CCTV Surveillance Cameras: Maintenance & Troubleshooting Tips

After you purchase and install a home security camera system, it is important to maintain it in order to preserve its quality and performance. From the surveillance cameras to the cables to video storage, all parts must be working properly to ensure optimal surveillance and security. Here are some helpful maintenance and troubleshooting tips for your surveillance system.

Maintenance

• Hard Drives

Check your hard drive regularly by simply playing back recent video. To make sure your cameras are properly recording, check the field of view and filter through different dates and times. Make sure you are getting the proper recording duration. A surefire sign that something is wrong is if the duration of footage stored has significantly decreased. For example, you used to get weeks or months of footage, but now it seems you are only getting a few days worth.

• DVR & Security Cameras

Cooling fans assist in preventing your DVR from overheating. Unfortunately, when they suck in the cool air, dust begins to build up as well. The accumulation of dust can damage the fan, resulting in overheating. Cleaning your cooling fan regularly can prevent this and is relatively easy. Computer dust sprays are available at many computer stores and you simply aim at the vent areas and spray.

The IR (Infrared) lights on your security cameras tend to attract spiders and bugs. Because of this, spiders tend to build their webs around the cameras in order to catch the bugs attracted to the light. Consequently, these spider webs interfere with your videos. Check your playback or live feed to see which cameras are affected. If you cannot kick the problem, it may be better to use cameras without IR and install a separate light source to illuminate the area.

Every so often, you should use a soft cloth or wipe to remove any dust or debris and clean the camera lens. A dust mop with a long handle can help you reach higher mounted cameras that are typically out of reach.

• Day/Night Recording

Camera sensors and other parts can wear out over time and will eventually need to be replaced. In addition, camera connections may need maintenance as environmental factors such as heat, cold, and moisture can affect them. If you see any signs of connections issues, such as lines in the image, flickering or other image issues, you should address these immediately to prevent further damage or total image loss.

Troubleshooting
Issue: Security cameras are out but the DVR is working.

• Restart the camera power box.
• Make sure the power box has power.
• Look for lights on it (sometimes these are inside the box and may be difficult to see).
• Many larger boxes have fans so look for signs of life.
• If these don’t work, schedule a service call as it may be a power box issue (although rare, power boxes sometimes go out).

Issue: DVR or NVR is not reachable by Internet (no phone or computer access).

• Did you reset your router to default or get a new router? If yes, then this needs to be repaired professionally.
• Try restarting your DVR and router as well as any other network devices (ex. network repeaters, adapters). If this does not resolve the issue, you may need professional assistance.
• Check all connections – make sure that the internet connection is firmly in place behind the DVR as well as in the router. These can come loose, especially when cleaning around the DVR or relocating something nearby that may have pulled the cord out.

Issue: DVR is not playing back video.

• Try rebooting the DVR (the rule of thumb for any issue with electronics).
• If that does not work, it may be a bad hard drive. Check the DVR and see if the hard drive is showing up in the settings. If not, this is a definite issue and you will need to replace your hard drive.

If you need help choosing the right security cameras for your property as well as installation services, feel free to contact us! You may browse our selection online at SecurityCamExpert.com or call 888-203-6294 to schedule a site survey or get a free quote. You can also find us on Facebook, Google+, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Pinterest.