A Complete Guide to Security Lighting

Read on for our guide to security lighting.

Security lighting works by illuminating areas around your property. In most cases, that’s triggered by sensors, with lights coming on when motion is detected. That means anyone trying to vandalise or break into your property in the dark will be greeted by a flood of light.

With that in mind, the mere sight of security lighting on a property can deter some criminals. Those who do approach the property will often retreat when the lights switch on. In the worst-case scenario where a criminal does continue to break in or cause damage, you’ll have the best chance of you or someone else seeing them with the lights on.

On the other hand, some security lights are simply switched on without a motion sensor. Typically lower in power, these lights still add that layer of security and deterrent by removing dark unseen areas from your property. They can double as décor, illuminating parts of your garden or driveway.

As with all security equipment, there are a variety of options available when it comes to security lighting. Here are some of the features you can choose from to find the right security lighting for your property:

• Power – While many security lights are wired into your home, some are solar powered to save energy and save you money. Motion sensors are also good for this, as they only switch on when they pick up movement.
• Range – Lights will vary in how far they can detect motion, with ranges typically between 20-50 feet. Large gardens and commercial sites will usually need something on the higher end of the scale.
• Scope – They also vary in the area they can monitor, from 120 degrees facing outwards to wider sensors which pick up movement further to the side of their position. But remember, you don’t want the sensor to pick up movement on streets or neighbouring properties as this will trigger the light to come on unnecessarily.
• Brightness – Some lights are intentionally very bright to draw attention and warn off trespassers. However, if you also want to use your light when you’re sat out in the garden, you can find some lights with adjustable brightness so they’re not blindingly bright.
• Timing – How long do you want the light to shine for? Some lights can be programmed with different settings, so you can choose one minute to give people a warning and save energy, or keep it on for five minutes if you want to use the light when you pop out to the shed in the evening, for instance.

Security lighting typically refers to lights outside your home, covering key points of entry. However, lights can also be used for security inside the home.

A lot of burglaries take place when criminals know you’re not in. Automated lighting creates the impression that someone is in your home while you’re away – at work, on holiday or just out for dinner.

This has become much easier with modern technology. With the Honeywell TC2 app, for instance, you can switch lights on and off from your phone, tablet or computer, wherever you are. You can also use the app to set timed scenes for while you’re away.

Whether it’s your garden, driveway or inside your home, Selectron offers a wide range of security lighting products that deter criminals and make your property even safer. To find out more, feel free to contact our security experts who can talk you through your options.