According to the U.S. Department of Justice’s Crime Victimization Report, an estimated 3.7 million burglaries occur each year in the United States, with seven percent of those burglaries resulting in the victimization of a household member who was present. Luckily, there are several brilliant ways to safeguard your home so it doesn’t become a target. Smart devices allow you to build custom home security systems without the hassle, cost or contracts associated with traditional security systems, simplifying the process without compromising security.
One of the advantages of Wi-Fi based security cameras and devices (such as those by Ring, NEST and August) is that placement is completely customizable to the needs of your home. And with home automation built in, you’ll be able to monitor your home from near or far using your smartphone. In this guide, we’ll help you determine where to install your home security cameras so that you get the most visibility possible using the fewest number of devices.
- At Each Door—According to the aforementioned Crime Victimization Report, a majority of intruders in forced entry cases enter the home by damaging or removing a door. With this in mind, you’ll want to make sure that every door of your home is covered by a camera, including the main entrance and any back or side doors. We recommend using video doorbells as well as overhead cams for these purposes.
- Over the Garage and Driveway—The garage door is another vulnerable entry point that could entice intruders, so you want to make sure it’s fully covered by your camera’s viewing range. Installing the camera directly above the garage door may provide a nice option for full-driveway coverage. If you want to be able to monitor the garage and all of its entry points head-on, you’ll need to install a camera on a wall or under an eave facing it.
- Facing First-Floor Windows—Your first-floor windows, especially ones that don’t face the street, are appealing to criminals. In fact, the National Association of Certified Home Inspectors (NACHI) reports that 81 percent of burglars enter through the first floor, with 23 percent getting in through a first-floor window. Installing cameras facing downward on the eaves or roofline of your home—far out of reach of the burglar, of course—will provide you with a good range from which to view all first-floor entry points.
- Inside Your Home at the Front Door—When we think about home security, we very rarely think about placing monitoring devices inside the home. However, indoor cameras can provide an additional layer of security should an intruder make their way inside. They can also help eliminate any issues with pet-sitters, babysitters or anyone who enters your home to do work. Try to position your indoor security cam so that it covers several entry points, including the front door and first-floor windows.
- Facing the Front and Backyard—Having a view of the front and backyard, ideally with some portion of the street and driveway, can help you get a better view of any intruders and will clue you in to where they came from. It’s also helpful when you’re trying to ID non-human trespassers (such as raccoons or coyotes). Just make sure that you don’t install your cameras in a way that compromises your neighbors’ privacy.
Strengthening Your Home’s Vulnerabilities
As you can see, the key to properly positioning your security cameras is to make sure that they provide you with an unaltered view of the most vulnerable entry points of your home. Taking the time to consider your home’s weakest points, as well as its unique architectural features, will help you determine the best places to install your cameras for maximum security and visibility.
If you still aren’t sure where or how to install your home security devices, the home security specialists at Abt can help! We offer complete, customized security options—including installation and 24/7 customer service—in Chicagoland as well as parts of Illinois, Wisconsin and Indiana. Click here to learn more about our custom home security offerings.
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