Security cameras are one of the most powerful tools businesses can use to protect facilities and critical assets.
Unfortunately, setting up a security system is not as simple as just hanging up a camera and hoping for the best— if you want a surveillance system that works hard to keep your company and employees safe, it’s best to do your research beforehand.
Before you install security cameras at your building, take a look over five common mistakes that you should avoid at all costs. 

Selecting Too Few Cameras Or Purchasing A Boxed System

Before making the final decision to purchase equipment, assess your floor plan. Take time to analyze vulnerable blind spots and high-traffic areas for your property, carefully considering where you’ll need coverage. Perhaps the most essential task is to find the right type of cameras and know where to place them.

All too often, first-time camera buyers purchase a boxed system and then discover that they really have the need for more cameras, but they’re stuck because they opted for a video recorder that came packaged with a system that can only handle a certain amount of cameras.

A robust surveillance system will have the ability to scale for fit, including a variety of cameras. Depending on the nature of your business, you may have the need for indoor cameras, or cameras that are suited for all weather types. Buy too few or the wrong cameras and you may have to purchase a second system to get the coverage you needed in the first place.

Purchasing Proprietary Equipment

Imagine this: you've purchased a camera system, but a few months down the road a camera breaks or you decide to add to the system-- it should be an easy task, right? Unfortunately, many system manufacturers, especially those that sell all-in-one boxed systems, manufacture equipment that's not designed to be compatible with other manufacturers' components.

The lesson: be sure that you inquire about whether or not a system is designed to add more cameras in the future. Otherwise, if you purchase the wrong equipment for your facility, you may not be able to upgrade because you opted for proprietary equipment. Instead, purchase equipment that has been created to easily integrate and upgrade with other equipment.

Opting For The Wrong DVR

There are several options for recording surveillance camera footage. Recorders for security systems are created with the ability to view multiple cameras at once; however, they are limited to the number of cameras they can handle. So, it's essential that you purchase a DVR capable of handling the number of cameras you need or may need in the future.

If you are considering adding cameras in the future, it may be wise to buy a DVR that can manage the additional cameras so you won't have to replace the entire system when you expand.

Installing Systems That Your Personnel Does Not Understand

As you know by now, security systems necessitate a significant initial financial investment; yet, if the security personnel at your facility do not understand the new technology in place, then you will never get the most out of it, leading to an underutilized system. It's crucial that your security personnel are trained on any new security system-- this will inevitably help them to make the best use of the equipment. Try to work with a company who can train your personnel on the best practices for your new system.

Buying Cameras With A Fixed Focal Length

Fixed focus camera lens can only produce a focused image from one distinct distance. On the other hand, adjustable focus lenses allow the user to adjust the focus within a set range of distances— that way you can identify a suspicious person up close or a license plate from far away.

We tend to recommend cameras with an adjustable focal length of at least 8mm, allowing you flexibility in setting up your cameras to capture the image area you want. While you can still achieve some degree of security with fixed focal length, it’s best to be prepared for adaptations in the future.

United Security Incorporated | Video Surveillance Systems

When it comes to the security of your building, it's best not to leave it up to chance. Be sure that you have made every effort possible to keep your property, employees, and visitors well protected. If you have any concerns, you should consider having your security measures evaluated by a reputable company.