What Are the Regular Maintenance Steps for Security Camera Systems?

1. What Are the Regular Maintenance Steps for Security Camera Systems? A security camera system can be a significant investment, so it only makes sense to maintain it properly to prolong its lifespan. Proper maintenance will also keep your CCTV and video surveillance systems up and running and dependable, so you can be sure that they work in situations when they are needed the most. Here are some tips on caring for your security camera systems: Maintaining the Housing and Camera Verify that the camera and the lens are focused and that the auto iris is properly adjusted. Make sure that the field of view is suited to your requirements and the viewing window of both the camera and housing is clean. Keep the camera lens dust-free, and check the pan, tilt, focus, and zoom functions to make sure that these are working properly. Ensuring the Health of Cables and Wiring Check for signs of wearing and fraying and make sure that the cables are properly dressed. Cable entry points and connectors must be secure and not loose, and the coaxial cable should be able to transmit adequate video signals to your control room. This means the signal is showing no signs of distortion, rolling, EMI, hum-bars, and tearing. Coaxial connectors must be insulated from pull boxes and the conduit. Verifying the Status of the Control Equipment Make sure that monitors are free from distortion and picture burn-in and that they are displaying images in proper brightness and contrast. VCRs must record without any distortions, so check if they are functioning properly. Likewise, make sure that control equipment is operational, where switchers enable proper sequencing, matrix switcher keyboards are functioning, and multiplexers can properly decode and encode. Other Tips If your camera is outdoors, make sure that it can see clearly. This means regularly trimming trees and clearing some of the vines, bushes, plants, and other obstructions that can prevent the camera from capturing images well. This seems like a basic thing, but it’s amazing how many people forget to do this. If the camera is indoors, make sure that its housing is free from grime, moisture, and dust. Check that nothing is obstructing its view.