Maintenance Tips for Your Security Camera System

It is important that business owners diligently research and invest in a high-quality security camera system to deter and document thefts, burglaries, and fraud. If anything happens, the footage can be reviewed to confirm the events leading up to and after the incident.

January 14, 2021 | Retail

By: Aaron S.

Aaron joined Acuity in 2017 as our Retail Specialist—bringing with him almost 30 years of experience in a broad range of retail. He started his career stocking shelves in the seasonal department at a local retailer. A few years later, Aaron transitioned to a gas station/convenience store, where he worked second shift while getting his degree in organizational communications from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire. It was during this time he made the move to the loss prevention and safety aspect of retail. Over the next 25 years, he worked in various retail segments, including video games, cosmetics/skincare, hardware/appliances, pharmacy/grocery, and clothing. Aaron held several positions during this time, including District Loss Prevention Manager, Regional Loss Prevention Manager, Regional Compliance Auditor, and National Manager of Loss Prevention and Operations. Outside work, Aaron likes to spend time with his wife (who has also worked in retail for over 20 years) and their twin teenage boys. They enjoy being outdoors on the water, fishing, and camping. As the Retail Specialist, Aaron’s goal is to enhance the partnership between retailers and Acuity by showing retailers that an insurance company can be a supportive resource and that Acuity truly understands their industry.

Acuity’s claims department has worked with many business owners who thought their footage was secured. However, when they reported a claim and tried to share this important documentation with their claim representative, the surveillance footage was no longer available. What happened to the videos, why were they lost, and what maintenance tips can be followed to prevent these issues?

Mike Rindt, Acuity’s Special Investigations Unit (SIU) Manager, offers the following advice to help business owners achieve the maximum benefit from a camera system:

Purchase cameras with the highest resolution your budget allows. Low-resolution cameras act as a deterrent, but rarely provide images that are helpful after an incident.
Routinely check to ensure the video feed from each camera is working.
Periodically restart the recording unit (DVR/NVR) and ensure it is functioning properly.
Update camera software as recommended by the manufacturer.
Follow any manufacturer guidelines for maintenance/cleaning.
Be familiar with your system:
1. Know the login procedure and passwords.
2. Are images/video saved to a hard drive or are they saved to the cloud?
3. Keep a copy of the owner’s manual for quick reference on how the system works.
4. How long are images/video retained? A minimum of 30 days is recommended.