8 of the Worst Places to Install Home Security Cameras

Installing security cameras is one of the easy ways to make your home more secure. Modern smart models have companion apps that will let you look through their lenses in real time, and they have different storage options for the videos they record. However, even high-end, feature-rich security cameras can only do their job if they are positioned well.

There are clever ways to hide indoor security cameras at home, and the best outdoor security cameras can monitor a large area, but good surveillance starts with understanding the limitations of these devices. If they are installed in the wrong place, they will not be able to protect your family and, even worse, they may compromise their security and privacy.

If you’re considering installing home security cameras, or want to check if you’ve made any mistakes in your decisions about where to install them, you should check out this roundup of the worst places to install home security cameras. We’ve also provided alternatives to help you identify the best areas for these devices.

First and foremost, security cameras should not be placed in areas where your family members expect privacy, such as in their bedrooms and bathrooms. They are meant to provide a feeling of security and not make them feel uncomfortable in their own home. Additionally, it would be very troublesome if hackers found a way to break into your cloud storage and access sensitive recordings from your bedroom, as they could use the videos for blackmail purposes.

To keep an eye on your loved ones while they are at home, security cameras should be placed in shared spaces like the living room or kitchen. If you really want to ensure that no thieves break into the rooms of your home, you can instead install contact sensors that sound an alarm whenever your doors or windows are opened, and arm them when you and your family are away.

You might think you’re being smart by placing an indoor security camera in a location that will allow you to rotate it to look outside your window. However, this won’t work the way you want because the glare from the glass won’t give you a good idea of ​​your garden. Being in an awkward position can also lead to you being accused of searching your neighbor’s property, which could be considered an invasion of privacy and lead to prosecution.

If you want solid surveillance of your garden, you need to purchase an outdoor security camera. These devices are designed to withstand the elements, and you can adjust them to an angle that won’t disturb your neighbors. This will incur an additional cost, but fortunately, security cameras are one of the tech products you should never pay full price for. You can get discounts on packages that include multiple units of an outdoor security camera or on a package that also includes other smart home devices such as video doorbells.

When you buy a security camera today, you can expect a wide field of view and the ability to pan and tilt controls while you view the live feed through its companion app. However, these features are negated if you place it at the end of a narrow passage, as you will mostly see walls even if you adjust the camera angles.

If it’s important to you to monitor walkways and hallways, for example to check where your pets are hanging out, you should consider placing a security camera in the area instead. This will allow you to maximize the device’s coverage, especially if it has a pan and tilt option, as you can rotate it from pass to pass. In fact, if the security camera has a very wide field of view, you may be able to see both hallways at once.

Although security cameras will benefit from appropriate lighting, too much lighting will cause glare that could block their view or make it difficult to see details in the videos they take. This can happen to indoor security cameras when they are placed directly below lamps and other lighting fixtures, and to outdoor security cameras if the sky takes up too much of their field of view.

To avoid these problems, you need to be careful about light sources and sunlight when installing security cameras. For indoor security cameras, you need to turn on the lights after temporarily fixing them in a location to check for visibility issues. Meanwhile, for outdoor security cameras, you should place them at an angle that does not look towards the direction of the sun. While some of these cameras may come with features that automatically adjust exposure and white balance to get around this problem, it’s not a good idea to rely on them, as you never know when crucial footage may be lost because the sun is shining too brightly.

Especially for outdoor security cameras, you should not place them too high or too low. If they are too high, you can get a wider view of your driveway or garden, but this often negatively affects video quality. The camera can detect a suspicious person, but if it is too high, it will be difficult to discern their facial features. On the other hand, if the device is placed too low and easily spotted, it becomes prone to sabotage.

A good position for an outdoor security camera is between 8 and 10 feet off the ground. At this height, it will be able to capture details such as faces and license plates, and it will be just out of range to prevent vandalism. This is less of an issue with indoor security cameras, but installing them higher up would give you more coverage with fewer cameras than with more cameras at eye level.

Outdoor security cameras are built to withstand harsh weather, and their IP ratings show just how much they can take. However, it is still not a good idea to place them where they would be fully exposed, especially to snow. This is because even though security cameras are weatherproof, they can still be affected by moisture buildup, which can lead to lower image quality and long-term reliability issues.

If possible, outdoor security cameras should be placed under the eaves of a roof, or anywhere with similar protection, to prevent them from being covered in snow during the winter and overwhelmed by torrential rains. If this isn’t ideal because it doesn’t allow the desired angle for surveillance and you really need to place it on a wall where it would be fully exposed, you should invest in a security camera with an IP67 or IP68 rating for the durability needed to survive harsh conditions.

The fireplace is usually in the center of the living room, so you would think that placing a security camera above it would provide good coverage. While this is true, there are other issues related to positioning the device there or near any other heat sources such as air vents and radiators. Dust and debris can accumulate on the security camera’s lens and block its view, and prolonged exposure to high temperatures can damage the electronic components or its battery.

For optimal coverage of your living room, you may consider placing it in a raised position in a corner. You should also be careful around windows, while avoiding heat sources, as glass can have a magnifying effect on the security camera and cause it to rise to dangerous temperatures on extremely sunny days.

You may think you’ve found the perfect location for your security camera, but you need to consider possible obstacles. There may be nothing in the device’s field of view when installed, but for outdoor cameras, trees and their branches may eventually grow and cover them, and for indoor cameras, opening doors may hide the faces of potential intruders.

When installing a security camera, you should consider whether there is a risk that its view will be blocked. You should carefully analyze where you plan to position the device before using it, otherwise you may find yourself having to move it to another location, or regretting that an obstruction has rendered what would otherwise be crucial footage useless. Select a location without anything moving or growing around it so that it is a permanent location for your security camera.