Are you up for a game? OK, let’s play.
Pretend you’re an intruder and you want to break into your home. You can break a window, jimmy a door. It doesn’t matter. Now, think about which door or window you’d access. Is it the door in the shadows on the back of the house? Or what about the first-floor window that’s concealed by the evergreen tree?
Game over. You’re no longer an intruder. Did you find that outdoor lighting, or lack thereof, impacted your break-in strategy? If you did, so will an intruder.
The American Lighting Association offers the following five techniques for beefing up your outdoor security lighting to make your property less vulnerable to burglary, intrusions or other criminal activity. (Keep in mind that while security lighting won’t prevent all criminal activity, home invasions will be less likely when intruders feel exposed, insecure and vulnerable.)
- A well-lit front entrance enables you to greet guests and identify visitors. Wall lanterns on each side of the door will give your home a warm, welcoming look while assuring the safety of those who enter.
- Outside the garage, mount a lantern on each side or install a single fixture above to provide lighting for safety and security. Consider installing a motion sensor on these fixtures or a photocell that turns the lights on at dusk and off at dawn to save energy. For added security, illuminate any side of the house that would otherwise be in shadow. Spotlights installed on your eaves will accomplish this, or, for a more dramatic look, consider ground lights pointed up to graze your walls.
To conserve energy, install a sensor that will switch on the light only at night or upon motion. If using uplighting, aim the fixtures so that the light is captured by your eaves to lessen light pollution.
- Decks, porches and patios can be converted into romantic evening retreats by concealing low-voltage mini-lights under steps, railing or benches. Another idea is to install a spotlight in the branches of a nearby tree.
- Pools and fountains illuminated with underwater lighting provide beauty and safety for evening entertaining or swimming. Low-voltage and LED lighting are popular sources for ambient pool lighting, or install fiber-optic lighting to create a starry background in your pool’s floor and around its edges. Floating and solar-powered lights are also available. Be sure to check with your local building authorities for safety regulations before installing new lighting systems in existing pools.
- Grills and serving areas benefit from bright task lighting. To accomplish this, install a recessed spotlight on an adjacent roof overhang, mount lights on a railing behind the grill or use a portable fixture approved for outdoor environments.
Remember, it’s dangerous to pretend you’re safe from a home invasion. Protect yourself and your loved ones by installing an outdoor security lighting system that keeps intruders at bay.
Have you found additional ways to keep your home safe from intruders? Let us know!
Outdoor Home Security Lighting by PDCM Insurance
