We all appreciate the need to keep our homes secure. It is natural to want your children, pets, other family members and yourself to be safe in the home. Plus, none of us wants our property to be vandalized or stolen.
So, the other day when I came across mysecuritysign.com and saw the range of video surveillance signs they sell, it prompted me to do some research into home CCTV. It is a subject I have not looked at for many years.
I was really surprised to see how much things have moved on since then. Advances in technology mean that there are many different ways you can use video surveillance to improve the safety and security of your home and the people in it. Here are my favorite suggestions.
Set up a nanny cam
If you hire a nanny or babysitter for your children it is very easy to use home video cameras to keep an eye on things from afar. However, you do need to be aware of the law when you are doing this. In some places, video surveillance can only be used with the express consent of everyone that is likely to be captured on film. So, you may need to get your baby sitter or nanny to sign something that confirms that they are happy to be filmed while in and around your home. In other places, no express consent is needed. But, signs warning people that video surveillance is in place do need to be put up.
Keep an eye on your pets
If you have a new puppy or are worried about what one of your pets is up to while you are out, setting up a video system is a great way to keep an eye on them. These days you can buy cameras that have motion sensors built in. So, the camera is triggered when there is movement in a certain area.
They can be used to take in the whole room or you can narrow things down, so the camera is only triggered when your pooch gets on the sofa. If you invest in one with a microphone and speakers you could tell your dog to get down. It is a surprisingly effective way to reinforce the training you are doing while you are at home. The top-end systems can be set up to send you a text message or an alarm signal every time there is movement in the area you are monitoring.
Look out for elderly relatives
This style of video surveillance camera is also great for keeping a friendly eye on elderly members of your family. Once you have their consent and have taught them how to use the system it is surprising how helpful they find it. The camera can be set up virtually anywhere especially if it is the Wi-Fi type. So, potentially an elderly relative who is having problems seeing the buttons on the TV remote could hold it in front of the camera. You can then verbally guide their fingers to the right button.
Plus, of course, you can see who is coming and going to their home. Again, if there is a microphone you will be able to listen in or take part in a conversation remotely should they want a little extra support to deal with a salesperson.
Home surveillance systems can be set up to run without saving the footage for later view. But, if you do want to capture a recording of what is going on there are several ways to do it. All of which you can easily find out about via the web.
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