Maybe it started off with a few break-ins around your neighborhood, some bad kids stealing items here and there. Or maybe a sexual assault at the end of your street, right by the bus stop where your daughters go to work or school. Maybe it wasn't even a local event, just turning on the television set prompted you to start thinking about your home security and how you can protect your family better. But where do you start making your home safer? Why not right at the beginning with the lighting around your home?
Most security experts will tell you that outdoor security lights are a good investment and should be one of the first options you consider. But you don't need an expert to evaluate what your household needs. Let's take a virtual walk around and see what you can do to brighten up your home and increase your safety.
First, your front walk and driveway. Having security lights at the front door might be a good idea but not if they're hidden behind high bushes and hedges. Cut down all vegetation to the point that a criminal can't hide behind them and lie in wait for you or your family. The lights here should be attached to both an inside switch for you to turn on before opening the door and an outside light connected to a motion detector.
Why a motion sensor? Well, you could leave all the lights on each and every night, but aside from annoying your neighbors you'll run up a high electricity bill as well as wearing out bulbs much faster than if they were set on a sensor system. This way the lights will only come on when activated, leading both to the visitor being startled by their appearance and attention being brought immediately to that area of the home. Even if you're not there at the time your neighbors may be curious as to why the side door is suddenly lighting up in the middle of the night or why the front door is receiving so much attention from a stranger late in the evening.
There are two kinds of motion sensors; one that will activate to any movement that crosses the invisible beam being sent out by the sensor and those that will react to a shift in body temperature. Obviously your choices will depend on your financial circumstances, but you may not want a light to flicker on every time the neighborhood cat wanders on by your front door.
Let's keep on walking around your home. The driveway should have illumination other than the small light that sits inside your garage to show the interior when you lift up the garage door and prepare to drive in. There have been cases where criminals have gotten into homes via an open garage door and hidden behind toolboxes and storage boxes out of sight of the homeowner.
Your backyard should not be a dark, mysterious expanse with hidden nooks and crannies everywhere. Instead, consider placing security lights at strategic places to illuminate as much of the yard as possible. For example, one set over the tool shed will not only help discourage thieves from taking your tools but also make it safer for you to go out in the middle of the night if you need to make emergency repairs. But another light set just over your back door will help insure that any burglars think twice before standing there in plain view and attempting to break into your home. Other lights can also be placed over your deck and along the side of your house to light up dim alleyways and discourage loiterers.
But what if there's a power failure? Consider setting up many of these lights on an independent basis, hooking them up to a small battery as well as plugging into your power grid. When the main power goes off these lights will switch over to the battery, allowing them to continue to work even in the middle of a major power failure or other emergency, such as a fire or flood. This option will offer you greater security and safety overall. Be sure to mark on your calendar a date to check the batteries every six months to maintain their efficiency and keep them clean and at full capacity. Replacement bulbs can be purchased at any department store and should be kept in an easily accessible area for quick and easy repair.
With increasing concerns about home safety sweeping the country most homeowners are looking for any way to improve their homes and protect their families. Outdoor security lights can prove an inexpensive and effective way to scare away the common criminal as well as discourage any unwanted visitors. Why not consider adding this option to your shopping list?
