Warding off unwanted visitors with recordings of vicious dog barks at your door probably isn’t the best security practice. But brightening up your home and yard with safety lighting can be an easy and affordable way to deter trespassing and decrease the chance of a break-in or property damage.
Strategic security and external lighting can make your home look welcoming, while also eliminating dark areas that make it easy for trespassers to hide. Lighting also decreases the chance of falls by residents and visitors. If security is especially top of mind, many external lighting options can also connect to security technologies such as alarms, cameras and motion sensors.
Unlike older floodlight fixtures, new energy-efficient LEDs can be a mix of different light intensities and can be directed carefully to brighten certain areas without spilling into windows or impacting neighbors.
“External and security lighting using LED bulbs can make a home safer and more secure without increasing lighting costs significantly,” said Mike Wallace, energy counselor for Clark Public Utilities.
Some “all in one” security and lighting approaches can link to a smart-home hub. Many options are offered by cable companies or security providers and will let you configure various kinds of lighting (internal and external) with doorbells, door locks, garage doors, cameras, and sensor lights. And you can manage it all from your smartphone.
For a simpler solution, there are do-it-yourself or “pick and choose” approaches that can use home Wi-Fi to connect even a single porch or alley light. Wi-Fi-capable cameras and lights make it possible to hang sensor-controlled cameras and lights in unexpected areas to secure them and remotely check activity at your home when you’re away.
Today, doorbell and camera combinations can notify you not only with the usual ding-dong of the bell but show a live feed of who’s there. With a quick glance at your smartphone, you know who’s at the door. You can even see if a package was delivered while at work, then alert a neighbor to grab it for you.
Similar to a traditional motion sensor, new lights can be set so movement triggers added brightness — the sudden glow can startle an intruder. There are sensor-activated floodlights and Wi-Fi cameras that include alarms, two-way talk and a 110-degree field of view. These products must be hard-wired into the home’s electric system, however.
For the homeowner, solar or battery-powered sensor lighting can add to security and provide a quick, affordable solution. These options are less expensive and can be placed just about anywhere light is needed for security or convenience. One may be useful near the garbage can or recycling bin at the side of the house where hard-wiring a light might be difficult.
Some battery-powered LED lights have heads that swivel and adjustable turnoff times. You can find them for about $20 at big box stores. Manufacturers say the batteries last about a year before needing replacement. For about the same price, similar solar-powered lights are also available. Both can be mounted just about anywhere — on a greenhouse, tree, shed or fence post. They detect movement about 25 to 30 feet away.
Use lighting timers to confuse potential criminals who may be watching a property or street. Several electric and mechanical models are available for about $20 and come with seven-day and 24-hour programming to make it easy to set up irregular patterns. Setting lights to turn on and off at various times is especially important for anyone who’s away often.
“Criminals like darkness and shadows,” Wallace said. “The last thing they want is to be visible, so additional lighting can go a long way toward keeping your home safe and secure.”
Energy Adviser is written by Clark Public Utilities. Send questions to ecod@clarkpud.com or to Energy Adviser, c/o Clark Public Utilities, P.O. Box 8900, Vancouver, WA 98688
