Keeping one’s place safe has become a necessity nowadays, unlike back in the days now no neighbor would be helpful or attentive enough to keep an eye on your main door when you are not around. Therefore, having security cameras at your house or office is a must.
Sometimes, it is easier to install a security camera particularly when the manufacturers were good enough to provide you with a manual to place the security cameras at the right place in the accurate manner.
However, there are a few things which the security camera’s manual will not tell you. one such essential tip is to pass the security camera wires through the soffit under your roof.
Many people think it would be an unnecessary activity, it can be for the lazy ones, but being honest, I would need to tell you that not putting the security cameras through the soffit will be a greater risk, and you might need to change the security cameras, therefore.
What is a soffit?
If you are a non-technical person, who wishes to learn a few things about his house, and install a security camera alone, then do not forget to understand what a soffit is? To make this article a bit easier to understand, we have explained what a soffit is.
Soffits are the overhangs of your roof, they are the lower sides of the sliding roofs, often located at the outside of the house.
Why should you pass wires through the soffit?
Those considering it as an extra activity need to understand the reasons to pass wires through the soffit.
Minimize weather effects
Weather conditions such as rains and thunderstorms are a potential reason for damaging your wired security cameras. To keep them safe and use the same security camera for an extended period, it is imperative to place the wires inside the soffit.
To keep the system safe
Security cameras with wires passing through the soffit are far safer than the exposed ones. Imagine a wired security camera with no wires outside, the only way to make the security system non-functional for the thieves would be to come in front of the camera, which is futile. They cannot cut the wires and invade.
Minimize the vandalization
You cannot stop rodents, squirrels, and other animals from eating up the security camera wires. The wires passing through the soffit are safe, and no external force including the rodents can damage it.
What to consider before passing your security cameras wires through the soffit?
As it is a technical activity and you cannot perform it without a proper understanding of dos and don’ts, so it is important to first explore the few important tips to use the soffit area to pass the security camera wires.
Professionals say that you need to consider three main things to plan an installation of security cameras through the soffit.
What do you need?
Well, now opening a soffit and inserting wire through it is not an easy task. You need to make way for the wires to pass through the soffit. To perform it, you need some special kind of tools, and accessories.
In some cases, when you have bought some reliable security cameras, they will come with kits, and proper cables so you do not have to worry about them. However, for the safe side you need to have a complete toolbox. Along with it, you will need a drilling machine, and a ladder to reach that point.
The location of the security cameras
You should know where the security cameras are set up. If it is a DVR or NVR setup, then you will need to connect the cameras with the PC. You must plan about the location of your security cameras. Are you going to place the NVR system in the attic or in your living room, it would help you analyze how you are going to fix the security cameras.
The best place for the security camera when your aim is to pass the wires through the soffit is the attic. Why? because the attic and the soffit are quite close to the roof, so you do not need extra cables for the installation of the security cameras through the soffit.
Methods to connect the wires through soffit
The connection of the security camera depends a lot on the type of the security cameras being installed. If you are going for the PoE security cameras, then you might need only a single wire, for the regular CCTV security cameras you will have to follow a different approach.
Lastly, the wireless security camera system will only need a single wire to pass through the soffit, it will be the simplest of all. Understanding the type and requirement of wiring and how you will do it is quite important to do it efficiently.
Once you are done with the consideration of three important aspects it will be easier for you to understand how you should go on with the installation.
If you are a beginner who does not know how to carry out the entire process, then it will be better for you to first connect the security cameras on the table, like you should take out the manual and understand the described procedure for the security cameras set up.
Once you have understood where and how the security cameras will be connected, now you can imagine it through the software. Imagination matters a lot because you will not get to reverse what you have done. So, make a map about the wires passing through the soffit.
In this article we have discussed two methods, one is with a drill, and the other is without a drill, both are quite common, but it depends on the type of soffit, and the construction of your house, which will decide which method will be better for you.
Method 1: Wiring with a drill
Wiring with a drill can be carried out on any kind of soffit material, be it of aluminum or vinyl. To do this, you need a powerful drill, so that the holes should be of great quality, and it will be a little less messy.
You will need the following tools to do it.
- A fish rods.
- Drilling machine.
- Bits.
- A head lamp or a torch.
- Electric tape.
- Security camera wires.
- Hole saw.
- Grinder.
Directions
- First you need to remove the soffit from the area where you want to install the security camera. The vinyl or metal soffit are attached with the planes of metals, you can either remove them or make a small hole. Some soffits are backed by some wood too, so after removing the soffit slides. The hole or area created here will help you install the security camera to that point.
- You can make this hole with the help of a drill or hole saw; it is made to feed the wires to the security camera.
- Now take the template sticker of the security camera, and as per its measurement make a few more holes around the wood hole where you will place the security camera.
- Now create a hole in the attic space.
- Now with the help of a fishing rod, now tape one end of the security camera.
- You should not push the wire of the security camera upwards towards the attic hole, it means that there should be an accessible point in the attic to pull the security camera wire.
- If there are more than one wire such as in case of the regular CCTV security camera, you need to tape all the wires together and then push/pull them up with the help of a fishing rod, it will be easier, otherwise, you might mix all the wires together.
- In case the DVR or NVR setup is in the attic, it will be very easy for you. Simply pull all the wires up to the attic, and connect the recorder system to the power supply, and the security cameras will be set up completely.
- On the other hand, if the system is not in the attic, then you will have to create another hole in the attic’s floor to make the wires reach the recorder.
Method 2: Wiring without a drill
Making holes in your roof and walls is not a very appreciative thing, many people do not want to do it. So, if you are among them, then this second alternative method is for you. drilling is not always the option, it however, makes the installation a bit easier.
Installing security cameras through the soffit without drilling is only possible when your system is in the attic. Otherwise, it would be difficult and nearly impossible to set up the security system.
Tools required.
- Fish wire.
- Electric tape.
- Screw drivers.
- Accessories with the camera system.
- Camera wires.
Directions
- Mark all the spots where you will be installing the security cameras.
- Now remove the vinyl from those spots.
- Take out the cameras and study them, which angle will be perfect for the security cameras.
- With the help of a screwdriver make a small hole in the gable vent. It is necessary to pass the security camera wires.
- Ensure that the hole size is not too big, it needs to be as big as the wire width.
- Now you need the fiberglass fish rod. Attach the one end of the security camera wires to the fish rod and push it upwards towards the attic.
- Ensure that the point where you are pushing the security camera wires is the one where the security camera system is already set up, and you do not need any kind of extra wiring.
- If you do not want to make many holes, you can go for the several soffit vents. Now replace the vents to make the proper air circulation in your house.
Dos and don’ts of installing security cameras through soffit
If you are still confused or have some questions regarding the methods described, then you should keep on reading. In this section we have addressed the issues that many people face while passing the security camera wires through the soffit.
- Do find out the points where the roof and the walls are meeting, it is necessary for the first method, where you might have the security camera system in the rooms instead of the attic.
- While installing you should ensure that they are safe from vandalization, and weather. Otherwise, the entire idea of having the security camera wires pass through the soffit will be ruined.
- Mount the cameras properly, in such a way that they should not shake off.
- Never install the security camera at a place where there is no or minimum light at night, it will make the security camera inefficient.
- Do not place all your security cameras at the front door.
- Increase the visibility of the cameras by making them face then shrubbed areas.
- It is better to set the base unit in the attic, so that it will be easier for you to connect both the security cameras and the recorders together.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to pass the wireless security camera wires through soffit?
As wireless security cameras are not actually wireless and they come with a single wire of power, so it makes sense to pass the power cable through the soffit too. So yes, you need to pass it through the soffit.
Can I install the security cameras without drilling?
Yes, if you have a fishing rod, and electric tape, then you can do it. Installing security cameras without drilling is possible only when the system is in the attic. Otherwise, it is impossible without a drill.
Will it be safe to have security camera wires outside the soffit?
Not at all. Exposed wires are likely to get disturbed, cut, and vandalized by animals. To avoid nay such thing and weather disaster, passing wires through soffit is necessary.
Can I pass the security camera wires through soffit alone at home?
Yes, if you have all the tools and the manual to install the security cameras then it is possible to do it alone at home.
Conclusion
Installation of security cameras is not simple; it is however simple when you know the right procedure which you can check here. To do it safely, you need to pass the security camera wires through the soffit. This article dealt with the popular methods to pass the security camera wires through the soffit.