Many Houstonians are investing in home security cameras.

Why? The answer is relatively simple.

If you’ve been keeping up with the news lately, theft and vandalism is a daily occurrence. Crime is equal opportunity. Living in an upscale neighborhood like Memorial or West U doesn’t protect you.

Security cameras help decrease neighborhood crime because they make criminal think twice. After all, crooks don’t want their detestable activities recorded and shared with law enforcement.

Finding the best locations for your cameras means you must thoroughly assess your property. Where are your most vulnerable spots? Do you have large shrubs or lots of trees? You’ll want as much good coverage as you can get from as few cameras as possible.

As a rule of thumb, security cameras should be positioned from as high you can get them, both inside and outside your home. Under eaves, from the second story of your home, or in trees (as long as the view is not obstructed) can be good choices outside. Inside, choose points that are high above your floor.  You want an eagle’s eye view.

A word of caution regarding outside cameras. Make sure that you check all camera angles before you start recording. If you’re getting some of your neighbors’ yards, readjust the camera angle. Your neighbors might not appreciate it if you capture even a nanometer of their property on your surveillance video. It is always wise to inform your neighbors when you are installing security cameras.

Main Entrance

Place a security camera to monitor your front door. Set it to capture an area about 3 to 5 feet wide. Choose the camera’s placement with care, since changes in light from outside to inside or vice versa will shadow faces. Many people also use their front door camera to see who is at the front door before answering the doorbell.

Back Doors, Side Doors

Make sure that you don’t forget back and side doors. Back doors and side doors generally are not visible from the street. This makes them an unprotected point of entry for criminals. Security camera placement should be selected with the same care as positioning for the front door with similar area coverage.

Front Yard, Back Yard, Side Yard

Outside security cameras can give you advance warning of attempted break in and theft when you’re at home. Back and side yards are particularly unprotected because they are not visible to the street. Your neighbors usually can’t see what’s going on because of high fences.

Front yard surveillance cameras can be angled to cover the street in front of your house. This is helpful in capturing license plates and also for a vehicle description, if you can’t get the entire license plate number.

Use cameras with night visibility if you don’t have a lot of exterior lighting on any part of your property. A bonus from installing exterior cameras is that there is no need to confront the undesirables. Just pick up the phone and dial 9-1-1.

Living Rooms, Family Rooms, Dens, Home Offices

Most people automatically install one security camera in the living room. Be sure to check room sizes to determine if you should use more than one camera. Don’t forget family rooms, dens, entertainment rooms, or home offices. Many small, expensive, highly desirable portable electronic devices may be left where they were last used in common areas. Although most intrusions happen during working hours, you should consider a camera with night vision capabilities if you are often away from home.

Garages, Secluded Areas, Vandal Prone Areas

Houston is known for expansive backyards. Many of us have built sheds to house our lawn and sporting equipment, as well as their associated oils and fuels. Make sure your security cameras cover any additional structures you may have on your property.

Houston doesn’t have zoning, so businesses and high density developments may be in close proximity to your home. Maybe the exterior walls of structures such as detached garages have been targets of “tagging” and other graffiti. If there’s any chance of your property becoming victim to such activities, it could be a good area for camera coverage.

You should carefully consider the placement of all security cameras for coverage and intended purpose. If you need a professional assessment for your security camera placement, look no further than Safeguard Home Security. We have been consulting, installing, and monitoring complete home security systems in Houston for more than 30 years.