Maintaining a CCTV camera and ensuring it is done correctly is a crucial part of owning a security camera system since CCTV cameras play a major role to ward off potential thieves thus keeping your home, shop, business establishment, and property safe and secure. Here are 10 maintenance tips including a checklist which is super beneficial for maintaining your CCTV security system the right way.
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Related: Best CCTV Camera in UAE
1. Test your CCTV Security System Regularly
To ensure that your CCTV camera security system is functioning appropriately, testing and maintaining it regularly is of utmost importance. So, what do you need to test besides the cameras? Well, you also need to test the monitors and Digital Video Recorder (DVR) to know if they are working and functioning properly. If your CCTV is not recording high-quality video, then there is no use owning a security system. Therefore, time and again you need to observe and test the CCTV’s recording capability. If the footage is high quality that means it is recording perfectly. If it is blurred or distorted, then you need to report the issue.
Other things to check for in your monitors and recording equipment:
- Most importantly, your monitors and recording equipment should be free from dust, grime, dirt, fingerprints, and marks. Simply use a microfibre cloth and soap and water to wipe down all this.
- Check if your equipment and all your switches are fully functional.
- You also need to check if the monitors and recording equipment are set to the correct date stamp and time.
- There shouldn’t be any weak or loose connections. So, check your cables for the same.
- Adjust your brightness and contrast settings appropriately.
2. Clean the Camera Lenses Regularly
As a matter of fact, dirt, fingerprints, dust, and marks can hamper the quality of your video footage. I know that it’s not possible to prevent these things from settling on your cameras. However, you can clean them regularly. Ensure you check your outdoor, as well as, indoor cameras to figure out if the camera lenses are clean or not. Use a dry, soft cloth and gently wipe off all the dust, dirt, marks, and fingerprints from your camera lenses. In case of stubborn stains on your lenses, just use a mild cleaning solution to clean them. Soap and water are the best. Ensure you wipe off all the dirt gently. Avoid doing it roughly or when you are in a rush. Note that you can’t use any harsh chemicals since these chemicals can damage the lenses.
Other things that you need to check for in your camera lenses are as follows:
- Check if you can see the perimeter of your property/house clearly. Ensure that the camera view is not knocked off the path.
- Next, check if the camera lens is adjusted properly and focussed well.
- Use a microfibre cloth to simply wipe down the camera casing.
- Make use of your controller to see if your camera’s functions (zoom, pan, and so on) are working appropriately.
- Check if the cameras are attached to the wall securely.
- If your cameras are equipped with motion detector sensors, then check if they are working fine.
- Lastly, if any leaves or foliage are blocking the view, then trim them.
3. Keep your Security Camera Software Up-To-Date
One of the most crucial tips to keep in mind when it comes to maintaining a CCTV camera security system is to update the software. In other words, the software needs to be up-to-date. You can’t expect your CCTV to function appropriately if the software is outdated. CCTV camera manufacturers release updates for their products regularly. Some of these updates include bug fixes and new features which are necessary to keep your security system running at its best. So, ensure you check for updates and keep your software up-to-date.
4. Check the Cables and Connections
If you get a clear transmission of sound and picture without any distortion that means your cables and connections are fine. If there are issues in the quality of your video footage, the reason could be loose or weak cables. In other words, loose/weak cables are responsible for degrading the quality of the video. To avoid this, you need to check all the cables and connections regularly to ensure that they are secure. Cables leading from the recording equipment should be in good condition. If you find any loose or weak connections, then tighten and fix them. Additionally, you need to check if there is wear and tear in the wiring or exposed wires. Replace the wiring in case of wear and tear.
5. Take a Backup of your Video Footage
One of the most important tips for the benefit and safety of you, your family members, your house/shop, and your valuables is to take a backup of your video footage daily as this will avoid loss of data. If you are using a cloud-based storage system, then backing up your video footage is of utmost importance. Also, it may so happen that your video footage gets deleted accidentally or your system might fail, unfortunately. Therefore, backing up your footage will keep all your data intact and will also help to avoid any potential issues.
6. Remotely Monitor Your System
In case you have a remote monitoring system, ensure you check on it regularly to assure that everything is functioning appropriately. You need to check if the cameras, Digital Video Recorder (DVR), and monitor are online and ensure that they are working properly.
7. Check the Lighting Conditions
Poor lighting is a major threat to your CCTV footage since it can cause issues in the video quality. Therefore, your cameras must be well-lit. So, when you are checking your security cameras, be attentive to the lighting conditions around them. If you notice that the cameras are not receiving sufficient light, then you will have to adjust the positioning of the camera. If this doesn’t help, you will have to add more lighting. These two methods definitely help to improve the lighting conditions which, in turn, improve the quality of your video footage.
8. Keep a Watch on the Power Supplies
Another crucial tip for maintaining your CCTV camera is checking the power supplies for your cameras daily. Ensure the CCTV cameras are connected to a reliable power source. If your security system utilizes batteries, then you need to check them too. Please contact a professional for help in case you notice any issues with the power supply. Avoid delay.
9. Check the Hard Drives Frequently
We are almost towards the end of this article. But this point is as important as the others mentioned here. Ensure you check the hard drives of your CCTV cameras frequently. Most importantly, make sure they have free space. Full hard drives won’t do you any good. Yes, you read that right. Hard drives with no free space are as good as not having hard drives. As you take a backup, you can delete what is not so important and free up some space. The next important task is to check for issues or errors if any. In case you notice anything unusual or face any problems or issues, ensure you ask for assistance.
10. Contact/Hire a Professional
Consider hiring a professional to maintain your CCTV camera to ensure that it is maintained properly. If not on a daily basis, then at least on a monthly basis. You can monitor it for the rest of the days. This will ensure that your system is running smoothly leaving you without any doubts or worry.
