Do you really need an Indoor Surveillance Camera?

As we enter the era of the modern smart home, it is becoming easier than ever to know what is going on in your home, whether you are there or not. With that in mind, we’re going to look at whether you really need to invest in an indoor home surveillance camera.

In times gone by you had the option of a home security sensor system that would activate your CCTV when the sensors were tripped. Whilst that is still an available and integral part of a full house security setup, many modern cameras can now be set up to monitor for movement in specific zones within their view.

The benefits of an external security camera set up are quite clear, it prevents crime against you and your property by capturing the would-be criminals.

The benefits of an indoor security camera might not appear so clear at first glance, and they are certainly more varies. Let’s look at a few features of many indoor security cameras first, so we can understand how they can best help us.

What features do indoor home security cameras give you?

Older CCTV would record footage to a series of bulky tapes that would have to be reused after a while. More modern setups record that data to massive hard drives. But the very latest cameras provide a high-definition video recording facility combined with relatively small file sizes and therefore can offer storage on onboard memory, or directly upload the data to cloud based services.

Storage

Both options have differing benefits. Cloud storage ensures easy access to the footage, and no unwanted visitors to your property are going to be able to delete the data by ripping down and stealing your cameras. The downside is that most apps only allow a few days or weeks of stored footage before it is deleted. If you can put the cameras somewhere unobtainable, you might prefer to rely on built-in memory which can store weeks of continuously recorded footage, or many months of data if you only record “events”. The best cameras can offer you both options simultaneously.

Event recording

Event recording is a function that allows a camera to notice movement within its view and begin recording. It stops recording once the movement has ceased. This is great for remote viewing as you can be notified of the event and log into the associated app to check out what happened just moments after the movement began.

Motion Zones

Motion Zones can be setup to allow the camera to only trigger when movement is spotted in specific areas, while the footage covers a wider area. For example, you might permanently have a fan on, and the rotating of its body would set the camera off constantly. By moving or reducing the motion detection zone, it is possible to customise the area and reduce unwanted notifications.

Speakers

Many of the most recent cameras can record audio and even have built-in speakers. This allows two-way conversation via the camera, and in some cases, you will even be able to trigger home automation or queries via the camera.
What reasons are there to get an indoor security camera?

Security

So, the first and most obvious reason to get an indoor surveillance camera will be for home security. Given that personal privacy is also important, even when you are the owner of the camera, you will probably not want to set up a camera in every door of your house. However you might well opt to have a camera covering the front and rear doors of your property, and any particularly vulnerable windows on the ground floor.
If an intruder is foolish enough to pop in for a visit, the very first thing that will happen is their motion will trigger the camera into recording mode, and at the end of the initial clip, the footage will be recorded to the internal Micro SD Card and also up into the cloud. As this also triggers an alert on your phone, you’ll be able to see what is happening. Call the police and inform them of what is happening and before they know it, your unwanted house guests may find themselves in custody.

If your camera is equipped with 2-way audio, you can also drop them a message letting them know they have been recorded, the police are on their way and to get out now. Whilst this might result in them not being arrested, it will get them out of your house and away from your property.

Vulnerable Children and Adults

Sometimes our loved ones need a little extra assistance. For the young, security cameras can trigger when they begin moving around in bed at night, capturing suspected problems like night-time epilepsy. Cameras can help with the investigation of and diagnosing of such issues and provides evidence to medical professionals.

For older family members, they can be a support mechanism allowing them to continue a relatively independent lifestyle whilst allowing an easy way for family members to check-in and ensure everything is well. We aren’t advocating a full coverage of your parents’ house, but if they agree, you might want to put a camera on the stairs, for example, if getting up and down them has been proving hard and there is a risk of a fall. Notifications to your phone can alert you to any difficulties.

Monitor your pets whilst at work

If you are having to leave a pet unattended, particularly dogs, then the ability to watch them might prove pleasing to you. It allows you to interact with them to prevent them from feeling so lonely and also helping to prevent any negative quirks from developing. If you see your puppy heading over to chew up your precious high heels, you can make quick use of that audio function to give them a command to stop.

Potential reductions in Insurance Premium

As well as giving you increased peace of mind, there is the potential for your insurance premiums to be decreased by a small amount yearly, on the assumption that you have adequate coverage to deter thefts from your property. Coupling coverage of the interior of your property with some external cameras and you should be able to find an insurer that can offer such discounts, although it will require going directly to insurers, as online search platforms rarely have an appropriate option.

Just remember that if you do find yourself recording outside, whether it be due to an outside camera or from an inside camera viewing out of a window or door, to only record your property. If your recordings extend beyond your border, make sure to check out our article on security cameras and data protection to ensure you don’t run into legal problems.