Installing a CCTV system is a great way to keep your premises secure, but if you fail to maintain it, you might find yourself in a sticky situation later down the line! Like all technology, CCTV cameras can fail if they're not looked after. Unlike your computer or your TV, CCTV cameras are often out in the elements 24/7 (not to mention the vandals that try to destroy them) which makes them even more prone to damage than almost any other piece of security kit.
Why is security camera maintenance so important?
Your CCTV cameras are there to do one job - keep you safe. If over time, CCTV systems aren't maintained properly and stop working then they won't be able to do their job properly. Therefore, it's important to consider the value of things you're protecting. Is your CCTV system installed around your business premises, your home or your garage? A faulty CCTV system will leave these spaces vulnerable to crime!
Maintaining your CCTV system is also vital if you want to make a claim on your insurance later down the line. An insurance company might not want to deal with your claim if you've not maintained your security cameras properly. This is definitely worth bearing in mind if your CCTV cameras are protecting valuable goods.
CCTV maintenance: What do I need to check?
So, how do you actually go about maintaining your security cameras? There are a few things that you should check on a regular basis to keep things working smoothly.
Cables
Being outside, wiring and cables can become damaged. They're exposed to the weather but they're also prone to becoming loose and detaching from the wall. Eventually, loose wires can fray and cause the picture quality and sound to be compromised. So, you see any problems with the feedback from your cameras, it could be a wiring issue. Make sure you do a good visual check of the wiring every few months.
Camera Lens
Problems with the camera lens will make it very difficult to see events in the view of the camera. As you can imagine, this makes the CCTV cameras fairly useless if you're trying to identify specific people or events that led up to a crime.
Again, being outside can cause problems for the camera lens and a tiny bit of dirt can look like a huge smudge when you take a look at the footage. Keeping the camera lens clean is vital if you want a clear view of the area. A few other things that can affect the view through your camera lens are:
- Overgrown foliage
- A camera that's slipped and no longer looks in the right direction
- A motion detector that's stopped working
Control Equipment
Finally, you need to make sure your control equipment is maintained so that you can watch and store the footage & access it whenever you need to. This involves checking that your CCTV monitors and control panels and working as they should be.
Check that the cameras are recording footage that's clear, bright and not too oversaturated. Check that the monitor is showing the right date and time and generally clean down the control room/equipment so that dust & dirt doesn't build up.
Our Maintenance Contracts
If you're planning on installing a new CCTV camera system, we highly recommend looking into our maintenance contracts. These contracts provide you with the reassurance that one of our professional engineers is on hand at any time - night or day - should a problem with your CCTV system occur.
When you notice a problem with your CCTV system, all you have to do is call our team on 029 20 753 251 and we'll send an engineer out right away to deal with the problem. That's why we recommend our maintenance contracts for people with CCTV cameras in challenging/crime-prone areas. We'll also carry out any routine maintenance that your CCTV system needs to keep it running smoothly at all times.
Read More: Is one-camera CCTV system enough?
If you'd like to find out more about security camera maintenance, or if you'd like to enquire about our CCTV systems for your home or business, give us a call on 029 20 753 251.
