Protect an Outdoor Security Camera

An outdoor security camera is exposed to many more threats than an indoor camera would be. Anything can disable the camera but one particular threat that can be minimized is vandalism. There are a few strategies we can implement or take into consideration to mitigate the effect of vandalism or minimize the probability of an attack. This includes everything from taking camera design into consideration to strategically mounting the camera out of harm’s way. One strategy that takes advantage of the advances in technology is by installing an intelligent video alarm system which will alert the owner or operator of the outdoor security camera of an attack.

Camera Housing

The first line of defense against an actual physical attack is the casing of the camera and the camera housing that it should be enclosed in. The material of the housing usually determines how much physical force it can withstand. A metal housing usually offers more protection than a plastic enclosure. However, the shape also makes a big difference in the amount of protection offered. A fixed camera housing that protrudes from a wall is much more vulnerable to being damaged than a dome shaped bubble housing.

A smoked bubble housing of a PTZ camera also makes it harder for the offender to disrupt the cameras line of sight. A fixed camera can be rendered useless simply by hanging a cloth in front of it lens. But when using camera housing, it is important to install it properly to make sure the housing doesn't hinder the performance of the camera. In fixed camera housing, be sure to put the lens flush up against the window to avoid reflections and other possible disruptions to capturing useful images.

Mounting and Cable Management

How the camera is mounted is a very important consideration when looking to protect your outdoor security camera from environmental forces as well as malicious attempts to render the security camera useless. There are four ways to mount a camera and the final decision lies mainly on the available positions for the camera. Ceiling mounts are common with indoor security cameras but are similar to wall mounts. The best way to protect your outdoor security camera is to mount it flush with the wall or ceiling. This means only leaving the window of the housing to show through the wall or ceiling, and in the case of a dome housing only the clear part of the dome is showing. This way everything else is hidden and protected behind the wall or ceiling. Other mounting strategies include an arm that sticks out of the wall. This leaves the camera more prone to attack than a flush mount.

Another important part of mounting strategies is cable management. Ideally the camera is flush mounted into the wall or ceiling. This means the cables are already protected inside the building. The next best scenario, in terms of cable management, is to mount the camera on the surface of the wall or ceiling and pull the cameras straight through the wall or ceiling so that none of the wires are exposed for potential tampering. Otherwise there are metal conduit tubes designed to protect the cables running through them from being tampered with. Most advanced arm mounts have hallowed inner cable glands to allow cables to pass through.

Camera Placement

Where the camera is places is limited to the viewing angle desired for the security camera but when there are options it is an important factor to take into consideration. This is a simple step that can make a big difference in the probability of an attack. Simply placing the camera out of sight or out of convenient reach eliminates the possibility of a spur of the moment attack. Many times an offender would not attack the camera if they can't see it or would be deterred from committing any offenses if it was too difficult to reach and disable the security camera.

Intelligent Video

One of the more sophisticated ways of protecting your outdoor security camera is by installing an active tampering alarm feature to protect the camera. This is sometimes known as intelligent video which will alert the owner of the camera or the operator of the entire security system when it detects some unusual tampering of the camera. This is a great system to have in a large security camera system where it might be hard to keep track of all the cameras. Whenever a camera is not functioning properly or a change in the operating environment is detected the operator receives an alert.

Whatever the situation is, there usually is some amount of flexibility in how the camera is installed and what types of protection can be added to further protect the outdoor security camera from malicious attacks. Vandalism is one of the less predictable threats to cameras placed in outdoor environments and that is why it is something that has to be planned for. The camera is supposed to protect the rest of the property but it is important that the camera can also protect itself.