A secure home requires proper placement and installation of outdoor lighting. Illuminating the exterior of your home with high-performance, well-placed security lighting will make intruders think twice about trying to enter your property. Here are some of Eurolux Lighting's tips to get the most out of your fixtures if you’re installing outdoor lighting to improve your home security.
INSTALL MULTIPLE FIXTURES
When it comes to security lighting, the main goal is to eliminate dark spots for intruders to hide in. To achieve this, you need multiple fixtures that offer not-as-bright light as opposed to a single fixture that offers really bright light. The multiple fixtures can be placed in different areas around the exterior of your home to ensure there aren’t any dark corners or patches of the yard where intruders may go undetected.
DON’T MISS A SPOT
Having multiple fixtures is one thing, but you need to make sure they’re placed in strategic spots. In the front yard, the gate, driveway, pathway up to the front door, and front door itself should all have proper lighting. But don’t neglect the back and sides of your house. This is where intruders usually attempt to gain access to your home because it’s out of sight from people and cars passing by the main entrance of the home.
POSITION AND ANGLE
The ideal position for security lighting is high up off the ground and shining in a downward direction. This results in a bigger radius of light being cast which ultimately means you’ll need fewer fixtures to get full coverage. Lighting positioned this way also reduces the amount of light pollution produced. Just make sure you don’t place them too high. The higher the fixture, the softer the light that hits the ground, so fixtures placed really high up will need to be extra bright to work efficiently which can be tricky to achieve.
MAINTENANCE
There’s no point in having security lights if half of them don’t work. A proper maintenance routine will ensure that your lights are in good shape and work as they should. Identify any burnt-out bulbs and replace them immediately. You should also clean any dirt or dust that accumulates on the shades to keep them shining optimally. Checking these two things once a month is easy and will give you peace of mind.
“TURN OFF” SOME LIGHTS
This may seem slightly counterintuitive, but having some lights “turned off” is an effective method of deterring intruders. Motion sensor lighting will take would-be intruders by surprise. If they’ve been creeping around in the dark, a sudden flood of light will catch them off guard. Their eyes will take time to adjust to the light and they’ll most likely run away out of fear of being caught. Motion sensor floodlights are a great option because they automatically bathe large areas of the garden in bright light when movement is detected. Your neighbours will probably also appreciate this type of light because it reduces light pollution and won't cast an unwanted glare into their home, or yours for that matter.
USE TIMERS
If you work late or go away for days at a time, then lighting set to a timer is a practical security solution. By setting your outdoor lighting to turn on and off at a particular time, you create the illusion that someone is home even when you’re not. Many burglaries occur when homeowners are not at home because it's an easier target. Timed lighting should aid in putting criminals off.