Home Security Cameras – SafeStreets Security Systems

Where to Place Outdoor Security Cameras

Home Security Blogger — Wed, 27 Apr 2022 15:49:07 +0000

It’s impossible to keep watch of everything that is going on around your property throughout the day and night. Fortunately, we can help you keep an eye on the outside of your property even when your own eyes or elsewhere.

ADT-monitored outdoor security cameras from SafeStreets can keep tabs on your property 24-hours a day, 7 days a week. If any activity is detected outside of your home, you can choose to receive alerts to your smart device. You also have the ability to watch live feeds from your cameras anytime you want by simply opening the ADT Control app.

The right outdoor security camera placement is a key aspect of properly utilizing the cameras. Outdoor security cameras are only as good as where you place them, and one of the most common mistakes we see homeowners make when they install outdoor security cameras on their own is putting them in the wrong locations. If you’re ready to install outdoor cameras around your property, contact the home security experts at SafeStreets. They can provide you with the best outdoor security cameras in the industry, professionally install them for you and show you how they work.

Keep reading to learn more about the best spots to install outdoor surveillance cameras.

Where Should I Install My Outdoor Security Cameras?

Ideally, you want the entire exterior of your home covered by your outdoor security cameras. Some of the most common areas you should consider installing them include:

Front Doors

Although you might think that most burglars look for more inconspicuous areas of the home to break-in, the truth is that 34% of burglars try and gain entrance right through the front door, according to ADT – making it the most common point of entry. An outdoor home security camera installed at your front door can deter criminals from trying to enter and can also catch porch pirates in the act of swiping a package. You can choose to install a video doorbell camera as your only front door camera or use it in conjunction with another outdoor security camera located at the front door.

Back and Side Doors

It’s a good idea to ensure all doorways are covered with outdoor security cameras including back and side doors, which are also popular places for burglars to break-in. Many of these entryways are hidden away from general view, making them enticing for criminals to try and enter through.

Garage and Driveways

Your garage door is typically one of the weakest entry points for burglars to access your home. It’s an enticing entry point because garages contain vehicles, expensive equipment and tools, bikes and grills. It’s crucial to have an outdoor security camera pointed at your garage and another camera pointed at your driveway to keep a close eye on any suspicious activity. Having a good view of the driveway can also alert you when someone pulls up – whether it’s a friend, neighbor or a stranger that you may want to keep an eye on.

Yard

Using outdoor security cameras to keep an eye out on your yard is another great way to monitor for any suspicious activity. But it can do more than that; you can also monitor your kids and pets to make sure everyone is ok. And one of the best benefits of ADT-monitored outdoor security cameras is that you don’t even need to be home to view what’s going on. You can simply open up the ADT Control app and watch live footage from your smartphone.

Other Considerations When Installing Outdoor Security Cameras

After you figure out where to install your outdoor security cameras, it’s important to work with a professional from SafeStreets regarding how to place and install them. Consider the following:

Keep them out of reach. Consider placing outdoor security cameras 8 to 10 feet above the ground so they are out of reach of potential intruders who can steal or inactivate them.
Power and connectivity. If you have a wireless security system, make sure your Wi-FI signal is powerful enough to get a quality picture.
Lighting. Avoid pointing the cameras directly at the sun, which can cause a glare and prevent you from receiving clear footage.
Corners. Placing your security cameras on corners of the home is the best way to cover larger areas. You can overlap with your other security cameras so there aren’t any blind spots around your home.

Contact SafeStreet for Outdoor Security Cameras

When you hire SafeStreets to install your outdoor home security cameras, you can rest assured knowing that our professionals are expertly trained to help you choose the right cameras and place them in the best areas outside of your home for maximum security and protection. Contact SafeStreets today to learn more about our services or to schedule an appointment.

Why Are There Orbs On My Security Camera?

Home Security Blogger — Tue, 08 Feb 2022 23:43:21 +0000

If you’ve been wondering what those round, fuzzy, glowing objects are on your security camera footage, you’re not alone. Many people have spotted these mysterious ghost orbs and want to know what they are. In this blog post, we’ll explain what these orbs are and offer some tips on how to prevent them from appearing in your security camera footage.

What Are The Orbs On My Security Camera And What Do They Mean?

As mentioned above, orbs are often described as round, fuzzy objects floating around on security camera footage. Sometimes these orbs are falsely attributed to some type of paranormal activity, when in reality they are little specks of dust, water spots, or other particles floating around in the air illuminated by a source of light. These particles show up as circular, blurry images in the security camera footage. In the photography and videography industry, these particles are called backscatter or near-camera reflection.

Why Do I See Orbs In Video Footage?

Often, there are orbs or streaks of light on security camera footage when the camera is in night mode. If there is some type of light source behind, to the side, or even in front of the camera, then dust particles will be illuminated and show up in the video footage. The different types of light sources that can cause the illumination of dust particles include night lights, porch lights, street lights, spotlights, and vehicle headlights.

How To Remove The Orbs From My Security Camera Footage?

While you sometimes can’t completely eliminate or remove orb particles from your security camera footage, there are some ways you can prevent orbs. Let’s look at a few ways you can try to prevent or remove orbs from showing up in video surveillance footage:

Adjust camera angle: If possible, simply adjusting the angle of your security camera can reduce light illumination.

Move camera to a different location: If there are bright lights near your camera, especially behind the camera or facing the camera, a completely different location placement could be the solution.

Clean security camera lens: For stationary orb spots, simply cleaning your lens will help. First, blow away any loose particles from the lens or use a soft brush. Second, clean the lens with a lens cloth or a microfiber cloth. Check if water spray from sprinklers is hitting your camera, in which case changing the location will help prevent water spots.

When Should You Call In An Expert For Help With Your Orb Problem?

If you’re feeling frustrated because you feel like you’ve tried everything to get rid of orbs in your security camera footage, it could be time to call the professionals. There are times when orbs might be showing up in video footage because of the poor quality of your security cameras. It could be time to update your security camera system with SafeStreets.

High-Quality Security Footage With SafeStreets

Customize your security camera layout by contacting our security camera installation professionals. SafeStreets home security uses the latest HD video technology and 24/7 monitoring to help protect your home. Whether you need indoor security cameras, outdoor security cameras, or doorbell security cameras, we have everything you need to help protect what you value most.

Gain access to live footage and recorded images of the area around your home with ADT-Monitored security cameras from SafeStreets. Get in touch with us today and get a free quote!

How To Choose The Best Front Door Camera For Your Home

Home Security Blogger — Tue, 13 Jul 2021 18:47:52 +0000

It may seem obvious that your front door and yard are some of the most important areas of your home to protect since they’re the most exposed. What’s not so obvious is that a shocking 36% of home break-ins still occur in those places. A front door camera system can help prevent front door break-ins, vandalism, package stealing, and more with the proper camera system choice.

If you’re not quite sure the best route to help protect your front door, below we’ll explain the two most common security options and when you might choose one over the other.

Common Front Door Camera Choices

The two most common options for helping protect the front of your home include video doorbells and outdoor security cameras. Depending on the makeup of your front door and yard, you may want to choose just a video doorbell, just an outdoor security camera, or a combination of the two.

Video Doorbells

Video doorbells act as a doorbell, camera, video recorder, microphone, and speaker all in one. This wireless front door camera option allows you to monitor what’s going on around your front door whether you’re at home or away. Features include:

Clear 720p HD video images featuring de-warping technology
Wide-angle lens for a 180-degree view of your entryway and yard
Night vision capabilities for clear video even in the dark
Immediate recordings when the doorbell camera detects motion at your door
Instant notifications when a package is delivered to your home, someone knocks on your door, or other motion is detected
Chatting capabilities with visitors using the doorbell camera’s two-way communication system
Remote control with the ADT control app

Because a video doorbell only has a 180-degree view and is limited by its location as a doorbell, this option is best suited for homes with a smaller front entryway and yard.

Outdoor Security Cameras

If you thought video doorbells could do a lot, wait till you see what outdoor security cameras can do. Like video doorbells, outdoor security cameras also act as a speaker, microphone, and video recorder. However, outdoor security cameras provide a couple of additional bonuses that give them an even more holistic approach to protecting the front of your home. The first is that outdoor security cameras are able to distinguish between visual information. This means your security system can actually differentiate between important and unimportant events and will only send alerts to your phone when something serious takes place. Secondly, outdoor security cameras have more viewing ability and flexibility as to where they’re located since they aren’t tied to a doorbell. Lastly, these cameras feature a higher video quality at 1080p, making it easier to see what’s happening outside your home. Other features include:

A complete security system with wider coverage and fields of view than a single video doorbell
Highly customizable camera location options
Superior 1080p HD video quality
Live footage and recorded images whenever a camera senses motion
Rugged design to wear any weather conditions
360 views of your front door and yard
Remote control with the ADT control app
Voice capabilities
Night vision for recording in low-light situations
Smart notifications directly to your phone only when a serious detection occurs

While they can be more expensive than video doorbells, outdoor security cameras are the perfect solution for homes with a larger front entryway and yard, particularly those on a corner lot where the yard is exposed in the front and on the side.

SafeStreets Home Security Cameras & Surveillance

Whatever system you end up wanting, we have a front door camera solution for you. Help protect every inch of your home with SafeStreets home security cameras and surveillance. Our front door cameras secure your property from intruders, vandalism, package thieves, and burglars. Help protect your property, family, and belongings by being connected to an ADT monitoring center 24/7 as part of our home security system network. Customize your security camera layout and get a free quote today by contacting our security camera installation professionals.

Keeping an Eye on Things: How to Get the Most Out of Your Home Security Cameras

Home Security Blogger — Fri, 14 Jun 2019 19:24:53 +0000

Home security technology has come a long way, especially now that video cameras are easily integrated into home security systems. If you’re adding cameras to your home security, below are 10 tips to help you make the most of them.

Think through where you need the cameras
Rather than putting up cameras helter skelter, be careful in your placement. Better placement improves your coverage but also reduces the number of cameras you’ll need. This applies to inside and outside your home. Think through what you want to be able to see. Do you need a camera inside to keep an eye on pets, kids who get home before you do, or an elderly parent prove to falling? Outside, do you have an attractive nuisance like a pool to monitor? Also think about people approaching your home. You don’t want a view of someone only once they are at the front door, but while they are approaching it too.

Use the right cameras for different locations
Interior cameras differ from those meant for exterior use. For one thing, exterior home security cameras are built to be weather-resistant. Put the right camera in the right place.

Install home security cameras for maximum visibility
To maximize the area your cameras can see, install them approximately seven feet high and pointed at a slight downward angle. This also helps with motion detection because the camera has the wider view and will be triggered sooner.

Install in high-traffic areas
Put cameras where people are most likely to go, but also think about where burglars are most likely to enter and install cameras to monitor those locations. Research shows burglars are a lot less subtle than you might expect:

34% of the time they enter through the front door
23% of the time through a ground-floor window
22% of the time through the back door

Use a video doorbell
You’re probably planning to place a camera near the front door because it’s the most common place of entry—even for burglars, as we noted above. Consider making it a video doorbell. That way you can know if UPS delivered your package, or see who is at your front door when the doorbell rings and you’re at work.

Install cameras out of reach
You want your cameras to be located higher up so you get a better view, but the higher the better so they are out of reach of burglars too. After all, your camera won’t do much good if a burglar can simply reach up and pull it down or cover it up!

Keep cameras out of the elements
Your exterior video camera will be built to resist the weather, but that doesn’t mean you should install it where all the weather will hit. You could very well be obstructing your own view if pouring down rain obscures the camera lens.

Be mindful of the light
Don’t install any cameras to point at light like toward a bright porch light or a window because you’ll get a poor quality image if you do. Keep shadows and shade in mind too when deciding where to install your home security cameras.

Choose wireless
WiFi and wireless video cameras are easy to install and to move around if you realize you need a better location.

Connect to your smartphone
Connectivity is one of the biggest benefits of today’s wireless home security cameras because you can see what’s happening from your smartphone. A security camera can send you alerts on your smartphone when motion is detected or a door is opened. This makes it easy to know when the kids get home from school too.

Also consider installing cameras at your garage or any outbuildings if they are outside the range of the cameras you’ve installed for your home security. Because the cameras are there to help you keep an eye on things, and the more you can see, the better!

Porch Pirates Now Part of the Holidays: Here’s How You Can Fight Back

Home Security Blogger — Thu, 20 Dec 2018 18:48:41 +0000

It must be the holidays, because porch pirates are in the news again! In the same day, I heard about porch pirates in my part of the country (the Pacific Northwest) and Jersey City, where police are planting GPS tracking devices in boxes that look like Amazon deliveriesin order to catch thieves.

Porch piracy on the rise
Sadly, porch piracy is definitely increasing during the holiday season. One report released says 25.9 million Americans have had a package stolen during the holidays. That number was 23.5 million in 2015. And since Americans are doing more shopping online and will continue to do so, those “porch pirates” have plenty of booty to grab from front porches.

Ways to thwart thieves
Although you can insure packages in case they are stolen, what you really want is the package, right? That means you must take steps to thwart the pirates in the first place. Rather than risking packages getting delivered but never making their way to you, because someone absconded with them first, try these tips:

Use your home security system to see who is at your door and to unlock the door if it’s a package delivery. With the right home security setup, you can do this remotely—even while at work.
Choose to have your package delivered to a nearby Amazon locker, or have packages shipped to your local UPS store.
Have packages delivered to you at work or to a neighbor or family member who will be home when you’re not.
Look into getting your own P.O. Box at the post office.
Require a signature to confirm delivery.
Track packages while they’re en route and change the routing if you need to based on where you’ll be.

And now for the fun part…
The porch pirate topic isn’t all bad news. If you’d like to see someone get revenge on porch pirates, watch this 11 minute video of Mark Rober, a NASA engineer and YouTube star, doing just that. Rober spent 6 months designing and building a device that not only sprays glitter all over the thief when the booby-trapped package is opened, it also sprays fart spray and has four camera phones rigged to catch footage of the events while they unfold. Warning: If you watch the video, note that the thieves often use bad language when the booby trap goes off, although it’s all blanked out.

Porch pirates are now the new normal, but we can take steps to fight back…or maybe that NASA engineer will mass produce his booby trap, and we can put pirates off forever! We’ll only need a lot more glitter and fart spray…

Home Security Cameras 101: What You Might Want to Know About Keeping an Eye on Things

Home Security Blogger — Fri, 12 Feb 2016 17:45:08 +0000

Are you shopping around for a home security system? If so, you’ll likely discover the home security cameras are an integral part of that setup. Whether you’re home or away, home security cameras can help you keep an eye on things—and keep your home secure.

If you’re new to home security and not sure yet what to expect from home security cameras, below is some basic information.

Your security cameras work when you’re home and when you’re away
First off, your cameras are working for you whether you’re home or not. Obviously, when you’re away from home, you want to be able to keep an eye on things, right? If a repairman will be at your house, your kids are home alone, or Fido has been finding a way to escape, your home security cameras can help you keep tabs on all of these activities because you can access the video stream from your smartphone or computer (as long as you have an Internet connection).

When you are home, your home security cameras are still working for you, showing you who is knocking at the door, letting you make sure your elderly mother-in-law is still safely ensconced in the sitting room, knowing the kids are keeping out of trouble, and more.

You can store recorded video
What if you had a break in at your house? What if your fishbowl was on the floor every night when you got home from work? What if your kids did something particularly funny in front of the camera? Your home security cameras don’t just do live streaming of what’s happening in real time—they can record video too, for playback later.

That video clip might just be how the police identify your burglar. Or by watching it repeatedly, you might discover how the cat is getting up to that high shelf where the fishbowl sits. And as for funny kids? Who doesn’t want to watch those hilarious antics over and over?

Videotaping can be triggered by motion detectors
Your cameras don’t have to record video constantly. You can set them up to turn on and start recording when there is movement, using motion detectors. This is also useful for indoor cameras that need a light in order to show what is happening: A motion sensor can turn on the light for the camera.

Home security cameras come in different types
When you’re choosing your home security system, you’ll likely have several kinds of home security cameras to choose from, all with different benefits. Here’s a quick rundown of some of the features you might want to have or at least be aware of:

Wireless security cameras can go anywhere because they are, well, wireless!
Dome security cameras can be mounted just about anywhere, and give you a 360 degree view.
Some cameras are better suited for indoors while others are better for outdoors because they work in low light—some even work in the dark.
Some have light sensors, and some have motion detection.
Your home security cameras can be WiFi protected so only you can access the videos.
Different kinds of mounts let you put cameras right where you need them, whether standing on a shelf, mounted to a wall or hanging from the ceiling.

That’s your home security cameras 101 lesson! We hope you find it useful, and that you find the perfect home security system for you!