A key feature in all home security systems is lighting. This includes both exterior and interior lights. It is lighting that is controlled by a timer, motion sensor, or stand-alone lighting. Whatever form lighting takes, it is the essential backdrop to home security.

Exterior lighting of a home is a vital part of home security. Not only does it enhance the aesthetics of a property, it also increases its safety. Consider the benefits of lighting the garden pond or walkways around a house. Homeowners should take a good look at their property at night to identify areas that are poorly lit. While exterior lighting is important, it doesnot need to be complicated. Tasteful garden lights, lamp posts or basic motion sensor floodlights in the back alley will do the trick.

Interior lighting is also central to home security systems. Commonsense will tell you that a lit home gives the appearance that someone is home. Houses that are entirely dark make easy targets. Interior lighting can be placed on timers; when it gets dark, the lights go on even if nobody is home. Some timers can be set to turn lights on and off in a random pattern. Some home security systems also include motion sensor lighting at the entrances. This can act as a ‘welcome home’ light to the homeowners so their entrance is lit as they come through the door.

For lighting to work as a security measure, it is important that its placement hinders criminal activity rather than help the criminal. In an interesting article in the New Yorker Magazine, criminologists noted that bright, unshielded floodlights actually light the way for criminals. Motion sensor lights are a better choice when it comes to security systems as they act as a deterrent when activated.

Some might be concerned that an emphasis on lighting increases a home’s electricity costs. However, according to YourHomeImprovement.com, LED lights work best in home security systems because they work efficiently with timers and motion sensors. LED lights use approximately seventy percent less energy than a standard light bulb. The variety of choice in LED lighting has significantly expanded over the past couple of years. It is now possible, for example, to purchase LED floodlights. There are also many landscaping lights that work on solar energy so they donot use the home’s electricity.

In conclusion, home security systems begin with effective lighting. A strategic and coordinated lighting system will serve as the most basic but essential feature of a security system.