Like lights in your home, it is important to light your outdoors as well. Outdoor security lighting is an essential part of your home security system. It does not do good to say goodbye to guests in the dark and watch them stumble their way back to their car. If your front or back yards are left in the dark, your exterior is prone to night hazards. Wild animals, burglars, and other threats can destroy your landscape or have access to your home. The solution is simple, outdoor landscaping lights in your home will not only increase security but also improve the aesthetics of your home at night.
Where Should You Install Outdoor Security Lighting?
The functionality of adding outdoor security lights are multiple. Illuminating your front and back yards will not only minimize any tripping hazards but will also daunt criminals. Your house overall will get a pleasing look that adds to its aesthetics and grace. Keep in mind that lights need to be placed correctly in order to get the preferred effect.
A good way to start is to keep the following areas in mind before you install the outdoor lights:
1. Name & Address Plate: install a light above or below your address plate so your guests can find your home easily at night.
2. Doorways: install a light in all doorways to prevent burglary and enhance visibility during exit and entry into your home.
3. Pathways: lighting the pathways is a great way to enhance visibility leading to your home. It also looks appealing making your home look lavish.
4. Stairs: stairs are a leading cause of tripping over. Keep the stairs illuminated by installing lights overhead or on each stair on the sides. This makes your stairs look amazing while making them safe.
Which Outdoor Security Lights Should You Choose?
The installation process of your outdoor security lights will largely depend on the type of lighting you choose. If you go for solar-powered lights or battery-powered lightings, you will not need any additional fixtures. However, if you want to install electrical lighting, you will need to hire an experienced electrician to do the work.
Electrical lamps and fixtures will require underground electrical wirework that will require labor and time. The high voltage system that runs through your home will be connected to the outdoor security lights as well. It is best to go for a solar-powered electrical system, as it will save you time, energy, and money. You can save costs on installations and later on in your electricity bills. The best part? It is great for the environment!
Your safest option is the motion sensor light and camera that detects and records any unusual activity around your property. You can choose from a variety of options at Shine Long.
Outdoor Lights Options
Three common outdoor lightings work efficiently and look great too. These are:
1. Metal Halide,
2. Fluorescent Lamps, and
3. LED Lighting.
While metal halide is efficient given that, you live within a certain temperature range. They also take about a minute to light up so they are not ideal for motion sensory lights. The fluorescent lamps are efficient by way of design but may not work properly in certain temperatures. LED lights are a popular choice around the world nowadays because they are highly efficient. LED lights do not need time to warm up and this makes them ideal for motion sensory lights. Although the costs of these lights are higher, they do last longer than others do.
Outdoor lighting and landscaping are important for every homeowner and you need expert advice on how to get started. From choosing the right electric lights and where to begin, it can get overwhelming. We at ShineLong are here to serve just right! We have a team of expert electricians who will guide you with what your home needs without any additional costs. Your safety is the priority when installing outdoor lighting, and we are the best players in the market today.
The Benefits of Installing Outdoor Security Lighting
Other than the basic benefit of increased security of your home, outdoor lights increase the overall value of your property. A house well light on the outside helps in keeping the burglars away. It also helps in keeping nocturnal animals away from your property. Since these wild animals are active at night, they tend to avoid areas that are bright and warm. Other benefits include:
1. Giving you peace of mind: you can sleep peacefully inside your home knowing that you are safe from predators. It also helps when you are out for the night or on an extended vacation. It is best to install motion sensor lights that only light up when someone approaches your home. This helps you save on your electricity bills. Leaving the lights on for a long time is not such a good idea.
2. Prevent unwelcome guests: security lights will help keep unwelcome guests away be it animals or people. If you have a garden that you wish to protect from furry critters, consider installing a motion sensor light and camera. These are a little pricier than the normal ones but you can install them only around your garden. They switch on when unwanted animals enter your garden. This will scare them away immediately keeping your garden fresh and unsoiled.
3. Get insurance break: security lighting will get you an insurance break as well. According to insurance companies, a house that is well lit is less likely to get burglarized or sabotaged. Other than taking several measures in order to lower your premium on home insurance, installing outdoor security lights is one of them.
4. Prevent unwanted accidents: usually, accidents happen at night when guests or children trip over the uncoiled hose and other decorative boulders. Installing outdoor security lighting can greatly help avoid such accidents to happen. The best part is that these lights help in every weather and conditions.
How Can You Protect your Home with Landscape Lighting?
As mentioned earlier, outdoor lighting increases the aesthetics and overall appeal of your home tremendously. We at Shine Long understand the importance of reducing blind spots around your property in order to increase security. Outdoor lights are an integral part of a home security system. Physical detection and facial recognition also help when the surroundings of your home are well lit. This helps in increasing your overall sense of security.
Types of Outdoor Lights
Since every home is different and requires different outdoor security lighting, you need to understand what will work best for you. You need lights that are approved for wet and damp locations if your home is built in a wet climate. The best lights are those that can withstand all sorts of weather conditions like snow, rain, and humidity. At Shine Long, you can choose the best Security LED Lights that come in various designs and styles.
You can choose from the following types of security lights:
1. Floodlights: floodlights are great for distributing light in wider areas in the shape of a wide cone. The fixtures of floodlights come in one, two, or three adjustable heads to provide modified illumination around your home. Apart from that, a motion sensor light and camera will record any dangerous activities that happen around your home.
2. Landscape path lighting: these are ideal to lighten up pathways and walkways around your home that are frequently used. They can also illuminate trees and other elements around your home that you would like to highlight at night. Overall, your home will look beautiful at night with added lighting.
3. Surface-mounted luminaries: these are great for an added sass around your home. These come under decorative lighting making the exterior of your home look appealing.
4. Roadway luminaries: these lights are better for general illumination to identify your home at night. This helps both you and your guests at night.
5. Post luminaries: these lights are ideal for ambiance lighting. You can lighten up your driveways when welcoming guests to your home.
Where to Install Outdoor Security Lights?
When you start designing your outdoor lighting system, you must identify the potential security and safety risks. You can do this when you survey the exterior of your home from all around. Consider all points of entry and exit and do not leave the backyard or the sides of your home out. You also need to keep in mind the impact these additional lights will have on the surrounding areas.
Every area has different codes and requirements when it comes to security lighting. Contact the concerned department and take into account the requirements such as light pollution. You can determine your home lighting needs by assessing your neighborhood in mind. As it progresses, make sure that you consider the developments around and see if you actually need additional lighting? However, you can point out high-value items around your property like vehicles, garden ornaments, and other valuable statues. That is where you need security outdoor lights. Survey your land both in daylight and at night and point out all dark areas. Place a security light in deep shadows that may serve as a potential hiding spot.
You may need motion sensor lights in some spots while others may need timer lights only. Know where to place which type of light in order to cut on your costs and have the best outdoor security lighting available.
