Home Security: Is Home CCTV A Worthwhile Investment?
CCTV cameras have been a common sight in shops, pubs, airports, car parks, and other public places for many years now and have been increasingly used in residential areas in recent times. Home security is an issue concerning many homeowners in Cardiff and across the rest of South Wales, which is why the addition of surveillance cameras to homes has become a progressively popular solution to increasing a sense of security for you and your family.
Cardiff Alarm Systems is the leading provider of domestic CCTV systems and home security alarms in Cardiff. For more information regarding our professional installations of a wide range of video surveillance systems and intruder alarms in South Wales, give our team of security experts a call on 02920 004 465 or enquire online today using our contact form here.
What Is A Home CCTV System?
CCTV cameras (closed circuit television), also known as video surveillance, are part of a television system whereby the cameras record footage before communicating with monitors where the video, and sometimes audio, can be watched either in live time or recorded for future observation.
Domestic CCTV can be as basic as using a video doorbell to keep an eye on the comings and goings outside your front door to a fully comprehensive system of multiple outdoor cameras with advanced features that provide CCTV footage of all areas of your property, thwarting potential threats and recording any suspicious activity.
In a similar vein to commercial CCTV, domestic CCTV systems have many types and uses, both in terms of adding an extra layer of security for your home and also serving to reduce your home insurance costs.
Home CCTV cameras come in a wide range of types and styles to choose from, from indoor and outdoor cameras, wireless cameras versus hard-wired cameras, and advanced features such as night vision, high-resolution image quality, and internet access.
Many modern home security systems utilise wireless security cameras, as they can offer flexibility and convenience due to not requiring any laborious wiring. Wireless cameras connect to your home’s wifi and allow you to monitor your home from anywhere using a relevant smart app. The downside to wireless cameras, as opposed to hard-wired alternatives, is that they cease to function properly if your internet connection goes down or is compromised.
Enhancing The Security of Your Home: CCTV Benefits
The British Security Industry Association (BSIA) estimates that there are around five million CCTV cameras in the UK, which is significantly higher than any other country in Europe; this is why there is an outdated myth that there is no need for the installation of home security cameras at your home. However, there are many significant benefits to installing a home CCTV system:
Theft Deterrence
Investing in a security system is a great way to increase safety as well as deter burglars from targeting your home. Even having a system visible enough to behave as a crime prevention tool and, in the unfortunate event that a burglar does manage to enter your home, security alarms and CCTV systems can be used to gather valuable evidence, alert your neighbours and law enforcement, as well as help to provide evidence when the police and judicial system get involved.
Numerous studies reveal that having a security system that possesses cameras can deter intruders and would-be burglars from attempting unauthorised access to your home, as any burglar would hesitate to target a home or property that possesses a visible CCTV camera or other home security systems.
In a similar vein, in the instance you have suffered from a break-in or house burglary, CCTV cameras can provide crucial evidence when reporting the crime to the authorities, providing both proof that a crime took place and details surrounding the security incidents and will help in any resulting legal proceedings that can result in criminal convictions.
Peace Of Mind
Having a home security system with cameras is a popular choice for homeowners, as the peace of mind of knowing that your home is protected is compared to none. A high-quality security system can protect your home by thwarting intruders and can also allow you to keep an eye on your home when you are away from it, with the remote monitoring features available with many domestic camera products.
Security camera footage recorded via wireless security cameras can be watched remotely from your monitor, or in many cases, a smartphone, and can allow you to rest easily when away from the day or night. From being alerted of attempted unauthorised entry to your home to keeping an eye out for any parcels left out by the postie, remote access to your home’s cameras can allow you to rest easy.
Financial Benefits
Not only do home security cameras and home CCTV systems offer robust security measures in terms of deterring criminal activities and providing evidence of any successful crimes, but they can also be financial benefits in the long run.
Whilst home security cameras can be a decent expense up front, they can save you money long-term by offering reassurance to insurance companies. Many home insurance providers will offer you lower insurance premiums as a result of having cameras installed at your home, as they significantly reduce the chance of you making future insurance claims as a result of break-ins and intrusions. Whilst an intruder entering your home can be terrifying and traumatising, even if nothing is stolen, there can be costs that occur to make your home safe again, such as replacing any locks and replacing broken windows and doors.
Should You Install a Basic or an Advanced System?
It is a common misconception that, if you have CCTV cameras installed as part of your home security system, they must be expensive and complicated, therefore only being of use to rich people living in a high-income area. This cannot be further from the truth, as home security cameras can be useful to people of all incomes, living in all areas, and don’t need to form extensive, complex security systems.
In recent years, CCTV has moved away from being used only for commercial premises, with more and more products on the market that are not only affordable but come with a host of advanced features that result in a range of reasons as to how they can benefit your home. Even the simplest security cameras now often possess useful features such as motion detection, motion tracking, and night vision and can produce high-resolution images that vastly improve the grainy, black-and-white video footage of the past.
There are a wide variety of systems available on the market, from basic alarms and CCTV cameras to comprehensive home security systems. The level of security that you may want to consider is down to a number of factors, including:
- The likelihood of a crime happening in your area. If it’s more likely for a crime to occur in your area compared to other areas in your town or city, then you will want to consider investing in a more comprehensive system that will better suit your security requirements
- The number of valuables that you have in your home. There are several additional security measures that you can undertake, such as installing a safe or further security methods if you have significant assets in your home. This can also significantly affect home insurance premiums
In all, whether you decide to install a fully comprehensive CCTV security system with all the latest mod cons and high-quality images or choose a simple outdoor camera that can cover any blind spots on your property, all will assist in deterring crimes and offer peace of mind in knowing your home is protected.
Is Home CCTV Worth The Money?
Whilst many will agree that there are multiple significant benefits to home CCTV installation, due to the theft deterrence, crime prevention and peace of mind they can bring in knowing that your home is protected, it can be difficult to know whether it is a worthwhile investment financially.
Home security camera installation comes with upfront costs that include the purchase of the security cameras themselves, along with the price of a professional installation. Initial costs when purchasing CCTV cameras can fluctuate hugely depending on the type of cameras you require and the types of features that you wish the cameras to provide. With installation included, common initial costs in the UK average between £300 and £2000 depending on specifications required, such as the number of cameras in the system, memory capacity, HD quality and any other advanced features such as night vision, motion detection and motion tracking, and motion alarms.
However, many modern home camera systems do not require a simple one-off payment and require a rolling monthly subscription for video footage storage. This can be as little as several pounds a month, however, this can add up and should be considered when researching the type of CCTV camera that best suits you and your home.
In all, whether or not home security cameras are considered a worthwhile investment would depend on weighing up the costs of the security system installation. With the peace of mind, such security can bring to your home, along with the risk of it happening should you not implement a CCTV system. In choosing not to install a security camera system, you are not providing your home with a further level of security in deterring theft and preventing intruders, which can result in future costs and, more importantly, resulting in you feeling unsafe at home. The addition of even the most basic CCTV system can offer your home significantly more protection, being proven to deter would-be criminals from even attempting to enter your home, which in and of itself is priceless.
Home Security CCTV System Installation
Home CCTV cameras and home security systems need to be fitted in the correct location within your property to ensure that they have maximum detection and efficiency, which includes being positioned in a location where it can easily monitor an area that needs to be monitored at all times or can detect any sign of intrusion to the domestic or commercial property. For maximum efficiency, it is always essential for a professional security installation team to install any CCTV systems.
Whilst many modern home cameras and domestic CCTV systems market themselves as being able to be fitted DIY-style, in reality, this could hinder your security efforts and result in complacency regarding your home’s level of security. The fitting of your home cameras and other security alarm systems should always be done by an installation team of security professionals. Our expert team at Cardiff Alarm Systems has years of experience in the security industry and can provide a comprehensive and efficient installation service for our South Wales clients every time.
At Cardiff Alarms, we are the leading installers and suppliers of CCTV in Cardiff and the surrounding areas, as well as a range of CCTV & home security systems. If you are interested in finding out more about our domestic CCTV services or any other service that we provide, then get in touch with our team by calling us now on 02920 004 465 or enquiring online using our contact form here today.
Cardiff Alarm Systems: Domestic CCTV Systems
At Cardiff Alarm Systems, we thoroughly believe that home CCTV systems don’t need to be incredibly expensive and take pride in providing affordable, cost-effective CCTV cameras in Cardiff and across the rest of South Wales. Our team of security experts believes that the installation of a CCTV security system at your home is a worthwhile investment, as the peace of mind of the additional security they bring is priceless.
The benefits that domestic CCTV systems provide are numerous; from thwarting potential criminal activities such as break-ins and thefts to being able to keep an eye on your property when you’re away from home via remote monitoring and the reduction in insurance premiums from your insurance provider, the advantages vastly outweigh the initial costs of a CCTV installation.
For a free, no-obligation quote for the installation of CCTV for your home in Cardiff or anywhere else in South Wales, get in touch with our team of security experts by either calling 02920 004 465 or enquiring online using our contact form here today.