Outside security lights can go a long way in protecting a property from would be criminals, but it has to be placed appropriately to function properly. Ideally, a set of fixtures can, once a sensor is tripped, instantly illuminate the property and allow the building’s occupants a clear picture of what is going on outside. These fixtures are also an excellent pairing with surveillance cameras, giving them more illumination to see with, and making it easier to identify people while they are on the property. But there’s a significant difference between using outdated fixtures, and installing a system with modern technology and controls.
A Light in the Night: Choosing and Placing the Right Outside Security Lights
Research into criminal behavior is improving how professionals pick and place fixtures for a property. It’s clear that things like reliability and color rendering are essential for proper functioning of the system. It’s also clear that the fixtures need to be placed in a way that ensures they are not tampered with. Specifically, these are the design features of a system, and what property owners should look for in their set of fixtures:
- Illumination quality is paramount – It’s not just about flooding the area with as much bright illumination as possible. In fact, this can produce excessive glare that effectively temporarily blinds anyone around the lights. This can be useful, of course, but it can also be a hindrance to those inside. It’s better to set up several medium output fixtures that offer even illumination, and fixtures that can display color clearly. LEDs are perfect in this regard, as they can be aimed easily and render colors accurately. Even illumination and true color rendering allows for an optimal view of the property, and ensures people can identify intruders.
- Durability should be a priority as well – Outside security lights are one of the first targets of anyone attempting to intrude on the property. It can be something as simple as unscrewing the bulb from the fixture, redirecting the sensors so they don’t come on when motion is detected, or even breaking the fixtures outright and hoping no one notices. LEDs, again, are a smart way to combat this behavior, as they are extremely durable and can be protected by additional screens. Of course, installing the fixtures high off the ground will make most of these destructive efforts rather difficult, if not impossible.
- Don’t forget about controls – Most systems operate with motion controls, responding to the presence of anything that walks by. Other controls can be set on timers or even respond to heat signatures. LEDs are the most controllable fixture technology available on the market, so they are compatible with an impressive range of control systems. This gives property owners more flexibility in how they operate their fixtures.
Exterior illumination is the first line of defense for properties, and when careful consideration is given to outside security lights, they can do their job of deterring criminal activity and keeping home and business owner safe in the process.
