Every home needs to be secure.
But, while your locks are secure, it may not be enough when someone suspicious decides to try entry to your home. Having home security makes you less exposed to any potential security breach.
Fortunately, there are loads of cameras and camera placements available for, and around your home.
These cameras are like your own personal CCTVs, just like in the moviews, and you can typically control them on your smartphone.
That way, even when you are away from you, you can get a real-time updates. When you do plan to get a camera, its location matters most. A poorly placed camera means you might miss the important bits.
Why? Any windor, door or cavity can be a potential entrance for any intruder.
Especially take note of places where people enter and exit. It can give you a sense of how people get to your hard earned stuff.
In the case of personal privacy, it’s really your choice if you want to have them inside your rooms. Some people just wont be comfortable with this, and I get it. We don’t have one in our bedroom but we do in our lounge, garage and kitchen.
It also helps us see when the kids are home and we can even speak to them through the camera.
One feature I like about our Aqara smart security cameras we own is that it only sets to record when we have left home. It knows this as our phone leaves a geofenced area.
These are the best places I recommend you think to install security cameras.
Front Door
It is no surprise that the front door is the first thing people enter the home through. Having a home camera installed here gives you a clear vision of who comes and goes. You can keep it hidden or have it obvious like a Ring Doorbell.
People generally feel a little weird seeing a camera before knocking on the door or entering your home. That’s OK. At least they know it’s there. If you have trades or cleaners coming and going it can be awesome to get a notification on your phone. And if you have smart locks or garage doors you can even then give them access to your home.
While you don’t want it to be weird, it can give a message to visitors that you’re in charge of you home whereever.
But, It can also give an advantage to your intruders so they know to avoid the front door and enter someplace else.
The home’s front door is one of the most important aspects of home security.
Even if you got the latest locks, it’s a nice compliment to have cameras there too.
Backyard
When you do have a backyard at your home, is definitely recommended to have a camera there also. People climbing in to your backyard is an easy access point if they can avoid entering through the front of your property.
Any outside part of your home is really a possible location for anyone to enter. Chances are you might have a tall fence or wall in place but these can be climbed over.
Having an outdoor camera placed here means you coverage and it’s sometimes nice just to be able to check your yard when you want to. Maybe you have a pet there too?
The size of a backyard can vary between homes. If yours is bigger than the house, you may need to put up more cameras out there.
Don’t underestimate the open space and where people might be able to hide from the sight of the cameras.
Tip: Always try to choose a part of the yard that people HAVE to pass through to get to any other point.
Living Room
The living room is the location where most people gather so don’t be creepy. Whether it’s a visitor or a family member, this room is where everyone is welcome.
While you can try to hide the camera, it will likely be visible regardless of location. I would let visitors know I have cameras if they are hidden.
You could place it on the corner of the ceiling or on a table top etc so it doesn’t use too much space. And if you do know a place where you can hide it, that might works as it can look pretty ugly having a camera in your living room.
Garden or Front Gate
If your home is large enough, you can place cameras hidden in the garden or at the front gate. Before someone even gets to your front door, you will typically already know who’s around.
The camera you choose needs to be of good quality to withstand the elements. Rain, sunshine, or snow can damage the camera. It also means you have a strong cable installed with the camera unless you choose a wireless camera like the Ring StickUp Camera.
Balcony
Whether you have a balcony on the ground floor or the second floor, you can place a camera here also.
While it is not used often, it is a possibility that someone can enter here. Why? Since it is a decorative space, few people in the house use it.
You may be there in the afternoon but rarely at night. When it is not secured enough, intruders might take advantage of it.
Balconies are a common place to put cameras and they typically don’t look out of place, especially if you have a sensor or security light with them.
Common hallways
Hallways are what connects everything in your house. If someone gets in your house it’s likely they will travel through the hallway at some point.
Be sure it is strategically placed either on the ceiling or hidden away if you can, for aesthetics if nothing else. You could point it at important rooms for a better picture or just have it facing down the hallway.
Our home has a kink in the hallway which makes it tricky but not impossible to get a view down the hallway.
Final word
Having cameras integrated into your home is one way to add security, I have 4 outdoor cameras and 2 indoor cameras and it gives me peace of mind when we are away from home.
I love checking in on my phone and getting notifications when there is movement.
I also love seeing when couriers drop off eagerly anticipated packages.
It’s easy these days, you do not need a monitor displaying the camera’s visions or expensive CCTV gear. You can get an Echo Show or Google Nest and say things like ‘Alexa, show me the back yard’.
And as I’ve said, you can track it on your smartphone through an app.
Overall, you’ll have more control of your home’s security.
Hopefully, that helps you decide where to put your cameras. Let me know if you need more help or have any questions below.
