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There’s plenty to appreciate about using outdoor LED lights for house security. LED lights are eco-friendly and use up to 85% less energy for the same illumination as standard incandescent bulbs. However, LED lights can be valuable for outdoor security because they automatically turn on with sensors, leaving the outside of your home lit up when needed.
If you prefer to minimize household chores, LED lightbulbs for outdoor flood lights can also last up to 25 times longer than traditional incandescent bulbs and longer than any other choice for outdoor lighting. We’re talking about high-quality LED lightbulbs that last for 50,000 hours. For outdoor LED lights for wall lighting, the best ones may last ten years or more, providing 12 hours/per day usage before you have to change them.
In case it wasn’t obvious, the clear winner is LED lighting for home security and exterior illumination. Below we discuss the types of lights that are best used for outdoor security needs.
Types of LED Security Lights
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There are many types of LED lighting for security purposes. The popular ones include motion-sensor lights, floodlights, solar-powered lights, and smart security lights.
Here are more details about them and examples of how LED exterior lights may be used.
Motion-sensor LED lights
These are popular because they only turn on when the sensor detects movement. Since these lights are not on most of the time, they are terrific energy savers. Combine the lighting system with video surveillance and recording, and you can catch the potential intruder or the pet doing its business in the middle of the act.
For example, a highly useful dual-head design with a 70-foot motion sensing detection ability mounts easily on your home. The suggested brightest is 3,500 lumens to deter any intruders.
Floodlights
LED floodlights are the appropriate choice for illuminating exterior walls and uplighting landscaping. They can light up a large area, such as a driveway, backyard, or garden pathways.
A popular type of LED floodlight integrates with smart home technology that gives you application control via voice commands.
NetZero Energy recommends strategic positioning of these floodlights with a strength of 2,000 lumens. This level of illumination makes the areas covered well-lit without the feeling of being under high-powered security lighting.
Solar-powered LED lights
As noted by the name, LED lights of this type store the sun’s energy daily in a rechargeable battery that allows the light to shine brightly at night. The advantages of solar-powered LED lights are that they do not add any costs to your energy bill and that there is no need to run an electrical wire connection.
Solar-powered lighting may be used anywhere that gets sunshine, even if the desired lighting is needed in a remote area far from a connected electrical power source.
For example, a good choice for those looking to save money in the long run would be to purchase a solar-powered LED light with 1,200 lumens of light, operated by a motion sensor to conserve battery life.
Smart security lights
LED lights can be integrated into a smart home system. They can operate on sensors and pre-scheduled times. Brightness can be controlled with a dimming capability to set mood lighting for a party, such as when using an outdoor BBQ or firepit at night. The same LED lights can shine brightly with a maximum output of 2,500 lumens to deter intruders. A nice feature is the ability to control light color and use voice commands for the smart home technology.
Key Features for Outdoor House Security Lighting
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For best results when choosing outdoor lighting bulbs and fixtures, compare brightness (in lumens), evaluate weather resistance, and look for adjustability in focusing the light. For sensors, determine the detection area and angle needed to capture the desired motion.
Brightness of LED lights
The brightness of any lighting source is measured in lumens. Watts is a measurement of the energy use of the lightbulb. One benefit of using LED lighting is that, with lower watts (less energy use), you can get higher lumens than other types of lighting.
A 22-watt LED lightbulb gives about 1,600 lumens, which is about the same as a 100-watt incandescent bulb.
Weather resistance
In the Northwest of the United States, Oregon, Washington, and Alaska, where NetZero Energy does most of its work, everything and everybody must be weather resistant. Severe rainstorms and freezing blizzards are common challenges.
When trying to keep maintenance costs down, using low-quality LED lighting fixtures that are not sufficiently weather-resistant is counterproductive. A better strategy is to use high-quality fixtures for outside lighting installations. You want the ones that can handle severe weather and remain functioning correctly, even if the initial investment is more.
Adjustability
Light fixtures with adjustable features, such as the ability to rotate the fixture or focus the light beam to a specific place, are preferred. Fixtures with adjustable blocking panels can cut off the light from hitting unwanted areas, such as the drivers in vehicles from oncoming traffic on the nearby street.
Motion sensors
Motion sensors cover a specific area and can be fine-tuned to trigger at a particular angle. For example, you might want to trigger on a person passing by a sensor at waist height and not on a cat passing by at a lower angle.
Improving Outdoor House Security with LED Lights
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Even the best LED lights won’t do much good if they’re not positioned correctly. Place lights near all doors, windows, and other entry points, including the garage door and back gate. Keep walkways, driveways, and sidewalks well-lit.
If you have a dark corner, overgrown hedge, or hidden side yard, make sure these spots are well-lit. For additional security, add lights to fences, trees, or poles along the edge of your property.
Our lighting system designers at NetZero Energy will recommend effective and attractive solutions for your improved home security. Contact us for a consultation.