Tips For Maximizing Outdoor Lighting To Improve Home Security

Are you prepared for a home break-in? They are far from a myth and they could happen to anyone, so it's important to take steps to secure your home and protect your family. In addition to choosing the best security system for your home, there are many ways to keep your property safer at night. This could include installing quality door locks, fencing, and upgrading your outdoor lighting. It's important to evaluate whether you have enough outdoor lighting fixtures and to carefully consider whether you've placed them in the right spots.

When adding outdoor lighting to your yard and home, you should think strategically about the layout. Ensure it provides adequate coverage and does a great job of illuminating potential entry points. To provide the best coverage for your home, make sure you install a sufficient number of lights. Whether you add them to poles or exterior walls, spacing lights around 10 to 20 feet apart is ideal for providing great coverage and ensuring your yard is well lit.

The main spots you'll want to consider adding lighting to is around home entry points. Install lights to illuminate all doors that provide access to your house — don't just focus on front door security, but ensure that other entry points are secure as well. In addition to this, add light close to your home's windows as well, especially those on the first level. These will more likely be targeted by anyone who is trying to break into your home. You'll also want to be sure that your driveway and vehicles are well lit to discourage break-ins and vehicle theft. It's also a good idea to install lighting around your garage, outdoor sheds, and storage areas.

When determining the placement of lighting fixtures, carefully consider whether each location needs floodlights or spotlights. If you're trying to light up a larger area, then floodlighting is probably the better choice. If you're targeting a specific spot, such as a front door, you may want to install a spotlight instead. Keep in mind that accent lighting can be helpful for security too, if it's placed well. Consider combining accent lighting with other types of lighting to get the most coverage for your home.

By adding sufficient outdoor lighting and placing them in the right areas, you'll have already won most of the battle when it comes to lighting security. However, there are some other things to consider. For one thing, you should determine whether you want to install lights with motion sensors. These lights will turn on automatically when someone approaches and can be adjusted for either more or less sensitivity. Although not necessary, many people believe these lights will deter burglars more effectively.

Finally, you'll also want to consider whether you want to use smart lights to safeguard your home. Using smart controls with your security lighting can be useful and provide a lot of convenience. Smart lights are worth considering if you're out of town often, as they can help give you extra peace of mind when away from home. Smart timers can also be helpful and can eliminate the need to turn the lights on and off manually each day.