if your surveillance camera continues to work. If you have a wired camera then it will turn on and off with the power. If you have wireless that is connected to the WIFI, you may lose connectivity for some time but the camera will still operate. This is why choosing a data plan can be particularly useful because it operates as a phone rather than a desktop.
Circle Security Solutions Product Showcase
Thanks to Circle Security Solutions products being able to connect with Alarm.com you can ease all your worries of intruders at both your homes and in business with high-quality HD-Surveillance cameras. Circle Security Solutions installs these cameras for you and allows you to control that system from the touch of your fingers on your Smart Home Security App.
Conclusion
There’s nothing more alarming and nerve-racking than constantly worrying about your home or business in South Florida. Regardless of whether you are in a nice area or an area that has more break-ins, Circle Security Solutions is for everyone. Having a surveillance camera system that works for you will be completely dependent on your residential or business needs.
Regardless of the type of system you need, there are several characteristics of the surveillance cameras that everyone needs to look out for. The camera needs to have a quality resolution as well as the ability to see at night. You also want to make sure that the system can connect to the WIFI or data plan so that you can have your recording back up to the cloud.
