Posted on 7 September 2022
Author: Sarah Nunn
Last updated on 8 March 2024
Your home should be where you feel safest and most comfortable, and while you can work on your interior décor to make you feel settled indoors, feeling safe outside your home is important too. Being able to see what you’re doing when you’re on the property at night, and to see what is going on outside are important – which is why so many people look to enhance the exterior of their homes not just with garden lighting, but with security lighting too.
Why do I need security lighting?
There are few people who could say that their homes were unaffected by security concerns – that desire to feel secure is a basic human need, after all. A few reasons to install security lighting around the outside of your home include:
• To make easier to see, and for you and your family to get indoors safely, without trips, slips, or falls
• So you can see that there aren’t any threats as you enter your home
• As a deterrent to potential intruders (especially when using motion sensors or PIR sensors)
• So you can see anything going on in your garden from inside your home (even if it is just the local wildlife!)
• To illuminate any visitors – whether their intentions are good (such as a delivery person) or not
• So you can light up areas that potential intruders might hide
Where should security lights go?
There isn’t a typical answer that we can give to this question – because the reply will be different for each and every home! But if you’re reading this article, it is pretty likely that you already know the areas that you want to light up. Typical spots that people install security lights include:
• By the entrances to the home
• On the driveway
• Along pathways
• By gates or entrances to the garden
Depending on where you want to install your lighting, you’ll need to ensure you have the right tools for the job (such as masonry bits, if you’re drilling into brick), or consider getting a professional to do the installation for you.
What type of lighting can be used for security lighting?
It depends on what you need your security lighting for. If you’re looking to light up the outside of your home to prevent slips and trips, then you can use almost any type of outdoor lighting that suits the needs of the area, and that gives off enough lighting. In this case, it might be that deck and ground lights, or garden lights would be sufficient for your needs. If you’re looking to add just a little extra ambient lighting outside your home, then soffit lights can provide a lovely glow without encroaching on neighbouring properties too much.
Where you need much more lighting though, you’re likely to be looking at security lights such as floodlights, wall lights, and lamp posts, and with additional features – which we’ll look at next.
Should security lights be on all the time?
You might not want, or feel the need for your security lights to be on throughout the night – your electricity bill, and the local wildlife can be negatively impacted. Lights that only switch on when required can be better than them being permanently lit if you’re installing security lights as a deterrent, and many models have functionality that can help you to manage your security lighting.
• Motion sensor – these trigger the light to switch on when motion is detected
• Passive Infrared (PIR) sensors – uses infrared from objects that emit heat, triggering the light
• Dusk until dawn sensor – to ensure you don’t waste energy running the light during hours of daylight
• Wi-Fi connectivity – with apps to help you manage your security lights
• Bluetooth – so you can configure your light when you’re nearby
Whichever of these is right for your needs, you’ll find outdoor lights for security with these features in our range.
What if there isn’t access to power?
Setting up lighting outside homes is often delayed because there is no access to power – but you don’t have to rely on mains power. Solar powered lighting has become a real, viable way to light up your garden and the outside of your home. That’s due to LED lighting requiring so much less power than older styles of lighting, and the batteries in quality solar lights are much improved, so even on dull days, your security lighting will perform as it should.
What else do I need to know about security lights?
When you’re adding security lights to your home, you also need to be aware of how you’re positioning your security lighting. Security lighting is intentionally bright – especially floodlights – and so you need to carefully consider where you install the light, and where the light will reach to. Lighting your home shouldn’t encroach on neighbouring homes (unless it has been agreed upon in advance, of course!) and cause neighbours to be uncomfortable. You don’t want to cause problems with those who live around you – it can end up in complaints to the local council if you can’t resolve it amicably – so be certain to plan, and consult with your neighbours before you go ahead.
As with all outdoor lighting, if you live within 5-10 miles of the coast, you’ll need to choose security lights that are in our coastal light range, to prevent your lights from the damaging effect of the extra salt in the air.
Our final thoughts
There might not be a ‘one size fits all’ approach to which are the right security lights for the home, but considering that not all homes, or the tastes of the residents are the same, that is a good thing. With so many options available, you can curate the look that you want for your home, as well as making your home look and feel safer. Ready to start your search? Browse our range of outdoor lights, security lights, and floodlights – you’re certain to find the combination of lights that you need, with the functionality that you want to manage your security lighting.