How to Determine How Many Home Security Cameras You Need

Once you've decided that you want to protect your home with home security cameras, there is an important step to take: figuring out how many cameras you need. Here's how.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

1. Consider your home security needs and what you will be using the video security camera or cameras for. If you want a home security camera to watch your baby while he or she is napping, your needs are different from someone who wants to to secure a home office, for example.

2. Research different types of cameras. Consider their size, viewing range, cost and whether they're easily mounted. Remember that wide-angled cameras can "see" more at a time than cameras with a narrow focus, so you may need fewer of them if you're trying to monitor a wide area.

3. Consider how many areas you wish to record in. If you want to monitor your child, you may want a camera in the living room as well as in his or her bedroom. If you want to protect your valuables, you may want to have one camera trained on each door, one focused on your TV and stereo equipment and another in the location where your jewelry is stored.

4. Take the above steps into consideration to decide how many cameras you need.

Tips & Warnings

• Research whether a video security package would cost more or less than buying individual cameras.
• Make sure you know how expandable a system is in case you want to add more cameras down the road.
• While video security cameras are becoming more affordable, keep in mind that higher-end cameras cost more, and if you need multiple cameras, the charges will add up quickly.