When designing lighting systems intended to keep a property and its occupants safe, it’s important to be able to explain to your customer what you’re proposing and why you recommend it. Here’s a quick refresher on the strategies you should follow when designing security lighting and some of the features you can recommend to your customers.

How much light and where?

It’s tempting to think that more light is automatically better, but that’s not necessarily the case. Lights that are too bright result in glare that makes it hard for anyone to see and dark shadows that are a perfect spot to hide in. Light pollution around a home can also be a problem. People want to feel safe in their homes, but they will be happiest if the light is also attractive for the property.

It’s better to have more small lights instead of a few very bright lights since it’s easier to make sure the right areas are lit. You want to cover entrances, corners, and backyards in a way that creates as few blind spots as possible. If there are security cameras on the property, make sure that the areas they record are well illuminated.

It’s best to place lights high enough that it's difficult for them to be tampered with but low enough that enough light reaches the ground. Also, make sure they’re not so high that the property owner needs to buy an extra tall ladder just to change bulbs when they go out. Lights won't do any good if there’s not a working bulb!

Consider the Location

You should design security lighting differently depending on the location of the property. Is it for an isolated home in a rural area or a home in a crowded neighborhood? Are you working for a large company building or a shopping strip in a populated city?

Floodlights are probably not appropriate for the average neighborhood since they can be overpowering for the neighbors. They also don’t look very nice in a residential setting. In a business parking lot, floodlights may offer great coverage and help customers see where they’re going, but they can also help burglars see exactly what they’re doing. Be mindful of that fact and use chosen lighting in conjunction with other security devices, like cameras and motion sensors, if you’re concerned that the lights might be helping criminals more than hindering them.

Types of Lighting Controls

There are so many options available when it comes to what kinds of controls to install that it’s possible to make any property feel safer. Here are some of the most popular:

Passive infrared sensors (PIRs): These sensors turn on the light when they detect a person or animal moving nearby and are an excellent way to deter a would-be burglar.

Motion sensing lights: These turn on when they detect any motion and are also a great option.

Photocells: These lights turn on automatically when it gets dark so that the property owner doesn’t need to remember to flip any switches.

Timers: Setting timers on lights is a great way to keep burglars guessing, especially when the residents are not at home. They are most effective for indoor use, however, while the motion and infrared sensing options are best outdoors.
Security lighting is a great tool, but it’s wise to remind customers that more home burglaries occur during the day than they do at night , so they should not depend solely on lighting to keep their home safe. Security lighting is most effective when combined with other surveillance and security systems that protect the home 24 hours a day, whether or not anyone is home.

Hopefully, this guide helps you not only design appropriate security lighting for your customers but also explain to them your reasoning and help them feel as safe as possible. What are some other lighting strategies you use to help deter burglars?

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