Choosing and Installing Security Lighting
Lighting frequently has more than one purpose.
These dark winter days make homes and businesses alike the target of criminals looking to break in under cover of darkness. If you’re in the market for security lights, here are some ideas for ways to make security lighting more effective:
Avoid glare
Security lighting can’t create so much glare that a camera or person can’t see a crime situation. Bright, unshielded floodlights lure people into a false sense of security. Also, they help criminals see, and discourage others from looking into the bright lights to see if anything is amiss.
These issues tell us that the type of lighting is essential. Experts generally recommend .05 watts per square foot.
Photocells
Dusk-to-dawn photocells ensure that security lighting is always on the job without being on during the daytime. Besides photocell, passive infrared sensors (PIR) are another valuable tool. These sensors do not give off energy but detect the energy given off by living objects.
Other options
LED, solar-powered, dusk to dawn (photocell), and motion sensors are just a few of the features available for security lighting. Motion sensor lights have the advantage in that, in the PIR detects energy (a person), the light will come on. The sudden flash creates a spotlight on the person who came into the sensor field, which may or may not activate a camera or alarm. In other types of settings, it may be advantageous to have strategically placed low-level lights, which create visibility without being overwhelming.
Dusk-to-dawn lighting offers ambiance and security that is always available when its needed.
Conditions differ depending on the neighborhood, the amount of traffic, the layout of the property, and surrounding elements. When you decide on security lighting, you then need to determine if it’s best to go with battery-powered, hardwired, low voltage, line voltage, solar, or plug-in.
Multifunctional
But, don’t just think of security lighting as one more layer in your security system. The reason is that security lighting isn’t limited to providing just security. Lighting provides ambiance, dusk-to-dawn safety, and tremendous cost savings over the long term if they are LED lights.
All lighting objectives need to be kept in mind, whether you want to enhance the night view of your property, provide patio lighting for barbeques, or highlight some aspects of your home. At the same time, you also need to keep in mind the risks of security lighting; you want to have a lighting system, but without having it pointing at, or annoying, your neighbors or violating your HOA regulations.
Style
Security lighting comes in a wide variety of excellent finishes and styles. Choose these light fixtures to match the color and style of the home. They can be integrated into a Smart Home to work in tandem with cameras, so the homeowner is not only warned when an intruder approaches but has a visible image of the person and a photograph.
Upgrading
Sometimes existing security lighting doesn’t need to be replaced. Updating or upgrading existing fixtures, possibly switching to LED bulbs or adding smart components can make an older system more economical, more functional, and ultimately quite suitable.
Whether you’re looking for a new system or looking to upgrade or alter your existing system, we can help with the planning and implementation of your security lighting --both placement and power--so you can get maximum value from your home security lighting.
Clover Valley Home Service offers reliable service in plumbing, electrical, carpentry, baseboard and crown molding, sprinkler repair, fence repair or replacement, yard work and cleanup, and fire defense space preparation services. We do most home service jobs. Our work is guaranteed. Call (916) 742-3141 today!
