Home Security Indoor and Outdoor Lighting

Home security lighting has benefited greatly in recent years from the advancements in modern technology. The days of the simple timer mechanisms on your indoor and outdoor lights are gone. Floodlights have long been used for securing the outside of your home. But these things have taken a back seat recently, as these systems are becoming much more advanced.

Since PC's are a common piece of equipment in most homes, the newer systems can interface with your computer to create a more realistic usage simulation. With no discernible pattern to the light usage, the burglar is fooled into thinking someone is home. Many times, this will send them on their way.

These simulated usage patterns should also be combined with varying locations and levels of illumination. You'll want to have different lights at different levels turning on and off at different times. A professional burglar will take his time and study his surroundings, and if he figures out that there is no one home, he may just leave you a note thanking you for leaving the lights on for him.

These rules hold true for outdoor lighting as well. Floodlights are popular due to their ability to cover large areas with bright light. There are a couple of ways this can work against you, though. The bright light shining in your eyes makes it harder to see other areas, and it also creates darker shadows in the areas the light does not reach.

A more even lighting pattern is more effective when it comes to outdoor security lighting. Even the areas that are shadowed should be subtle to the point that you can still see in them. Walkways should be lighted at a comfortable level that allows you to see without being blinded.

There are options available that will help you save on energy bills as well. In addition to fluorescents, there is a wide variety of cost effective options available.

A lighting option that used to be too high priced for the average homeowner is sodium-filled lamps. This is the technology used in many street lights, and is perfect for adding a subtle light to walkways and corners.

Another cost effective option for inside the home is LED lights. These lights will cost you more initially, sometimes $10 for a 100 watt bulb, but their long life will make the investment worth it over time. Some of these bulbs will last you ten years or more.

LED lights will more accurately simulate natural light, and thus, they will be easier on your eyes. Another nice characteristic of these bulbs is that extended use or frequently switching on and off will not shorten their life span.

Modern technology has provided many effective options for home security lighting that will give your family with an extra level of protection.