7 Ways to Maintain your Security Camera System

01 Mar 7 Ways to Maintain your Security Camera System

If you have had a camera or many cameras for over a year, you will want to do annual maintenance to ensure you have a good picture and that you can find a recording if something were to happen. Otherwise, when you need it, you will find out that the cameras are not working or need cleaning, etc…

Following these 7 steps for regular camera system maintenance is critical to ensuring that it continues to function appropriately and provide reliable surveillance. Here are some key maintenance tasks that should be done on a camera system each year:

1. Clean camera lenses: Over time, dust, debris, and other contaminants can accumulate on camera lenses, which can affect image quality. Use a microfiber cloth and lens cleaning solution to gently clean camera lenses, making sure not to scratch or damage them.
   
2. Check camera housing: Inspect camera housing for damage or wear and tear, which can affect its ability to protect the camera from the elements. Replace or repair any damaged housing as necessary.
   
3. Check cables and connectors: Check camera cables and connectors for damage or corrosion, which can affect the camera’s ability to transmit video signals. Replace or repair any damaged cables or connectors as necessary. Also, make sure that they are securely connected. Oftentimes people move or bump the recorder so that cameras or wires could come disconnected.
   
4. Test camera functionality: Check each camera’s functionality by viewing live feeds and reviewing recorded footage. Make sure that all cameras are properly aligned and configured, and that they are capturing high-quality video footage. Ideally, you position the camera away from a wall that might reflect all the infrared back at the camera and wash out the image. Also, make sure trees are trimmed so they are not blocking the shot.
5. Update camera firmware: Check for any available firmware updates for your cameras, and apply them if necessary. Firmware updates can improve camera performance and add new features or functionality.
   
6. Review storage capacity: Check the available storage capacity of your video recording devices, and make sure that there is sufficient space to store video footage. Consider upgrading or expanding storage capacity if necessary. Hard drives usually last 3-5 years. So you will need to keep checking if yours is still working or just replace it every 3 years so that the odds of it failing on you are low. You can get a new hard drive here.
7. Review system settings: Review your camera system’s settings and configuration, and make any necessary adjustments to improve performance or address any issues that have arisen. Examples would be if you want cameras to record on motion or 24/7 or if you want to adjust the area it’s recording so it isn’t picking up traffic etc.

By performing these 7 simple tasks, you can help ensure that your cameras continue to provide reliable surveillance and video footage. Regular maintenance can also help prevent costly repairs or replacements down the road, and help extend the lifespan of your camera system. Depending on your security requirements you may want to repeat these steps weekly, monthly, quarterly, or annually depending on your needs.

If you have any questions please give us a call or fill out our contact form here. We can perform service calls on cameras and help you upgrade your camera system to the latest technology if it’s been a few years and they are not cutting it anymore.

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