Home security cameras have come a long way in recent years, offering better image quality, wider fields of view, and AI-enhanced subject detection. Some of the latest models even offer facial recognition, and will alert you when certain people approach your property.
However, security cameras also have drawbacks. They have a limited field of view, for example, and can only capture events that take place near where they are positioned. They're also limited in what they can do, and can only passively record a suspected break-in or, at most, trigger an alarm.
You are responsible for your own monitoring
One of the biggest drawbacks of most home security cameras is that they rely on you being available and able to react to threats as they happen. If your camera sends a notification of suspicious activity, you need to be able to receive it and react quickly.
In many situations, that just isn't realistic, so you might want to consider a professional security plan where trained security experts will watch for potential threats detected by cameras and sensors throughout your home, identify whether there’s a genuine risk, and take swift action. That might mean a verbal alert through a camera’s two-way speaker, or calling the police or fire service. For example, Verisure offers early threat detection and human intervention for rapid response to threats, and can even send out private security guards.
This kind of service isn't the cheapest option, but it can give you extra peace of mind, and might reduce your home insurance premiums.
DIY installation and maintenance can be difficult
Wireless outdoor security cameras are often heavy and bulky, making them hard to install, and must be taken down periodically for charging. Even if you don't need to dismount the camera completely, you'll still need to climb a ladder to swap its power pack for a fresh one.
Choosing a professionally-installed security system rather than just wireless cameras means you don't have to worry about fitting your own cameras, floodlights, sensors and other devices. Having your cameras fitted by a qualified electrician also means you can choose ones that are mains-powered and can record 24/7 without recharging or replacing any batteries.
Exterior coverage is expensive
Security cameras vary in price hugely, from simple indoor cameras that cost as little as £25, through to weather-resistant outdoor kits that start at several hundred pounds, and increase as you add more cameras.
Fitting exterior cameras to cover all potential entry points could be very expensive, so for lower-risk areas, such as upper-floor windows, it makes more sense to fit simple contact sensors, which will trigger an alert or alarm when opened unexpectedly. These sensors are very affordable, with prices starting under £10 for a simple model, and use very little power so a pair of regular AA batteries can last years.
Contact sensors work by detecting when a magnet attached to the window or door is moved away from a sensor attached to the frame, but there are also shock sensors that can detect when a window is struck or broken, which may be a good choice for ground-floor windows at the back or sides of your home. Together, they will help give your home complete coverage for a reasonable price.
Interior cameras are limited
All interior security cameras are limited by their field of view, which means they can’t cover a whole room. Some newer models can pivot and rotate to capture movement over a wider area, but they still can’t capture everything. The Ring cam, for example, can be moved manually via the app, but can’t pan to track movement automatically. Other cameras may follow movement, but can't rotate a full 360 degrees.
You don't need to buy multiple cameras for full coverage though; instead, you can supplement your cameras with a set of presence or motion sensors. These don’t record video. Instead, they detect changes in heat or signal interference that are likely to be caused by a person moving in the room. Like contact sensors, these are very affordable, with prices ranging from around £10 to £30 depending on the brand and compatibility with smart home ecosystems.
It's also worth considering installing a panic button in an easily accessible place, which anyone in your household can hit if they hear or see something that wasn't picked up by a camera.
Cameras can't 'see' all threats
Break-ins and theft are the most obvious threats to your home, but they’re not the only ones. Water leaks, carbon monoxide, and fire are all potential risks that security cameras alone will miss, so it’s worth considering adding specialized sensors that will connect to the rest of your home security system and send you alerts if any of these threats are detected.
Look out for smart fire sensors that can detect both heat and smoke. It’s also a good idea to pick sensors that connect to one another using the Zigbee wireless protocol, which will provide a strong connection well beyond the range of your home Wi-Fi network.