Colder weather is upon us, leaving many households across the country cranking up their heat to keep the inside of their homes warm. However, what about the outside of your home that’s exposed to the elements? If you have an outdoor security camera system, you could be unknowingly exposing it to harsh temperatures and affecting the quality of your system.
How Does Cold Weather Affect Cameras?
All security cameras come with a recommended working temperature. Information on what the working temperature is can be found on the product page. This temperature is determined by the camera manufacturers during the initial testing stage.
Weather that’s lower than the operating temperature can cause the camera to stop working or impact the camera’s lens. To fight this, make sure to clean your security camera when winter is coming and continue to clean once a month during the winter months with a soft cloth.
If your camera operates on batteries, make sure to keep these charged in the winter. Batteries lose power quicker when cold, so if possible, move the camera to a warmer area of your house (such as an area that gets more sunlight).
If you utilize solar panels to charge your camera, the solar panel might not supply enough energy for the camera due to several reasons. These reasons include:
- Cold weather
- Shade
- Dust or debris
- Snow covering the panel
How Can you Combat This?
There are different outdoor security camera system options that allow for colder, harsher weather conditions. Therefore, your home will stay secured and you won’t have to replace this item. Here are the top outdoor security camera system options that allow for cold temperatures.
Nest Cam IQ Outdoor
Quick Facts
- Price: $399 or $16.62/24 Months with 0% APR through Google Store Financing
- Camera Quality: 1080p HD
- Operating Temperature: -40° to 114° Fahrenheit
- Warranty: Two year limited warranty
The Nest Cam IQ Outdoor is a great outdoor camera, giving users the ability to keep this camera stored outside for temperatures that drop below -40° Fahrenheit. This way, your home stays secure no matter the temperature.
This camera’s detection can be as far as 50 feet away, with alerts sent right to your phone. This is also compatible with Nest Aware, therefore your system can recognize faces to decrease the amount of notifications sent directly to your phone.
With 4K vision and 1080 HD quality, this surveillance system has supersight vision. The daytime high-dynamic range editing (HDR) makes it possible to have crisp daytime images, regardless of any shadows. The night time camera records in an 850 nanometer infrared capability, providing clear imaging. It also comes equipped with closeup tracking, following anyone who approaches the camera to zoom and track their movements.
This camera is backed up with a rechargeable battery, but also has the ability of adding a solar panel for charging.
Is It Just the IQ Camera That’s Affected?
It’s important to note that it isn’t just the Nest Cam IQ Outdoor that has issues with cold weather. As of recently, many Nest customers have found that Nest cameras weren’t charging at colder temperatures. The Google Nest Cam and Google Nest Doorbell are both affected by cold weather, confusing their customers, and leading them to believe their system isn’t working. If you’re having issues with yours, it’s best to check to see what system you have before replacing it.
Amcrest UltraHD 4K Outdoor Security Weatherproof Camera
Quick Facts
- Price: $109
- Camera Quality: 4K
- Operating Temperature: -22ºF–140ºF
- Warranty: One year limited warranty
The Amcrest Ultra HD 4K Outdoor Security Camera comes with a high quality resolution with low light capabilities. The 112° viewing angle allows capabilities to cover more ground with every recorded frame. This camera sends motion alerts straight to your cell phone for easy monitoring.
This camera is designed for the elements. Whether it’s day or night, rain or shine, this camera features weatherproof housing and an image sensor for low-light and night vision capabilities. This capability is for up to 164 feet from the camera. The body of the camera is a heavy-duty metal waterproof housing, with built in LED lights and progressive image sensors. It also comes with a microphone for one-way
Any recorded video is uploaded to the Cloud. There’s an option for storage subscription service that automatically stores all videos in an off-site location. Footage is accessible through the Amcrest Cloud smartphone app, or through a web-based interface available through Chrome, Safari, Firefox or Edge.
Ring Spotlight Camera
Quick Facts
- Price: $199
- Camera Quality: 1080p HD
- Operating Temperature: -5° to 120° Fahrenheit
- Warranty: One year
The Ring Spotlight Camera is ideal, and not only because of the weather dependency. This camera is battery powered with a live-view HD quality. It comes equipped with an LED spotlight and infrared night vision for supreme quality night time footage. The motion activated LED spotlight does more than just ward of nighttime prowlers. It can also be a great way to ensure that your night recordings are as crisp and clear as possible, coupled with the field of view of 140° horizontal, and 78° vertical.
Another way that this camera deters criminals is with a remote-activated 110 decibel alarm with two-way audio and noise cancellation. It is compatible with iOs, Android, Windows 10, Mac and Amazon Alexa Echo devices. If utilizing Echo, the device will receive notifications when motion is detected. This way, you will hear and speak to anyone that is on camera.
Trust ONIT With Home Security
To secure your home, use ONIT Home! We offer installation and free quotes for whatever your security needs are. Visit our website or give us a call at 1-833-433-0331.