Outdoor Security Lighting

Every home should have some form of outdoor security lighting.  Not only will it make your space safer, it can still provide some attractive illumination to the area, let you use certain areas like a backyard deck more comfortably after dark, and make your whole yard seem more inviting at nighttime. 

When you think of outdoor security lighting, you might think of scenes in films where someone’s breaking into a home and floodlights come on at what seems about the brightness of three suns, and everything’s lit up so brightly you can see the whiskers on the chin of the perpetrator.  In these scenes the would-be thief will always throw his hands up to shield his eyes from the blinding light and take off running. While floodlights can be installed to give a similar effect, most outdoor security lighting is far more subtle and attractive than that.

Motion-sensing outdoor security lighting has become popular in the last several years, and while it is handy to have the lights pop on if someone’s approaching your front door—both for them and you—the problem with these lights is their unreliability. Many won’t come on every time, and sometimes they’ll come on for what seems like no reason at all.  Anything moving outside can trigger the sensor to turn the light on, even a leaf blowing past. If you don’t mind the light coming on at random times throughout the entire night, it could be an option for you. They will typically last longer than other forms of outdoor lighting because the light usually isn’t on for very long period of time.

Dusk to dawn lighting is a great choice for keeping your yard illuminated through all of the nighttime hours. It’s been proven that burglars are much less likely to try to break into a home that has outdoor lighting because their chances of getting caught are so much greater.  A dusk to dawn light, either out in your yard on a high pole, or glowing out from your home, makes sure your space is lit up well all night.  The disadvantage is that they do glow all night, typically thanks to a timer, so they use a lot of energy and will add to your electric bill.  It’s not uncommon for a dusk to dawn light to add $10 to $15 dollars to your monthly electric usage. But that might be a small price to pay for the addedsecurity the light affords you.
If you like the idea of outdoor security lighting but don’t think either of these options is for you, you can choose a cross between both and purchase dusk to dawn lighting that drops to a percentage of its brightness most of the time.  A built-in motion sensor, however, triggers the light to glow at full brightness for a short time.  This type of outdoor security lighting marries both the need for security with the desire to have a pleasing glow that enhances your landscaping and your yard.