These days, buying a home security camera system is almost a herculean task. With so many options on the market, each with different capabilities, configurations, service & maintenance contracts to consider, and more, once you've finally settled on a system that works for your home, it's time to celebrate!
Once the dust settles though, a critical aspect that many first-time buyers fail to consider is where to have the cameras placed in the house. Since we've been in the home security business for the past twenty years and have hundreds of satisfied and well-protected clients under our belt, we've got the credentials to back up the recommendations of camera placement for maximum coverage.
Camera Placement
Let's first start by covering the areas that are the most essential or 'typical' when it comes to camera placement. These locations in your home are the ones with the most footfall and are regularly frequented by either guests or family members. So they are in all likelihood the most likely spots for an intruder to strike. Bear in mind that it is not necessary, in fact in some cases undesirable, to have a camera trained on every single corner of your home. At least one camera should be accessible from each part of your house though, so if there are 4 places you spend the majority of your time, then there should be 4 cameras.
The Base of the Stairs - Essential
Getting to the higher floors of your home is where you are on less stable footing and are more exposed due to height. It would make sense for a camera to be placed in this area since it provides security personnel with another angle of vision when responding to an alarm. It is also in an area that intruders will attempt to gain entry into your home through if they are targeting the upper floors for theft or just general mischief, so having a camera trained on this location is very advisable.
Kitchen - Essential
The kitchen may not be the room where you spend the most time, but when it comes to camera placement, it ranks right up there with the living room and bedrooms. This is because many home invasions start with an intruder gaining entry through a window or glass door. If you happen to be in the kitchen and hear the breaking of glass (or even if you don't!) then grabbing your phone to check via your security app will provide you with a chance to see what is going on in the other parts of your home. If it's an intruder, you can direct security personnel to that location while also getting your family members to safety. At the same time, if you happen to be up and around outside when an intruder gains entry, this camera will help security personnel get a visual of the intruder's location.
Bedrooms & Master Bedroom - Optional but Recommended
Interestingly, a lot of home security blogs advocate keeping camera's out of bedrooms for the sake of your privacy. But, when you consider where burglars target in a home, it is usually the master bedroom and any other bedrooms on the upper floors that get targeted. This is because they contain valuables like jewelry, electronics, or cash that can be quickly pocketed or easily disposed of.
The Children's Bedroom - Optional but Recommended
Having cameras placed in your kid's rooms will give you an added sense of security that comes with knowing where your kids are at all times, and what they're up to when you're not around. This superior view of the room makes it easier for caregivers to keep an eye on them when they're napping or playing by themselves so there are no accidents or injuries.
The Bathroom - Optional
Most home security blogs again advocate not having cameras in the bathroom, and while we will be the first to admit that the bathroom may seem like an unusual place to have a camera placed, it is an excellent location to have one from a break-in entry point perspective. This is because most bathroom windows are the least protected in the house. Any criminal can easily gain entry through an open bathroom window - left open for ventilation - and then have access to the entire house since bathroom doors are rarely locked when not in use.
Privacy points to consider here are to position the camera at an angle that is away from sensitive areas such as the shower or the commode and instead focus on potential entry points such as the door or external windows.
The Study - Optional
Having a camera in an office, study, library, home theater room, or any other location where you regularly partake in less physical activities is also crucial for security reasons. This is because the risk of having valuables that require being left out in the open increases substantially when your daily exertions are limited to a chair or couch.
The Living Room - Essential
This is the most popular spot for burglars to target in a home so having a security camera trained on this location is very important. It makes it harder for the intruder to keep their presence unknown and allows you to respond quickly if they gain entry by allowing you to check via your smartphone.
The Driveway - Essential
If you have a driveway, an outdoor camera should be used to keep an eye on it since this is another typical route that thieves use to get into your home. Having a camera on this location will give you an added sense of security by being able to see who is at your home even when you're not around.
The Garage - Essential
If you have a garage that leads into the rest of the house, it should be considered as one of your primary entry points because it's even easier for criminals to gain entry here than through the more traditional methods of breaking a door or window.
The Yard - Essential
Outdoor cameras are a fantastic way to safeguard your front and back yards. Thieves may use them as hiding places, especially if your landscaping is grown over.
The Basement - Optional
Although a basement is less essential than the ground level and outside of your home, if you have valuables there, it may be worth installing a security camera.
The Exit Points
It should be stated that every room in your home needs to have at least one security camera watching its exit points; however, the common areas that get targeted because of their ease of access should receive the most camera coverage. This is true because it makes it impossible for an intruder to gain entry by surprising you (or a member of your family) and still leaves open the possibility of losing only a few easily replaceable items.
Conclusion
While we have tried to make this list as comprehensive as possible, in the end, what matters is that you leave no area uncovered that potential thieves may exploit. There are also other considerations to consider when factoring in locations, such as power, durability, privacy, and so on, and it's best to consult your home security system contractor to help you wade through them and make sense of it all.