Nowadays, smart video doorbells are famous worldwide for their user-friendliness and convenience and are the hottest trend in home automation. They have proven to be an integral part of many home security systems. Hence, once installed, taking care of these holds immense significance for your system’s practical functionality. Like any other electronic device, there exist potential threats to the hardware of your newly installed or existing Ring Doorbell Cameras. Your smart doorbell can be most vulnerable to unfavourable weather conditions, especially rain and other encounters with water.
Understanding how your device can endure and care for it can be fundamental if you wish to not spend more money on replacing a damaged appliance.
Please keep reading to have a detailed and comprehensive view of how your Ring Doorbell Cameras works best, its resistive abilities, and some care suggestions to follow. Let’s take a look at all related questions!
Most Frequeltly Ask Questions About Ring Doorbell Cameras
1. Can cold weather affect my Ring Doorbell Cameras?
Yes, icy conditions can harm your device. Battery-powered Ring Doorbell Cameras do not work well under freezing temperatures as these temperatures do not allow the battery to gather enough charge from any external source. The temperatures that you need to look out for are 36°F (3°C), 32°F (0°C) and -5°F (-20.5°C). When the temperature outside hovers around any of the figures mentioned above, you should be careful.
Here is what you can do to take care of your Ring Doorbell Cameras in extreme weather conditions:
- Ensure that your device’s battery level is at 100% at all times. A fully charged device will lessen the chances of it being ineffective.
- Please bring your device inside and charge it using a USB cord. This will work because setting via a USB cord will help heat the machine.
- Be mindful of the temperatures and the battery levels of your device. Whenever the temperature fluctuates around the levels mentioned above, make sure you follow the first two steps to tackle the situation.
2. Where should I place my Ring Doorbell Cameras?
A Ring Doorbell Cameras should ideally be placed approximately 48 inches or 1.2 meters above the ground to ensure that it captures relevant footage and that its motion sensors work effectively. The company advises that it be mounted against a flat surface, a wall, door, or door frame. Moreover, it would be best to place it under a roof to keep it safe from any bad weather conditions.
Some people mount their Ring Doorbells too high with the mistaken belief that this would enable their doorbell camera to capture faces and people more clearly. However, this does not work to their advantage. Just follow Ring’s advice of keeping it flat 48 inches above the ground.
3. Can Ring Doorbell get wet?
Yes, your Ring Doorbell Cameras can get wet as this device is installed outside your home where water from any external sources, such as rain, storms, snow, and etcetera, can reach it.
A significant problem here might be the improper positioning of your device. For example, installing the device without any roof or cover could expose it and make it very vulnerable to wet elements from surrounding areas.
4. Are Ring Doorbell cameras waterproof?
No, the Ring Doorbell is not waterproof. It is water-resistant, which means that it can resist water penetration to some extent, but not entirely. The statement issued by the company itself regarding this is, ‘All of our Ring Devices are water-resistant so that they can withstand strong winds or rainstorms. We suggest that your Ring Doorbell Cameras be fully operational if it is not submerged directly into the water.
The words waterproof, water-resistant, and water-repellant are commonly used interchangeably. However, these do not mean the same. Water-resistant can be considered the lowest water protection level, followed by water-repellant and, finally, waterproof. Nothing can technically be waterproof, as water is a liquid that penetrates somewhat profoundly and quickly into materials. Your Ring Doorbell is not waterproof as it can get wet.
5. Does Rain damage Ring Doorbells?
Yes, rain can damage your Ring Doorbell Camera if the rainwater enters your device somehow. If it gets wet, water droplets could accumulate inside the camera of your device due to moisture. If much water seeps into the device, there is a possibility that the water short circuits its motherboard.
6. What if Ring Doorbell Cameras gets wet?
If your smart doorbell gets wet, you are advised to contact the company and ask for repair if your device is still covered within the warranty period. You will need to verify with the company whether your particular device is covered for repairs within the warranty. If that is not the case, you should place the doorbell inside a bag of rice to help absorb the excess moisture created due to the water droplets.
7. Why is my Ring Doorbell Camera blurry?
There are a few possible reasons why your Ring Doorbell’s camera could be blurry. Your doorbell’s camera might be blurry due to the moisture content that condenses and forms a layer over the camera lens. This could happen if water reaches your device or if water droplets fall directly over the camera’s lens. During a rainy season, the first thing you should do is check the camera of your video doorbell and clean it with a soft, cotton cloth to avoid blurry and unclear footage.
When analyzing the basics, the issue could lie with the strength of your WiFi signal. Your Ring Doorbell Cameras needs to receive a solid signal to show you or record clear footage for you. You can check the RSSI (Received Signal Strength Indicator) in your ring application’s Device Health section to verify this.
It could also be possible that too many devices are connected to your WiFi connection, which could lower the frame rate and negatively impact the resolution of the footage captured by your Ring Doorbell’s camera. You can use an Ethernet connection to avoid any clutter.
8. How to protect Ring Doorbells from rain?
Protection from rain is essential in securing your device against water damage. As mentioned before, your Ring Doorbell Cameras is water-resistant, not waterproof. This quality implies that there is a likelihood of it suffering significant harm in extreme cases or if you overlook milder cases of water damage.
Here are some ways to protect your Ring Doorbell from rain and lessen the chances of unfavourable weather conditions damaging it.
You should ensure that the device’s camera is placed under a roof or shield on your porch to reduce the amount of rainwater that could sneak into the device from the top.
You can invest in an outer waterproof cover for your device to protect against direct rainfall.
Check out: How To Secure Ring Account With Two-Factor Authentication
You can invest in a water-repelling cover that fully conceals your device.
For an extra layer of protection, you can use a silicon-based or acrylic bead to cover all the small gaps and stop water seepage from any side.
9. Does the Ring Doorbells need to be covered?
Yes, it is advised to use a protective waterproof or weatherproof cover for your device. However, it is not a requirement.
Using any cover to protect your Ring Doorbell is a good idea because you cannot always be sure when caring for electronic devices. You will have to act prudently to ensure that the device doesn’t cause any damage to you or your property and that it keeps functioning for a more extended period. Repairing costs are another issue here, which could turn into replacement costs if excessive water damage wears out your device.
Hence, covering your Ring Doorbell is always a good idea. Fortunately, these covers don’t cost too much, and investing in one could go a long way. Some covers that could be useful for a smart doorbell owner include, but are not limited to:
- Mefford Ring Doorbell Silicon Cover
- So new Plastic Rain Cover for Door Access Control
- Wasserstein Colorful and Protective Silicone Skins
You have a lot of other options to choose from. Explore them and find a combination of silicon and top covers that provides robust protection to your device against water damage.
10. Does Ring Doorbells have a lifetime warranty?
Yes, Ring gives a lifetime warranty for all devices, but that is only against theft. Other warranties include a one-year part initial warranty that you can extend with a Ring Protect plan.
If your device gets stolen, you can file a police report and expect the company to replace your device for free. Make sure you keep your receipts intact.
The Ring will provide any at their sole discretion when it comes to repairing services after considering your particular request and the situation that leads to any damage.
Conclusion
Having the Ring Video Doorbell in your home is a good choice. But just like any other electronic device, especially an outdoor one, it needs some care to keep providing you with its several benefits. The company’s products are not too fragile, so a little effort from your side could probably go a long way!