Home security cameras offer an excellent way to improve home security and feel safe no matter where you are. They provide an extra eye into what happens in and around your home, ultimately increasing your sense of safety. But did you know that these devices are helpful for more than just surveillance?
Many of the newest home security cameras are wireless, and with a bit of creativity, you can use them to kick your quality of life up a notch. In addition, they come equipped with multiple features and capabilities, which allow for multiple uses. Keep reading to learn 10 unique ways to use your home security camera.
1. Supervise and keep track of your kids
Many homeowners are starting to use indoor security cameras as nanny cams. Essentially, “nanny cam” refers to cameras used by parents to keep an eye on their children’s babysitter. Thankfully, setting up a nanny cam is straightforward, especially if you go with wireless options.
With modern technology, nanny cams are synced with smartphones or computers to give parents a firsthand look at how their kids are looked after when they are away. All you need is to purchase a good quality indoor camera and tuck it in an unnoticeable location or disguise it to look like an ordinary household object.
If you have older children who don’t need a nanny, you can also install cameras throughout the house to keep an eye on the kids’ activities. Depending on the system you install, you might be able to talk to your kids and provide directions. However, you should always keep your kids’ privacy in mind as they get older.
2. Watching your pets
Pets are daring and cheeky. But, unfortunately, they can cause a lot of mess when left alone in the house. To keep tabs on the whereabouts of your furry friends and their activities, you can install both indoor and outdoor pet cameras and then sync the system with your devices so you can watch them from the convenience of your phone or laptop.
3. Vacation monitoring
It is nearly impossible to enjoy a vacation when constantly worried about what is happening back home. You can do away with these worries by investing in a smart home security system.
Many smart home security systems feature AI integration, which controls your home’s smart devices. This allows you to monitor both the interior and exterior of your property, which offers much-needed peace to make your vacation a memorable experience. With good-quality security cameras, you will be able to monitor what’s happening in your home, even at night. Just remember to connect the system to WiFi before leaving.
Indoor security cameras can also help you see anything you inadvertently left unaddressed. For example, interior lights that you didn’t turn off. For systems connected to a home automation hub, you should be able to control them remotely. Otherwise, you could ask a friend or neighbor to help you take care of issues that you can’t address remotely.
4. Monitor points of entry and the perimeter of your property
Would-be burglars may not necessarily use your front door. Of course, that would be easy for you or your neighbors to spot them. You need to monitor all other potential entry points, including your entire perimeter.
One of the great ways to deter would-be thieves is by installing surveillance cameras on your home exterior. You can install several cameras and focus them on your perimeter wall to have a virtually 360° view of what happens around your property. Besides acting as a deterrent, these cameras can provide the footage you need if anything happens.
5. Keep an eye on your driveway and garage
Garages are much easier to break into than homes, yet they house some of your most expensive possessions. For example, your garage may house cars, trucks, bikes, mowers, and other expensive power tools that can tempt burglars to break in. For this reason, even if you have a way of monitoring your property and have installed a lockable garage door, it makes perfect sense to beef up the security right at the entrance to your garage. When integrated with other home automation systems, it can also send you notifications whenever a new vehicle appears on your driveway.
6. Improve elderly care services
If you are a caregiver, you can use security cameras to elevate the services you provide to the elderly. Indoor home security cameras help you monitor the well-being of the aging family member you are taking care of, even from afar. This can go a long way to ensuring you provide the best services and respond to emergencies promptly.
Suppose you spend much of your time away from home. In that case, you can consider security systems that support two-way audio so that you can conveniently communicate with the senior you’re caring for.
7. See who is at the front door
Sometimes you just want to know who is at your front door before opening it. A security camera gives you this capability, allowing you to answer a knock confidently. This is very important considering that sometimes you daydream of anything, or your pets can hit the door as they play.
With a smart home security system that supports audio and video, you can even see who is at the door and speak to them right from your mobile device without opening the door. In addition, homeowners can use advanced security systems to talk to their guests even when they are not home.
8. Watch for deliveries
Porch theft is becoming a serious concern as thieves look for packages left outside when homeowners are away. While you can arrange for your neighbor to collect your deliveries, an outdoor security camera can give you an extra eye on your deliveries and deter potential thieves when you are away.
Should your deliveries be stolen, you will be able to view and potentially identify the thief and use the video feed as evidence.
9. Documenting your life details
Security cameras are used for, well, security reasons. But did you know that you can use your indoor cameras to record what you do and how you do things?
Use your camera to document your sitting posture, meals, sleeping habits, and more to see what habits need your attention. Security cameras can help you catch your bad habits, especially those detrimental to your overall health and well-being, and trigger you to improve some details of your life.
10. Documenting natural disasters
Mother nature is so unpredictable and sometimes wreaks havoc when least expected. Having a video feed of damage caused by natural disasters can be handy when making insurance claims and ensure that your home insurance provider processes your claims faster and more accurately. This can go a long way to ensuring that you and your loved ones recover from the calamity as soon as possible.
Conclusion
Home security cameras do a great job catching suspicious activities, deterring would-be burglars, and ensuring overall safety. But, whether you install surveillance cameras as a standalone measure for protection or in tandem with a smart security system, you will find a lot of other ways to use them to keep your home and loved ones safe.
