Types of Outdoor Security Lighting

There are many benefits of outdoor lighting, ranging from ambiance to functionality. One of the most important purposes your exterior lighting serves is to provide an extra layer of security for your home. A well-lit lawn discourages potential vandals and burglars from taking a go at your home. Security lighting comes in a variety of forms, making it easy to adapt to the layout and weak spots of your home landscape. In this post, we’ll introduce you to a few of these options.

Motion-Activated Security Lights

Motion-activated security lights operate just as the name implies—they switch on when they detect motion. Motion-activated lights are a cost-saving option for exterior security lighting. Leaving lights on all night long uses a good deal of energy, whereas motion-activated lights conserve energy by only illuminating when the motion detector is triggered. The ideal placement for motion-activated security lights is entryways, backyards, and swimming pool.

Exterior Flood Lights

Flood lights are perhaps the most common form of security lighting. They simply “flood” the target area with a bright light that stays on throughout the night. Because they’re on for hours at a time, flood lights tend to consume more energy than other security lighting, particularly if you’re using halogen bulbs. To conserve energy, opt for solar or LED flood lights. High-mounted flood lights are best used for large backyard or patio areas, whereas flood lights mounted close to the ground can be used to illuminate driveways or paths.

High Intensity Discharge Security Lighting

High intensity discharge lights (or HID, as they’re commonly called), emit a concentrated stream of light with a wide radius. Because their field of illumination spans such an expansive perimeter, they are a popular for large areas such as parking lots, stadiums, and backyard playgrounds or pools.

Motion Tracking Spotlight

When the sensors in a motion tracking spotlight detect movement, the light rotates toward the activity and shines a bright beam of light on the area that follows the movement within the spotlight’s field of view. Spotlights can be mounted above entryways or garages, along the side of the house, or on sheds. They’re a great option for less trafficked areas of your yard that don’t need constant illumination. In addition to providing home security, they serve a practical purpose of lighting your way if you do need to cross dimly-lit areas of your lawn at night.

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