With great resolutions and fields of view, today’s home security cameras and video doorbells can capture a whole yard (or room) of action. Wireless or wired, a little angling lets you cover an entire driveway, lawn or porch, or even an open floor plan that spans a large area. Add pan and tilt features, and the view gets even better. But you still need to start in the right place.
Accidentally install your security cam in a bad location and you can run into heaps of trouble. The cam may become ineffective or miss key details. The wrong spot could even lead to angry neighbors and legal hot water. Even the most affordable cameras aren’t worth that pain.
On your mission to deter burglars and keep an eye on your belongings, double-check that your cameras are installed in the best spots — and avoid danger zones like these.
Spot 1: Places with the expectation of privacy
While you need your security camera to protect your home, the last thing you want it to do is infringe on the safety of others. Don’t risk breaking the law (and inviting lawsuits) by placing a cam where people have what the law calls a reasonable expectation of privacy.
In practice, don’t place a security camera in a bathroom, bedroom or similar area with a very strong expectation of privacy. If you do have to place a cam in one of these areas (for instance, to monitor your bedroom in a multirental situation), make sure the camera is visible and everyone in the house knows about it. For outside cameras, cams are generally allowed to capture public spaces, like the sidewalk or street that run past your home, because there’s a low expectation of privacy in these areas.
Remember, your camera is there to provide a sense of security and serve as a tool to keep you and your home safe. Make sure your cameras aren’t located in spots that will render them ineffective, or worse, actually undermine someone’s safety.
The Ring night vision option works well for keeping an eye on your own yard, but don’t try peeking over neighboring fences.
Spot 2: Looking directly at a neighbor’s property
In addition to protecting all the private places on your property, be careful about positioning security cams so that part of their view captures a neighbor’s windows or backyard. Legally, those are spots where your neighbors also have a right to their own privacy, and lawsuits have resulted from much less.
This is also why you should try to avoid even the appearance of cameras that are pointing toward a neighbor’s lawn or peeking into their windows. Many modern security cams come with the ability to create “privacy zones” that block out certain areas in the camera’s live view or recording. If a neighbor complains, you may be able to show them your privacy zones to prove that no part of their home is being recorded.
Spot 3: Difficult-to-see locations
You might be tempted to point cameras at the spots around your home that are difficult to see. There is an intuitive reason for this: If you can’t see a location from your windows or doors, it feels possible that someone might be lurking there. You might think these hidden areas are a burglar’s preferred place to break and enter.
But the fact is, most burglars enter a home through the most obvious paths. According to data collected by security company ADT, 34% of burglars enter through the front door and 22% use a first-floor window. The clearest access points are the most used-routes for break-ins. Pointing a camera at these spaces can deter a break-in and can help identify anyone who attempts to get in.
Placing a security camera in a side alley or the back of your home might seem like it will catch someone sneaking around, but it’s more likely to miss the action. If you really need to watch the hidden spots, look for a bundle that includes several cams to install in multiple locations, like this pack of Arlo Pro 4 spotlight cameras.
Lorex offers free object detection with its cams, so make sure they have a good view.
Spot 4: Behind obstructions
This might sound like a no-brainer, but camera obstructions aren’t always so obvious. Outdoors, this might mean allowing space for tree branches to swing in the wind. Be careful of quick-growing plants that will require you to move your camera every year or two.
Consider your camera’s range of view inside too. Will your cam see everything you want it to when interior doors are opened and closed? You’ll also want to avoid placing the camera in a spot where a pet might interact with it. If you place it on a shelf, will your cat knock it off? Will an energetic dog barreling through the house send it tumbling or change its angle? The same applies to racing toddlers.
Find a spot that has good views of the space you want to watch and is also unlikely to be bumped by you, a guest or your four-legged friend.
Spot 5: Through a window
We know it’s tempting to pay less for an indoor-only cam and think about putting it by a window so it can get a good look outside. There are two big problems with trying this.
First, windows have a glare problem, even when the cam is pressed close against the glass, so the cam view often doesn’t work when the sun is at a certain angle or when it’s dark outside. Over time, dust on the window causes similar issues.
Second, the angles and area you can view through home windows are very limited. Cams are unlikely to get a good view of key access points or a broad view of a yard or driveway.
The Blink Outdoor 4 has an adjustable mount that’s sturdy enough to stay at the right angle.
Spot 6: Facing the sky
We don’t mean intentionally angling a cam up so it captures only the great blue beyond — we’re talking about cams with wide fields of view that include a significant portion of sky. This can create problems when the sun passes overhead and blinds the cam with glare or blocks out details with brightness. Also, frequent, direct sunlight creates a higher risk of UV damage and wear over time.
To prevent these problems, work to angle your cam away from the sky and focus on views below the roof/tree/hill line. Also, try to place cams in an area where they’re at least partially protected by shade.
Bonus tip: There’s no right or wrong height for most security cameras, although there are many recommendations. A higher vantage point will give a better view of a driveway or large yard, but we find that a broad field of view works just as well, if not better. A rechargeable cam should usually be placed in a spot that’s easy to reach when the battery needs attention. And video doorbells are typically installed around four feet from the bottom of the doorframe.
For more, read up on other home security mistakes you can make. Learn how to stop porch pirates, reduce the risk of car break-ins and what you should keep in a safe.
