Lighting is the first defense against intruders in your home, because a well lit perimeter makes it harder to hide in the shadows.

If a burglar is deciding between robbing two different homes, the darker home is at a greater risk.

Here are the best ways to get the most out of your security lighting strategy.

1. Cover all the bases

It is better to start low lighting in most places than bright lighting in a few places while large darks spots remain. Don’t keep all of your lighting up front, because realistically, that is the last place someone would lurk. Also, light the major pathways and all the entrances into the house.

Hang lighting higher than the door frame increase the radius. It’s really a balancing act because you don’t want to hang lighting too high because you will need high voltage, but you also don’t want to limit the radius. It is also much more difficult to tamper with higher hanging lights.

Angle the lights correctly so they do not create glare or undue burden on someone’s eyes to look in the direction of your home. If there are several bright lights creating harsh shadows, then it is likely your security system will have the opposite effect on securing your property. Instead, you are creating a perfect dark space for intruders to hide, and providing them with just enough light to see what they are doing.

2. Don’t neglect the maintenance

If the light bulbs are not working, then the security system isn’t effective. All outdoor lighting systems will eventually get bugs and dirt build up. Ignoring the issue will technological problems and limit the lifespan of your system.

Instead, regularly clean out the bulbs and change them promptly when they burn out.

3. Choose the right lighting

Light yellows might be a pleasant light to look at, but they aren’t the best security system. If you have cameras nearby and it catches someone on your property, a yellow light rather than a white light will distort the color of their clothes and other features.

4. Leverage technological advances

There isn’t any reason for your security lights to be on all the time. It wastes energy, and could possible add more light pollution to your bedroom while you’re trying to sleep. Motion-sensored lights are great at providing visuals when you need them most. It could also catch a would-be intruder off guard and scare them away.

Smart lighting means you could have complete control to customize your home lighting. These features often come with an upgrade to LED lighting, which also saves on energy.

5. Incorporate lighting into your landscape

Security lighting often brings to mind large flood lights, but let’s think outside the box. Install lighting on pathways to the house, hang lanterns with LED lighting from the trees, or add it to water features. These are not blatantly for security purposes, but they do help keeping your property from having too many shadows. You can also placing lighting on the ground to highlight certain features of the home.

Want to know the price of a new security lighting project? Call us for a free estimate at 405-651-0680.