External HD CCTV cameras are integral to the security of almost all modern businesses. Cameras that are mounted on the exterior of premises offer numerous key advantages. Most importantly, they enable security personnel to monitor the area surrounding the premises and spot potential intruders before they try to break in. They also make it possible to track intruders who might be fleeing the area after committing their crimes.
However, like all outdoor pieces of apparatus, exterior-mounted HD CCTV cameras can suffer from exposure to the elements. In today’s blog, we’ll look at how different weather phenomena can affect your outdoor CCTV cameras and what you can do to minimise negative effects.
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Protecting Cameras Against Rain
Over time, repeated exposure to heavy rain can damage to almost any piece of electronic equipment, even if it is very well protected. This includes HD CCTV cameras. What’s more, if rainwater ends up on the lens of a camera, it may distort or partially obscure the image that the camera records. This can be a problem if an intruder decides to commit a crime on your premises during a period of bad weather.
Luckily, it’s quite easy to combat these problems. You can minimise your cameras’ exposure to rain by installing them in sheltered areas (such as beneath architectural overhangs or in corners formed by two buildings). Obviously, it may not be possible to shelter all your cameras. However, locating several of them in sheltered areas will ensure that, no matter how bad the weather gets, you will always have several working outdoor cameras that are capable of producing clear images. You should also check your cameras for signs of damage after rainstorms and carry out essential maintenance.
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How to Overcome Lens Flare on CCTV cameras
Bright sunshine won’t damage CCTV cameras, but if the sun shines directly into a camera’s lens, it may cause ‘lens flare’, which blocks the camera’s image. The best way to resolve this problem is to have different cameras looking at each area from different angles. That way, you are sure to get at least one image that isn’t affected by lens flare.
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Protecting CCTV from Strong winds
Storms with strong winds can actually blow CCTV cameras down. While sturdy CCTV cameras should be able to cope with reasonably strong winds, extreme weather events can be a problem. Placing cameras in sheltered areas (as described in Point 1) helps. Choosing highly resilient cameras from a reputable supplier is also advisable.
Here at I-HT, we provide top-quality HD CCTV cameras for use both inside and outside your premises. Our cameras are designed to stand up to most weather conditions, but following the advice we’ve given in today’s blog will provide extra protection and give you peace of mind.
