Home surveillance has become a mandatory thing to have for stores, offices, even houses to keep an eye on unauthorized activities. If you own a store, a property, or treasure that needs constant surveillance, a security camera setup would be the first thing to consider having. Some secure facilities have many cameras in every corner to watch every single movement around the facility.
Getting into such a secure area with a 24/7 surveillance system may get you a little overwhelmed if you’re not experienced with them. You might have wondered how often are security cameras checked? Do they need permanent security personnel to keep on watching or everything is automated? Well, if you’re interested in getting your own security camera setup and wondering how it works, stick to the article to know everything you should know about them.
How Often Are Security Cameras Checked?
The most common question about maintaining a security camera is, how often are security cameras checked? Well, the answer depends on what type of applicable places you’re talking about. Most of the time, the question is about stores or home security surveillance system. Here are the things you should know about how often and which parts of the security camera you should check:
Power sources
The first thing to check in a camera system regularly is a power source, especially if it’s a battery-powered camera unit. Security surveillance experts suggest that you should check the batteries of your camera units every 6 months or less. If the units are old, they need more frequent inspections every 3 to 4 months. Once you notice the batteries are not serving as expected after 3 to 5 years, it’s time to replace the batteries for good.
Camera units
After inspecting and batteries, the camera units themselves have the most appeal of your attention. Check the mounting system of the camera if they are loose and need to be fixed. You should check the camera lenses for any dirt or debris and clean them and check if the grooves and lumps have any dust. The unit inspection should be once in a few months in general, but if you notice any blurriness or lack of sharpness in the footages, clean the lenses right away.
Sensors, DVR or NVR
If your surveillance system has sensors for burglary or unauthorized entry, you should check them every few months. Inspect every sensor on the premises and check for any impurity or breaks on the sensors. When you go in front of the sensor, check if the alarm unit (or whatever response system you have) works properly. If you have a surveillance setup with multiple cameras, you must check the DVR or the NVR once in a while. Check if the connections to the camera units are firm, and the ethernet or fiber connection is up and running.
How Do You Maintain Security Cameras?
Security cameras can be crucial if you have any security issues with your place, whether it’s a store, office, or home. Getting the best output form your surveillance camera needs regular maintenance. Here are the tips and tricks you can follow to give your camera setup good maintenance and keep them functional:
Cleaning the camera lenses
If you notice the recent footages are a bit blurrier than before, it’s mostly because of dust or dirt over the lens. You must keep the lenses of your cameras clean if you’re after the cleanest and the clearest footages.
Inspect the housing and mounts
Inspect the camera’s housing and the mounting system if it’s been a long time since you’ve inspected the las time. The same applies if you’ve never cleaned or inspected your security camera system after you mounted it in the first place. Have a look at the screws and the bolts that are holding the camera in its place.
Check the connections
Check the connections that are connecting the DVR, monitor, or the NVR to the camera itself. If you notice any corrosion or tear in the wires, clean them with the proper procedure or hire a professional to do that. Check for waterproofing if you’re using a waterproof setup and replace the camera when it’s time is over.
Inspect the landscapes and positions
After mounting the camera, the wind, birds, or even a loose screw may mess up the camera’s position. Inspect the position of the camera and see if it still has the target landscape in the frame. If you notice any anomalies, be sure to mount the cameras in the right position again, ensuring the proper placement.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are the most frequently asked questions about setting up security cameras and maintaining them that you might interest in:
Do stores check their security cameras?
How often do security cameras reset?
How far can a security camera see?
Are security cameras always recording?
Final Thought
Using security surveillance can get you an extra layer of security if you have a store or a property that needs protection. If you’re new to the surveillance world, you might be wondering how often are security cameras checked because they are constantly recording! However, surveillance depends on how much storage you have for the system.
Getting the best output from your security camera needs regular maintenance. If the footage is blurrier than before, the footages have cuts, cannot access remotely, or any functionality such as PTZ or sensors isn’t working because of the lack of maintenance. It’s also important to give your security surveillance system after a natural disaster, a heavy rain, or even without reason.
