Quick Fix: Home Security Update
We've loved our Arlo Home Security cameras since we first installed then YEARS ago. We love having an eye on all of the traffic that hits our main entryways and it was especially critical to add one over the pool for extra security there. But let's be honest, we also love to catch the crazy stuff too. Like when deer get a little too hungry and eat our rose bushes up by the house. Or to watch what kids do on Halloween when we leave a bowl with a sign "please take one - we're watching you."
We got our set of cameras almost 10 years ago now, and Arlo sent out a message earlier this year that they'd be retiring some of the features on the old models like firmware updates, cloud storage and email notices. So, we decided to replace the old models with new ones so we can get all the benefits of the new technology and more.
We have cameras at all of our main entrances, so the three pack of the Essential security camera was just perfect. I like how the new models all have a spotlight feature. Though it does make me feel for our kids some day when they're going to want to sneak in or out of our the house...
Our old cameras were attached with a simple magnetic base which made taking them down for charging a breeze. The new models are slightly larger in scale and are actually attached to the base nailed into the wall. I'm sure for security reasons they made this upgrade. Drilling into cement board siding is not my favorite DIY but I've finally gotten the hang of it - hanging three outdoor cameras will do that!
The new cameras were simple to integrate into our existing home base system and we were up and running with new cameras with new features. My favorite new feature is rather than just reporting motion, it is usually able to identify what kind of motion is at the door: Animal, Vehicle, Person. Now and then it gets a little confused - our robot pool vacuum for instance comes across as an Animal, so when the notices come across on my phone like "Animal detected on Pool" I'm always jumping to see what it is.
We've shared this before, but if you're new here and are thinking about getting yourself a set, we also have a solar panel charger tied to our pool camera. It's mounted very high which would make getting it down for charging a challenge, so it's nice to know on something so important we don't have to worry about the battery running out.
Now that we've got the three old cameras, we can use them for temporary monitoring needs inside or out. Like if we have contractors coming in and out of the house when we're not there. (Definitely NOT because we will use them to spy on our poor kids when they're teens.) We set one up in the laundry room once we decided to put our Ruthie pup in there a couple weeks ago so we could check in on her. Definitely miss those "Motion Detected on Ruthie" notices I'd get during the day. RIP little sweetie!
So that's that. A quick security fix giving us a little extra peace of mind. Who doesn't need that?!
Need a security fix? Here's what we've got:
Arlo Essential Spotlight Camera 3 Pack affiliate
Arlo Essential Solar Panel Charger affiliate
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