Where you should never put a home security camera

Installing a security camera is a great way to help protect your home. Many are wireless, battery-powered, and weather-resistant, and they can be installed with just a few screws, making them convenient for almost any space.

But, while this flexibility is great for installing cameras exactly where you need them, there are also locations that should be avoided. obviously, security cameras Should not be installed in bathrooms and bedrooms, nor should they be installed in communal areas of shared property without consent.

You should also think carefully about where to install security cameras outside your home. Views of your garden and driveway can be helpful – a visible camera can deter trespassers and car thieves – but you should be careful about what else it can record.

Most of this is common sense, and many security cameras even offer features to partially obscure their view. Many also let you configure detection zones, so they’ll only start recording when motion is detected in a specific area.

Worst place to install a home security camera

1. Anywhere beyond your property

Naturally, you should not install a security camera for the purpose of watching someone else’s property. This is easier if you have a larger home or are located far enough away from any neighbors. But in all other cases, you should place the cameras in such a way that they cannot be seen in places belonging to other people.

They should not peer into neighbours’ gardens nor should they have a clear view of your property’s windows and open doors.

To achieve this, position the camera to focus only on your property and land. If a view of the front house cannot be avoided – such as with a video doorbell A security camera overlooking your front door, or a shared parking area – use the camera’s smartphone app to create a privacy zone. These are usually adjustable black boxes that completely obscure part of the camera’s view, and can be placed on neighboring properties or anything else that might be considered sensitive.

For example, I have a privacy zone that blocks my video doorbell from seeing the front door.

2. Bathroom and toilet

This almost goes without saying. Interior security cameras can be useful when mounted toward an exterior door, or to record a close-up view of a safe or other valuable asset. But they should not be installed in the bathroom, or in any place where there is a view of the bathroom from a nearby window or door.

3. Bedroom

You should avoid installing security cameras in any bedroom. This doesn’t necessarily include your little one’s bedroom, as baby monitors use cameras and microphones to serve an obvious purpose.

There are no laws in the UK to prevent parents from monitoring their children with security cameras, as your own child is not considered a third party in your own home, so data protection regulations and GDPR do not apply.

4. Shared indoor area

Indoor security cameras are often installed in communal areas such as hallways. This is fine in your own home, but if you live in a shared home, you’ll need the consent of all the other tenants first. The owner of the camera is responsible for how it is used and how recorded footage is stored and deleted.

If you want to install a camera focused on the front door in the communal space of a shared home – or perhaps to monitor bicycles or other property stored in the hallway – this is a legitimate use case. Just make sure everyone is aware of it, and that footage is deleted when it’s no longer needed.

5. Within easy reach

outdoor security cameras These are usually mounted on flat surfaces with a few screws. They are not locked into place, so anyone with a screwdriver and basic knowledge of camera design can remove it.

This is of less concern for cameras that record footage on the cloud or at a base station inside your home, as footage of theft will be recorded. But for cameras that record locally to an integrated storage device, theft will erase critical evidence of the crime.

That’s why you should install outdoor cameras at a height and out of reach. Often, the best location is close to an upstairs window, as it can’t be reached from the ground, but you can still take the battery out to charge every few months.

6. Close to a window edge

Placing the camera near an overhead window makes it easier to charge the battery. But be careful not to install it with a view to the side of a nearby window. This is because anything close to the camera (such as the side it’s sitting on) can prevent the infrared night vision from working properly. You’ll end up with footage dominated by a bright white fringe and not much else, because the infrared light bounces straight off a nearby object and exposes the rest of the camera’s view. To avoid this, make sure the camera is in a position that can provide a clear and unobstructed view of whatever you want to record.

Remember to use the camera’s privacy features

As I mentioned earlier, most home security cameras have ways to restrict what they can see and when they start recording. These features can help promote compliance with privacy regulations and best practices.

Privacy zones can be used to obscure sensitive parts of the camera’s view with black boxes, while detection zones can prevent the camera from recording when motion outside the intended target is detected. When set up correctly, this means that the camera focused on your driveway will only record when activity is detected in and around your parking spaces, while the comings and goings of your neighbors and their vehicles will be ignored.

It’s also a good idea to schedule your security cameras. This can be used to prevent them from recording during the day (saving both storage space and battery life), and only capture footage when triggered at night or when you’re away from home. Scheduling is also useful when using security cameras as a large part Home Security and Alarm Systems,

When should you use signs and window stickers?

Ideally, if your security camera records something that is not your own property, a sign should appear to inform passersby. multiple security cameras and alarm system Come with window stickers in the box, and some even come with large signs designed to stand out in your garden.

When security cameras can view public spaces such as adjacent streets and sidewalks, signs and/or window stickers should be displayed along neighboring properties. It’s best to block these with the privacy zone tool mentioned earlier, but it’s good practice to add a sticker to the front of your home or to a window near where you’ve installed the camera. These can also help act as a deterrent when prominently displayed.