Quick answer
A CCTV maintenance visit typically covers: cleaning camera lenses and housings, checking each camera's view and night vision, confirming the DVR or NVR is recording on every channel, checking hard disk health and retention, syncing date and time, testing the power supply and UPS, inspecting cables and connectors, and checking remote viewing. Quarterly visits are common, with recording checks more often for critical sites.
Cameras
| Task | Frequency | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Clean lens and dome cover | Every visit | Use a soft lens cloth. Dust and spider webs blur images, especially at night. |
| Check view angle and focus | Every visit | Compare with the agreed coverage; cameras get knocked or rotated. |
| Test night vision / IR | Every visit | Check after dark or by covering the sensor. Weak IR is a common complaint. |
| Inspect housing and seals | Every visit | Outdoor cameras: water entry, rust, cracked covers. |
| Check mounting and brackets | Twice a year | Loose mounts cause shaky images in wind. |
| Check image quality per channel | Every visit | Colour, sharpness, no lines or flicker. |
DVR / NVR and recording
| Task | Frequency | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Confirm all channels are recording | Every visit | Play back a recent clip from each camera, not just the live view. |
| Check hard disk status | Every visit | Look for errors or warnings in the recorder's disk menu. |
| Check retention period | Every visit | How many days of footage are stored. Compare with what the customer expects. |
| Sync date and time | Every visit | Wrong timestamps make footage hard to use. |
| Check recorder ventilation and temperature | Every visit | Recorders in closed cupboards overheat. |
| Firmware status | Twice a year | Update only as per manufacturer guidance, after noting current settings. |
| Change default passwords | At setup and as needed | Use strong passwords and share them only with the authorised person at the site. |
Power supply
| Task | Frequency | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Test SMPS / power supply output | Every visit | Low voltage causes cameras to reboot or lose IR. |
| Check UPS backup | Every visit | Does the system stay on during a short power cut? |
| Inspect power connectors and adapters | Every visit | Loose DC pins and burnt adapters are common faults. |
| Check earthing (where applicable) | Yearly | Poor earthing can damage equipment during surges. |
Cabling and network
| Task | Frequency | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Inspect visible cable runs | Every visit | Rodent damage, cuts, cables pulled loose. |
| Check BNC / RJ45 connectors | Every visit | Re-crimp or replace corroded connectors. |
| Check PoE switch (IP systems) | Every visit | Port lights, heat, power budget. |
| Test remote viewing on the customer's phone | Every visit | Most customers notice remote view failures first. |
| Check router and internet link | When remote view fails | Often the cause is at the internet side, not the recorder. |
Suggested visit frequency
| Site type | Typical frequency | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Homes and small shops | Quarterly | Remote view and recording checks matter most. |
| Offices, clinics, schools | Quarterly or monthly | More cameras, more users relying on footage. |
| Warehouses, factories, housing societies | Monthly | Large outdoor coverage; dust, weather and cable runs. |
| Critical sites (banks, jewellery stores) | As per their security policy | Often with additional daily checks by site staff. |
Common CCTV complaints and likely causes
| Complaint | Likely causes | First check |
|---|---|---|
| Camera shows no video | Power supply failure, loose connector, cable damage, camera fault | Check power at the camera end first. |
| Footage missing for some days | Hard disk error, recording schedule changed, disk full with overwrite off | Check disk status and recording settings. |
| Blurry image at night | Dirty lens or dome, weak IR, reflection from a nearby wall | Clean first, then test IR. |
| Remote view not working | Internet down, router changed, app login changed | Check the internet link before the recorder. |
| Wrong time on footage | Recorder clock drift, time sync off | Sync time and enable automatic sync if available. |
| Lines or flicker on screen | Poor earthing, interference, damaged cable | Check earthing and cable routing near power lines. |
What to report to the customer
After each visit, share a short note: cameras checked, any camera with issues, current retention days, and any recommended upgrade (for example, a larger hard disk if retention has dropped). It shows the value of the AMC and sets up the renewal conversation — see the AMC renewal guide.
Privacy and access
Technicians often see sensitive footage and passwords. Agree on who at the site authorises access, avoid copying footage unless asked in writing, and follow any data protection requirements that apply to the customer.
CCTV businesses can see how contracts and complaints are organised on our CCTV service management software page. More on AMC software and our AMC management software.
How AMCFlow helps
- Add each CCTV system as a unit under the customer, with its AMC start and end dates.
- Customers can raise a complaint through the customer portal after logging in with WhatsApp OTP.
- Assign the complaint to a technician, who gets a WhatsApp job alert with customer, mobile, address, product, problem and complaint number.
- Expiry dashboard shows CCTV contracts nearing expiry.
Frequently asked questions
How often should CCTV maintenance be done?
Quarterly visits are common for homes, shops and offices. Larger or outdoor-heavy sites such as warehouses and housing societies often need monthly visits.
What is included in CCTV maintenance?
Cleaning cameras, checking view and night vision, confirming recording on all channels, checking hard disk health and retention, syncing time, testing power and UPS, inspecting cables, and testing remote viewing.
How do I check if CCTV is recording properly?
Play back a recent clip from each camera on the DVR or NVR, check the hard disk status for errors, and confirm the number of days of footage stored.
Why does CCTV night vision stop working?
Common causes are dirty lenses or dome covers, low supply voltage, failing IR LEDs, or reflections from nearby surfaces.
Should CCTV firmware be updated during maintenance?
Updates can help, but should be done as per manufacturer guidance after noting current settings, and with the customer's approval.