Home security 101: The best places to install motion-activated lights

One basic way to keep your home protected against intruders is to install motion-activated lights around your property. The two main reasons for this are convenience and security. Not only can they function as practical sources of light that you can use around your home, but they can also serve as a means of early deterrence for any would-be intruders. Thieves often operate in a state of heightened alertness. Anything that can suddenly startle them is likely to foil their plans and send them running. Sometimes, motion-sensing lights can even stop a thief in his tracks just as easily as a loud alarm can. Maximize your home security plan by finding out the best areas to install your motion-sensing lights. (h/t to ModernSurvivalBlog.com)

Ideally, you should install motion-activated lights around your perimeter and at every point of entry into your house, but if you want to take your home defense plan a step further, you can set up two perimeters, one installed farther out and one based around the home itself. The outer perimeter can consist of solar-powered lights to save on electricity bills, while the inner perimeter can utilize a permanently installed 120-volt system. If you want to learn the best places to put up your lights, you should first put yourself in an intruder’s point of view. Walk your perimeter and find any potential weak spots that could allow someone to reach your home undetected. Cover these areas with motion-activated lights installed at a height of around six to 10 feet from the ground for maximum coverage.

Above and within your garage

You probably have a lot of valuable items stored in your garage, including tools, bikes, and especially your car. Give your belongings an added layer of protection by bathing them in light. The areas in and around your garage are practical places to install your motion lights since they can illuminate the area when you need to work in your garage, but also they can quickly expose anyone who shouldn’t be there.

Property walkways

If you don’t want to find yourself walking in darkness during nighttime, you might as well brighten up those walkways with a few motion-sensing lights. It also makes sense that the main entrance to your house should be well-lit. Not only will you be safe from intruders, you will also be safe from accidents that may result from stumbling around in the dark. (Related: Simple strategies you can implement NOW to significantly improve your home security.)

Back door

Now that you’ve got your main entrances covered, what about your back door? It is highly recommended that all your home entrances should have motion lights installed, so why should your back door be any different? The rear part of your home should be just as protected as the front. In fact, it should be even more secured precisely because it is a less expected entry point. Regardless of how unlikely an entry point it might be, you still shouldn’t take your chances.

Each side of the house

Even if the side areas of your home don’t have any doors, it would still be wise to bathe each side in light. The last thing you want to do is to give would-be intruders the advantage of blind spots, no matter how limited their cover of darkness may be. If you place motion-activated lighting on each side of your house, then you practically have all-around protection for your home. This is especially important if you only plan on having one perimeter.

Open areas

Gardens, pools, yards, patios, and other open areas are excellent places to install your outer (or secondary) perimeter of lights, in case you plan on having two. Additionally, you should keep your outdoor open areas free from any obstructions that thieves can potentially hide behind.

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Sources include: 

ModernSurvivalBlog.com

CommandOne.com