How Many Home Security Cameras Do I Need? Leave a comment

If you’re thinking about installing a CCTV system in your home, one important thing you need to figure out is how many security cameras you will need. Not having enough cameras means that you won’t be able to monitor a lot of areas, but having too many cameras is a waste of money. It can be a confusing task to figure out the right number of cameras, but this post will break down everything you need to know.

Why It Matters

When people are first installing a home CCTV system, many of them skip on figuring out how many security cameras they will need and decide that they’ll just add more as time goes on. Doing this might save a little bit of money now, but it’ll end up costing more in the long-run. For example, if you start off buying 3 security cameras and a 4 channel NVR, you’ll only be able to use a total of 4 cameras. If you decide that you want to add 2 more cameras in the future for a total of 5 cameras, you’d have to buy a new NVR to support that 5th camera. Additionally, if you don’t determine what areas you want to monitor now, you may end up buying cameras that are not suited for your purpose. If you can determine how many and what type of cameras you need now and in the future, you’ll be able to avoid problems like these.

Determining How Many Home Security Cameras You Will Need

Purpose of Surveillance

Before you buy any home security cameras, you should first think about what you will be using the cameras for. Determining the purpose of your security cameras will allow you to figure out how many cameras will need for each area. For example, if you will be using the cameras to monitor for any crime, you should opt to buy more outdoor cameras. If you want the cameras to keep watch over your family or pets, you should use more cameras for indoor usage.

Areas of Coverage

After deciding your purpose, the next step is figuring out which areas you want to place the home security cameras. To make things simple, you could make a list of all of the rooms and areas inside and outside of your house. Then check off all of the places where surveillance is absolutely essential. Most people choose to use security cameras for areas such as:

• Front of the house, including the front door, walkways, driveways, and attached garages
• Backyard, including any points of entry like any backdoors or gates
• Nursery/child’s room
• Family room
• Rooms with valuables

In general, most homes will only need a system of 4 cameras:

• 1 outdoor camera to overlook the front door/porch area
• 1 outdoor camera for the front yard and 1 more for the backyard
• 1 indoor camera to monitor children or valuables

Other Factors to Consider

However, keep in mind that not all homes are the same so each one will require different things. Other factors that you should consider include:

• House size: Bigger houses may need more indoor cameras since there’s more rooms to monitor.
• Outbuildings: If you have extra storage sheds or other buildings on your property, you may need to buy more cameras to install inside/outside those buildings.
• Property size: If your house is situated a large lot, you may need more outdoor cameras, especially ones that can monitor extended distances.
• Type of home security cameras: If you are using cameras that can see further or can capture wider areas, you might be able to use less cameras for all of the areas you want to cover.
• Available bandwidth: Having limited bandwidth could affect the quality of your security camera footage so make sure you have the necessary bandwidth to handle your cameras.

Still Confused?

If you still need help after reading this guide, you can always contact 2MCCTV for more advice. We have a team of experienced surveillance professionals that are ready to assist you every step of the way. Don’t let confusion stop you from getting that peace of mind and let us help you today!

As always, don’t hesitate to contact us if you have any more questions. You can call us at 877-926-2288 or connect with us on social media
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