It’s no secret that incidents of burglary and crime aren’t rare in Australia.
That’s why securing your property with an efficient CCTV system is vital to ensuring your safety in the long term. But after you decide in the affirmative, you might be in a dilemma over whether to opt for professional installation services or to take the DIY route.
Indeed, there are several factors you’ll need to be aware of to make the best decision in this regard. That’s why we’ve curated this simplified guide to help you out.
DO YOU NEED TO BE AN ELECTRICIAN TO INSTALL CCTV?
Installing CCTVs at home is an extensive and well-coordinated security measure that entails making many crucial considerations. So, to understand whether it requires the involvement of electricians, you’ll need to be aware of these different aspects.
FACTORS TO CONSIDER WHEN INSTALLING CCTV
1. Security Assessment
The first step to take for installing a CCTV system is to assess the existing security provisions on the property and identify the weaknesses in this regard. It’s essential to inspect each entry point to ensure there are no vulnerable areas that criminals might take advantage of.
2. Ensuring The Right Coverage
While positioning the cameras at different spots around the home, you’ll have to make sure no crucial part is left to be covered. Also, keep in mind that the process requires strategic placement of the cameras based on the availability of a clear view and the ease of installation at the spot.
That’s why you’ll need to chalk out a plan of the most suitable locations for mounting the cameras and obtaining optimal coverage.
3. The Time Taken
Time is a constraint for everyone out there, so it’s important to consider how long you’ll take to complete the project. Note that the time required will be subject to the expertise of the individual, the size of the home, the preparatory steps involved, and several other factors.
4. The Need For Accuracy
All the advanced security systems of today function based on certain principles of accuracy and precision. As such, missing out on one or more essentials may cause a CCTV system to go defunct when it needs to detect a security breach. This implies that an individual’s expertise in setting up such a security system would affect its accuracy to a great extent.
5. Technical Aspects
Figuring out the technical details of the setup is another crucial aspect of CCTV installation. Firstly, you’ll need to make sure the cameras are capable of recording HD videos, as the clarity of the images is the key to detecting a trespasser.
You’ll also have to consider the extra equipment needed, that is, the hardware for recording and storing the video footage. Notably, many CCTV systems nowadays offer cloud storage, implying that the recorded videos are stored online.
If the footage is being saved on the hard disk of the device, then it’s equally essential to decide on the time period for which you’ll need to store the recorded clips. This time may vary from 24 hours to three months, or even more if the storage capacity permits that.
6. Equipment Costs
For sophisticated equipment such as CCTV cameras and their associated hardware, the procurement costs form a major part of the total costs of installation.
As such, the entity or individual procuring the device should have the knowledge of the most dependable CCTV equipment on the market and their cost. Keep in mind that you should neither settle for inefficient equipment nor end up spending too much on a CCTV system unnecessarily.
7. Permissions
Based on the type of property where the CCTV cameras are being installed, you might have to get official permits from certain authorities. Note that it may not be legally required in some cases, but it will be an expression of courtesy. In case the cameras are being installed outside a shop or home, they might cover a part of the neighbouring property. So, you must make them aware of that and alter the angle if they are reluctant with the arrangement.
PROFESSIONAL VS. DIY CCTV INSTALLATION
By now, you must have understood that installing a CCTV system the right way requires some amount of knowledge, training and desirable expertise. That’s why it’s important to consider whether the individual or entity taking up the job has the required skills to conduct the entire installation smoothly.
Also, remember that they need to take care of all the above aspects simultaneously. This implies someone unaware of the technical aspects of CCTVs and variables such as coverage, costs involved, and permits required may not be able to handle the CCTV installation efficiently.
Hiring a reliable electrical installation service does involve considerable costs, but the results you get will definitely meet your expectations. In comparison, if you choose to go for DIY installation, you can’t rule out the chances of making mistakes. And this might ultimately result in issues such as insufficient control, poor coverage, or unoptimized storage.
Moreover, a reputable installation company would always discuss the costs involved with the clients in detail beforehand and try to chalk out the budget as per their needs. This implies you don’t need to be concerned about unreasonable rates being charged for the installation.
Plus, the professionals will make you aware of the permissions required or any neighboring area that’s falling under the coverage of the CCTV cameras. They can resolve such issues by altering the angle of the CCTV as required or informing the neighbors about the common area.
FINAL WORDS
With that, we’ve reached the end of our guide. We hope you’ve clearly understood the need for professional acumen in installing a CCTV system on any property. So, it’s time for you to get in touch with reliable electrical installation services and make your home fully secured before it’s too late.
See you next time!