Outdoor security camera system options

You already know that your outdoor security camera system can protect your family, home, and property from theft, but did you realize you can use your security cameras for so much more than porch pirates and potential intruders? Here are seven creative ways to get the most from your outdoor security cameras:

1. Monitor pet sitters and babysitters

You value your family members and pets, so when you have a sitter caring for a kid or canine, you want to know they’re doing what they’re supposed to. An outdoor security camera allows you to see whether that house sitter or pet sitter checks in twice a day and lets the dog out or collects the mail, per your agreement. Those outdoor security cameras can also help ensure that the teenage babysitter isn’t inviting friends over to raid your pantry after they put the children to bed.

2. Capture wildlife

Do you suspect deer are munching down your daffodils or that birds are pecking at your tomatoes? Position a garden camera toward those flowerbeds or veggie plots to determine your course of action. If, for instance, squirrels consistently make off with some of your summer beans, it may be time to create a chicken wire barrier. If you’re living in a wooded area, however, you may simply enjoy the serene video footage of deer feeding at dusk or the occasional bear ambling past. A camera also provides garden security, alerting you to anyone who may wander onto your property.

3. Keep an eye on workers

That contractor you hired to replace the siding on your home will bring their whole crew over. Outdoor security camera systems can help you keep tabs on their comings and goings and on the work being performed by landscapers, contractors, roofers, painters, or other hired laborers.

4. Monitor your mail

You’re waiting on a bonus check in the mail, an important document, or maybe just your anticipated monthly subscription box. Keep your mail secure, and get notified when your package has been delivered with a camera mounted toward your mailbox or a gate camera that provides front yard security.

5. Get proof for your insurance claims

When your home incurs damage from a tornado, flood, hailstorm, lightning strike, or even a driver who runs off the road and crashes into your gate, a weatherproof outdoor security camera’s footage may bolster your insurance claim. Offer the video recording to your insurance adjuster, complete with date and time of the incident, in order to provide tangible proof of a weather event or irresponsible third party.

6. Monitor family members

Do your kids come home from school or sports practice to an empty house? Does that elderly parent who lives in your home need an extra set of eyes on them throughout the day? Consider positioning outdoor security cameras pointed toward entry points in your home, such as a senior or teen’s bedroom window, and front and back doors. Couple your cameras with door, outdoor light, and window sensors. That way you’ll know when anyone enters or exits the house, day or night.

7. Enhance your pool safety

It’s not enough to have a fence around a pool. If you have young children or even neighborhood kids, you need to make sure your pool has multiple layers of protection. In addition to door sensors and motion detectors, self-latching gates, and pool alarms, an outdoor security camera not only offers backyard security, it can give you an extra set of eyes for any little ones near the water.

Ready to get started with outdoor security camera system options? Contact Brinks Home™ to discuss your outdoor safety needs today.

Jason Stevens is a senior writer for Brinks Home. He is a "tech guy" who enjoys sharing home security and automation tips with others.