Short answer
In camera system maintenance, at least once a year, the lens cleaning, angle and focus, night vision, whether recording is actually happening, disk health, date and time, cable connections, power and UPS, software updates and user passwords are checked. Live video coming through does not show that recording is healthy; the most important step of maintenance is opening past recordings and looking at them.
Having live video does not mean the system is sound
The most common situation with camera systems is this: an incident happens, the recording is checked, and the last few weeks of recording are missing. Live video has been showing on the monitor every day, and nobody noticed anything. The disk failed and the recorder stopped recording but kept showing live video.
The purpose of maintenance is to catch this surprise before an incident. A regular check once a year is a good start for homes and small businesses. In dusty environments, facilities with many outdoor cameras, and places where recording must not be interrupted, this interval is shortened. In Şanlıurfa, early summer, before the dust and heat, is a suitable time for maintenance.
10 items to check
The list below sets out the points to check in a camera system's annual maintenance. You can do some of the items yourself; others need the technical team.
- Lens and dome cover cleaning.
- Camera angle and focus: shifting after wind, vibration or impact.
- Night vision: are the infrared lights on, are there spider webs?
- Recording: is every camera's past recording really being taken?
- Disk health and how many days back the recording goes.
- Date, time and time zone setting.
- Cables, connectors and junction boxes: water ingress, oxidation, rodent damage.
- Power: adapters, PoE switch, UPS battery and device overheating.
- Recorder and camera software updates.
- Users, passwords and remote access permissions.
Image checks: lens, angle, night
On outdoor cameras, the lens and dome cover get dirty with dust, bird droppings and rain stains. During the day the image looks a little faded, but the real problem shows up at night: infrared light reflects back off the dirty cover and the image turns into a white haze. When cleaning, use a soft cloth and a cleaner suitable for lenses; wiping the dome cover hard with a dry cloth scratches it.
Compare each camera's image today with the image from installation day. Over time, cameras turn because of wind, a ball hitting them or someone touching them. A camera that should be seeing the door may be looking at the wall.
To check night vision, do the check in the evening or open last night's recording on the recorder. If one of the infrared lights is out, one side of the image stays dark. A spider that spins a web in front of the lens glows in the night infrared light and keeps triggering motion detection.
Expert note: On installation day, take a screenshot of each camera's image and keep it. At maintenance, comparing against these images to see whether the angle has shifted takes a few minutes.
- Lens and dome cleaned
- Angle and focus checked
- Night infrared lights are on
- Past recording of every camera opened
- Disk health and recording period checked
- Date and time correct
- Cables and junction boxes sound
- UPS and cabinet temperature checked
- Software and passwords up to date
Recording and disk: the most important check
Log in to the recorder and open the recording of a random day for each camera. Look for gaps in the recording timeline and whether some cameras are not recording at all. If recording is motion-triggered, confirm that a moment with motion was really recorded.
Check the disk health from the recorder's menu; most devices show the disk's status and error warnings. Then look at the date of the oldest recording. If the recording is expected to go back fifteen days but goes back only a few days, a camera's setting may have changed or a disk may have dropped out.
Date and time look simple, but they matter when a recording is to be presented as evidence. After power outages, the clock on some devices is reset. Set the recorder to get the time from the internet and make sure the time zone is correct.
Infrastructure and power
Open the outdoor junction boxes. If there is green or white oxide on the connectors or traces of water inside the box, the connection will soon fail. On cables running across the roof or along the facade, look for hardening and cracks from the sun; in basements and attics, look for rodent damage.
Check the cabinet where the recorder and the switch sit. Are the fans spinning, has dust built up on the devices, is the cabinet overheating? A UPS battery weakens over the years; use the UPS's own test function or a short outage test to see how long the system holds out.
If the cameras are powered through a PoE switch, also check that the switch's total power capacity is enough for the number of cameras. One or two cameras added later can strain the capacity, and when the infrared lights come on at night the cameras may restart.
Security: software and passwords
Cameras and recorders get updates just like a computer. Manufacturers release software updates that close security holes. Before updating, back up the current settings; if you do not know how, leave it to the technical team.
Look at the user list on the recorder. Check whether the account of an employee who left, a former manager, or a temporary account left over from installation is still active. If the default admin password has not been changed, make it the first job of the maintenance. Turn off connection methods that are not used for remote access.
What do you do yourself, and what do you leave to the team?
Opening past recordings, looking at the date of the oldest recording, wiping the lenses of the cameras you can reach, and checking the user list need no technical knowledge. You can do these yourself every few months. High cameras, junction boxes, disk replacement and software updates need equipment and experience. After a dust storm or heavy rain, also look at the images from the outdoor cameras.
Record every maintenance with a short note: date, items checked, part replaced, problem found. At the next maintenance, you can see from these notes that the same camera fails the same way every year, or that the disks cause problems after a certain age. Even if the company that installed the system changes, the new team knows from these notes where to start.
When asking for a maintenance quote, ask for the scope in writing. Maintenance that only wipes the lenses is not the same as maintenance that includes disk health, recording check, and cable and UPS testing. Which items will be checked and what kind of report you will be given at the end of the maintenance should be stated clearly in the quote.
Frequently asked
How often should a camera system be serviced?
For homes and small businesses, a thorough service once a year is a good start. In dusty facilities, places with many outdoor cameras, and institutions where recording must not be interrupted, the interval is shortened. Check yourself every few months whether recording is happening.
How do I tell if the recorder's disk is failing?
Disk status and error warnings appear in the recorder's menu. Gaps in the recording, the oldest recording being newer than expected, or the device sounding a warning beep are also signs. If in doubt, open past recordings from several different days and check.
What should I clean the camera lens with?
Use a soft, lint-free cloth and a cleaner suitable for lenses. Wiping the dome cover with a dry, hard cloth leaves scratches; a scratch reflects infrared light at night. Do the cleaning of high cameras with safe equipment or leave it to the technical team.
Maintenance for your camera system
Tell us the number of cameras in your system and your recorder, and let Desa Bilişim prepare the maintenance scope and a written quote.
