How to Prepare Your Smart Home for the Wind, Rain and Storms
How do you know if external intelligent devices such as video bells, smart locks or safety cameras are ready for rain seasons and accompaniment winds or cold temperatures? You probably don’t need to bring them inside – but you need to check that they are ready for the climate in your region.
To prepare for fall and winter, I suggest a few simple steps and a little preparation that I make to my intelligent outdoor devices, especially if your temperatures start to descend well below the gel like mine.
Check the weather resistance rating on your devices
The outdoor safety cameras and similar devices are delivered with a practical cheating code to show what type of weather resistance they have, known as IP ratings. Product information directly on the product page or box must have the IP note listed somewhere, generally under specifications. If a camera has no IP rating, it is not intended to be used outside and will not survive at all in the rain.
IP notes have two numbers, as in “IPXX”. The first number is protection against dust, a significant consideration but not as important for the weather as the second number, a note 1 to 9 of the way the camera deals with water. The higher the note, the better the camera is tested to survive more water, water jets, powerful water jets, etc. Look for cameras that offer IPX5 or IPX6 notes for reliable external protection in winter weather conditions. Finding more than that on devices is rare, but it shouldn’t be less.
The Blink Outdoor 4 has an adjustable support fairly robust to stay at right angles.
Product information sections should also have temperature limits to display the safe operating conditions of the camera. The exterior nest cam, for example, has an operating range of -4 ° at 104 ° F, a common beach should be good for most climates, but can fight if your region is known for particularly cold winters. Some cameras may even include humidity ranges for tropical users.
Mount Cams under the eco-ups or the awnings
Even a weather resistance rating does not make external cameras invincible. You always want to give them the protection you can, especially against direct precipitation. This is even more important in cold winters where the accumulation of rain or snow can freeze against the camera.
When you place your cam, choose a comfortable place under the haircuts or an awning nearby. Think about where you would like to hold on for heavy rain and it is also a good place for your camera. Fortunately, most houses have many covered areas that will work, so you shouldn’t have trouble finding a place that always gets all right angles.
Do not include security cameras upwards
With the right placement, you should never have to tilted a safety cam anyway, especially with the fields of view reliably today. But there is another reason to resist the urge to tilt a camera – maybe watching a bird’s nest or a climbing door – and it’s rain.
The rain can accumulate on an inclined camera lens and blur it, staining the goal over time. It will also deposit a lot of Gunk which will dry and become very difficult to remove. For a clear image and easy maintenance, keep the cameras pointed and slightly down if possible.
Today’s latest safety devices have many advantages that old systems cannot provide.
Keep the camera out of gusts of wind
All parts of your house are probably a little bitter during a storm, but direct and powerful gusts cause two key problems. First of all, they can blow a lot of dust and debris in a camera, which is very bad for the lens and not ideal for the case either. Second, in snow and rain storms, the direct wind can blow a lot of precipitation on a camera that would otherwise be protected.
So if you know corridors or corners particularly in gusts of your home, avoid putting safety cams in these places.
Find a full camera speaker
You can also consider a full camera speaker, a bit like a nest box but with a transparent window at the front. The camera enters inside and is safe from all kinds of elementary hammering. In addition, the speaker is warmer and you can even add a heating device to keep the camera away from freezing conditions.
Since the speakers cost a supplement, are painful to install and require frequent maintenance or cleaning, we do not suggest them less that the conditions are very extreme. If winters fall below 0 degrees in your region and are sadly famous for huge blizzards, a speaker can be worth it. Otherwise, it is probably not necessary.
This Tapo cam can adapt almost anywhere and includes local storage options.
Use protected and waterproof cables
If you use wired safety cams, POE cameras or similar models, check that your cables are assessed for outdoor and firmly attached use. You can generally identify external cables because they will have a silicone shield or an additional connector for safety, a sign that the cable is ready to withstand a certain humidity.
In some cases, you can also install a protective junction box to manage the wiring or output that a camera needs, which is generally a work for an electrician.
Bonus tip: firmly mold the safety cams if you get a bad winter weather
External security cams are presented in all forms and sizes today, including wireless options and the model that have adhesive supports. Technically, there are 3M adhesive stickers designed for outdoor use that can even support security cameras, but you don’t want to use them if you get a bad winter weather. Get supports to screw for these conditions.
Do you want more information about how to take care of your security cameras? Take a look at our guides for the best overall security cameras and how to choose one, the spots you should never install a security camera and how to place a camera in the right way.
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