If you are thinking about installing some area lights around your home, please read the following advice for ideas and safety tips.
Where to install:
It is important that your home be properly lit, both when you are home and when you are away.
It is commonly advised that you install lights first in the areas where you may walk in the dark. For example, if you come home from work late at night after dark, it is important that you are able to see a clear path from your car or bus stop all the way to your front door. To achieve this lighting element, begin by lighting the door area, where you are most likely to be caught looking for your keys in your bag or taking a few steps up potentially hazardous steps. Having a light that automatically turns on with motion is most effective at the door as you are most likely to need it here.
Light a path from the driveway. If you take a walkway, make sure it is fully illuminated. If there are bushes around your house where a human or other animal could hide, make sure those areas are properly lit so that you can see what is coming at you in the event you should need to see.
If you do any entertaining outside in the dark, such as on a deck or exposed porch, make sure that you have flood lights installed over the area. These lights will be especially helpful if you use a grill or hot tub with your entertainment.
Many people who live in areas dense with brush and trees like the added security of placing spotlight around the yard, not necessarily focused on the house. These spotlights are helpful in deterring intruders as well as animals that may be able to detect their presence.
What type of light:
Floodlight: A floodlight is similar to the type of light you might find on your car. Basically, it is high-powered light bulb that will illuminate a large area. Floodlights are helpful in casting a daytime glow when working at night or in simply giving light to an otherwise dark or shadowed area.
Motion Sensor Light: A motion sensor light is a light that will illuminate with the detection of motion. Many intruders are deterred when a light comes on from the exterior of the home and cannot detect whether it is a motion sensor or whether there is actually a human who has heard them. The only drawback with these types of lights is that they are easily set off by animals and can become annoying to the property owner if he or she is in the pattern of checking each time the light comes on.
Timed lights: A timed light will come on at a pre-determined time. These lights are helpful if you plan to be out of town or if you know that you would like them to come on automatically when it gets dark, for example. Timed lights are helpful around the doorstep when you come home after dark and need that extra light when looking for keys or for steps.