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Different Types of Security Lighting Explained
Security lighting, while not a miracle cure to a widespread problem (many burglaries do take place during daylight), is without a shadow of a doubt a major deterrent to would-be burglars. It is excellent to be able to look out into your garden and be able to see what is going on at night. The presence of light in your garden will set the criminals’ minds racing. “Will the neighbours see me?” “Will I be caught on camera?” “Will someone come down for a drink and see me through the window?” All of these kinds of thoughts are what security lighting can set in motion.
There are many different kinds of security lighting that come with their own pros and cons and can each be best-suited to certain properties and circumstances. Let’s take a look through some of them.
Dusk to Dawn lighting
One great option for so-called ‘peace of mind lighting’ is Dusk to Dawn. These lights benefit from a built-in photocell, which means that the lights will automatically switch on at dusk and off again at dawn – hence the name. The sensitive products have a ‘lux’ (Latin for light) setting, which means that you can determine how dark it needs to be before the lights turn on. The convenience of such lights and the flexibility afforded by those that have a manual override function mean they are excellent for home and business use.
Pir Motion Sensors
PIR (Passive Infrared) Motion Sensors are great for those more concerned with the environmental impact of security lighting and for those in the country, or in more rural areas, who don’t want to disturb their neighbours with night lights. This is because PIR Motion Sensors are capable of detecting the infrared rays released by the human body, or any pesky animals of the night! The light can be activated by the mere presence of anybody or anything alive moving within the range of detection. When there is nothing to trigger it, the default state of the light is ‘off’. As a further advantage, this sort of security light is less expensive as less electricity is used and it is very easy to install, which cuts down on installation cost and time.
Remote / Radio Controlled lighting
Remote controlled security lighting can be of varying type, but for instance you can have remote controlled motion sensor security lighting as described above, with the added bonus of being able to control or override the lighting via remote control. This is excellent for those false alarms caused by marauding hedgehogs or mischievous cats. You can have the remote control alongside you in the evening as you read or watch a series and turn the light off when you realise the benevolent source! On nights when the animals are particularly active, you can disable the motion sensor via the remote control to avoid continual disturbance. These lights are excellent for all-round use, use on stables or other outbuildings and even safeguarding chickens from those pesky foxes.
John Hinds