5 Key Benefits of Home Security Cameras

If you're like many homeowners, you've considered installing a home security camera to protect your family, your house, and your possessions. These days, home security cameras are higher quality and more affordable than ever, making them a worthwhile investment. But if you're still on the fence — not sure if getting a security camera is right for you — read on for five key benefits of installing one (or many) inside your home.

1 Monitor: Keep an eye on your home when you're there and when you're not.

Installing indoor security cameras is a great way to keep an eye on activity in your home — whether you're across the country or just in the next room. You can use security cameras to monitor for problematic activity, like a break-in, but you can also use them to make sure your kids are home from school, your pet is staying off the couch, or your elderly parent is happy and healthy.

The best types of home security cameras aren't just passive tools; they take a more active role in helping you protect your home by alerting you to "unusual" activity. Our SmartCam, for example, sends you a push notification when unexpected motion or sound is detected when your home is armed, for example when your door is opened when nobody's home. Our SmartCam also sends you a push notification if it “hears” your smoke or carbon monoxide detector sounding, regardless of whether your home is armed or not.

2: Protect: Prevent would-be problems to protect your home and family.

While the term "monitoring" has more passive connotations, installing a home security camera gives you the power to take proactive action to stop problematic situations in their tracks. Consider the following scenarios.

Scenario 1: Stop an intruder before they do any harm. 

If your security camera notifies you of an intruder, you can call police to stop them from stealing your belongings or worse — harming the people in your home. Some cameras, like our SmartCam, are also equipped with two-way audio, which you can use to tell the intruder that the police are on the way (scaring them off in the process).

Scenario 2: Act quickly when your smoke or carbon monoxide sounds.

If your security camera is equipped to alert you to smoke and carbon monoxide detector alarms, you can make sure your family members are out of harm's way and contact authorities to help. Our SmartCam actively "listens" for smoke/carbon monoxide detector alarms and will immediately alert you if it hears one within range.

Scenario 3: Guide and protect your children from afar.

If you see your child misbehaving or getting ready to walk out the door when you told them to stay home, you can quickly intervene before they do anything that could put them in harm's way.

3: Record: Document abnormal, potentially problematic activity for future use.

Most home security cameras not only give you the opportunity to tap into a live stream to monitor in real-time; they also include recording capabilities that allow you to document and review past activity.

In the unfortunate event that someone breaks into your home, a security camera can detect abnormal noise and movement and start recording; you can then hand over the recording to authorities to serve as evidence and to help them identify and catch the perpetrator.

4 Communicate: Talk to family members via your home security camera.

Sometimes, home security cameras are equipped with two-way audio (as is the case with our SmartCam). Two-way audio allows you to communicate with family members (including pets) that can't use a smartphone.

Say you're out of town but want to see your kids before they go to sleep. Using a security camera equipped with two-way audio, you can not only see how they're doing, but also wish them goodnight or read them a bedtime story.

Or, let's say your kids arrive home from school before you come home from work. With your security camera trained on the front door, you'll see when they arrive home; using two-way audio, you can then fill them in on that afternoon's schedule and get them started on their homework.

A final scenario — let's say you're worried about your dog while you're at work — he has a tendency to chew your furniture when he gets anxious. With a two-way audio-enabled security camera, you can comfort him even if you're miles away.

5 Save: You may get a discount on your homeowners insurance.

If you'd like to learn more about Hedge indoor home security cameras, visit our FAQ page.