All security camera owners have one thing in common: they want their device to function properly for as long as possible. Being the owner of one or more security cameras makes it able to permanently monitor your place of residence, giving you the chance to stop worrying about potential thieves. It is only normal then for every person that posses at least one of these gadgets to hope to get the better out of them, without being constantly required to make upgrades or buy new products.

Buying from the beginning an advanced security camera from a top manufacturer is by far the most important thing to do, if you expect stability and consistency. Even though money might get to be a problem in such a case, the investment is guaranteed to be worth it in the long run.

However, just buying a good surveillance camera is not enough. The way it is maintained and the spot where it is placed are equally important factors that contribute to its life span.

By not making a few common mistakes you will manage to increase your security camera´s durability and in many cases, even its efficiency.

  • Avoid pointing the camera at the sun at all costs: Sadly, this is happens all the time, and not only with security cameras. Technology is not meant to be directly exposed to the sun. It melts. The security camera should be placed in a position that shields it from the sun and the rain, otherwise it might be damaged in no time. Even if on the box it says that the product is very resistant to all variations of temperatures and to most of the weather´s conditions, you should never take any chances.  It might happen sometimes that the only place you can install your newly bought security camera is somewhere where it can be affected by the weather. The only thing you can do in that case is to find a way to protect your device, such as building a platform above it or anything similar you can think of. Just do not leave it unprotected for it will not work for long.
  • Installing it into an inaccessible position is not always a good idea: Putting a security camera in a place that cannot be reached by people is something that should always be done. Still, this does not have to be overdone, for in some special situations you will need to be able to access it. It is a well known fact that security cameras that use infrared technology have the tendency to attract spiders or other small creatures. If a spider leaves a web right on the lens of your camera then your visibility will be greatly affected. You do not want that to happen, nevertheless it usually does. In that case you have to be able to access your device easily so you can clean its lens. Try to find a balance between an inaccessible position that can bring a greater visibility and protect it from other people, and a position that can be easily accessible in special circumstances by you.
  • Even more location problems for wireless devices: Wireless security cameras have many advantages over the classic wired surveillance cameras, yet they are more prone to other problems as well. If such a camera is not placed correctly and its signal is interfering with a wall or any other object, it might not be able to correctly transmit anything, and subsequently to not work properly. Even worse, it might not send continual information and make the surveillance impossible in some occasions. When that happens it is generally bad, as the camera has been already installed and configured, and you will most likely have to repeat those processes in order to fix the issue.
  • It might also happen that certain wireless security cameras receive interferences from TV antennas or any other device that emits signals. The first step in avoiding this is by buying a wireless camera that has been extensively tested by the manufacturer. Again, the most expensive they are, the lesser the chance for these kind of problems to appear.
  • Hiding a security camera is not necessarily worth it: This is another common mistake that most people make when installing a new surveillance camera. They try to put it in some of the most unexpected places, hoping that it will not be exposed. This is generally a bad idea. Simply by installing a security camera in a place where others can see it means that thieves will instantly get discouraged, thinking that your residence is very well protected and the risks that they will have to take are much higher. The simple presence of a security camera can do in some situations more good than even the monitoring itself. Keeping this in mind can save you from losing a lot of nerves.