Make the most of your outdoor living and entertaining spaces by extending your home security beyond the four walls of your home. Having a reliable home security system specifically designed for your outdoor living room, patio, and deck can provide you with peace of mind and improve the overall safety of your property.
From surveillance cameras to motion sensors, there are many reasons you may want to consider installing advanced smart home technology — and if, for nothing else, you might finally get a closeup with that woodchuck that loves eating your vegetables. Let's explore the benefits and features of implementing a home security system tailored for outdoor living spaces.
"When designing an outdoor living space, it is important for homeowners to consider their overall home security and maximize protection of their property," shares Jim Nye, Chief Product Officer, Vivint Smart Home. "Today, many smart home solutions are designed to secure outdoor spaces, while also adding aesthetic value." He elaborates with the following tips:
1. Install Smart Lighting
"Smart lighting is a convenient and effective addition to any outdoor space," shares Nye. "For example, Vivint’s Smart Porch Outdoor Lighting is fully customizable, so it can automatically turn on your porch lights at a certain time, or in response to a pre-set trigger. Plus, landscape lighting allows homeowners to retain an ambient experience while also helping deter intruders.
2. Place Outdoor Security Cameras Strategically
Outfitting your yard, patio, and pool with motion detectors has many benefits. "When designing your home security system, avoid creating 'dead zones,' or areas that cannot be seen by cameras," reminds Nye. "Additionally, for greater outdoor coverage, consider outdoor cameras with advanced deterrent features like motion detection and night vision. For example, Vivint’s Spotlight Pro is a true smart device. It utilizes our Smart Deter technology and state-of-the-art computer vision chip to identify, illuminate, and follow intruders with a spotlight and audible alert tone so they are aware they’ve been spotted and deterred from remaining on the property. It can also be used to illuminate pathways or other areas for residents and guests when not in deter mode, and provide two-way audio through the monitoring center"
3. Integrate With Your Existing Indoor System
"Make sure your outdoor solutions can be seamlessly connected to other smart security solutions used throughout your home, for an additional layer of convenience," notes Nye. "This way, you can optimize remote monitoring and control and monitor your outdoor space from anywhere – whether that’s inside your house or on-the-go, via the video feed on a central mobile device app."
Choosing the Right Outdoor Camera
The right outdoor home security camera systems add coverage without complexity. Look for models that give more range and fewer false alerts.
Features to look for:
- Motion detection to start recording when something moves.
- Infrared night vision and infrared LEDs for visibility in low light.
- Wide field of view so fewer cameras are needed.
- Person detection or vehicle detection to filter out pets or tree branches.
- HD Video Quality because grainy video is less helpful for identification if needed. 4K resolution is quickly becoming standard.
Video storage options:
- Cloud storage saves video recordings off-site and can be accessed anytime, but may need a subscription for access to full video history.
- Local storage offers a one-time setup and more control but could fail if the device is damaged.
Other options to consider:
- Weatherproof cameras for reliable year-round use.
- Video doorbells or doorbell cameras that stream live video when someone comes to your door.
- Google Home or Google Assistant integration for easy voice commands and real-time alerts.
Benefits of a Hybrid Security System
A hybrid system of security devices connects indoor and outdoor tools into one smart home security setup. This helps everything work together and keeps things simple.
Smart home devices to include:
- Outdoor security cameras and wireless indoor cameras
- Motion sensors, smart security lighting, and a smart video doorbell
- Mobile app to check alerts, video clips, and live feeds anytime
Add-on benefits:
- Professional monitoring means a monitoring center can respond fast during emergencies (usually requires a monitoring plan).
- Detection zones let you focus alerts on driveways, back gates, or entrances.
- Smart locks and home automation can trigger alarms or lights.
- Battery backup or solar panels keep your system working during power outages.
Power & Connectivity Tips
Outdoor security systems rely on power and network links. Devices may plug into an outlet, draw power via Power over Ethernet cable, or enjoy solar panel or battery backup. A hybrid wired Wi‑Fi connection helps cameras stay online in bad weather. Cellular backup adds safety if your home network fails.
Test your Wi-Fi network before installing heavy-duty outdoor cameras. Place a mobile app–managed Control Panel or Base Station near your Wi‑Fi router. Many systems support remote control of alerts, video playback, and camera settings from a central app or computer vision chip–powered interface.
FAQ
Do outdoor security cameras need professional installation?
Most outdoor security camera systems are DIY friendly. Simple self install camera system kits include outdoor camera, mounting bracket, and wiring guides. However, if you're using Power over Ethernet or solar panels, professional installation may help with clean wiring, reliable Wi‑Fi setup, and adding cellular backup.
Can motion sensors save video to the cloud?
Yes. Outdoor cameras often combine motion detection with cloud recording or local video storage. When someone enters your detection zone, recording starts. That saves space and makes reviewing video clips easier through your mobile app or web portal.
