How to Choose the Right Outdoor Security Lighting for My Home

Outdoor security lighting is an important consideration for any home. Properly placed and brightly illuminated lights can help deter intruders, illuminate walkways to prevent accidents, and make your property safer after dusk.

With so many options on the market, from bulb types to features to installation methods, choosing the right outdoor security lighting may seem daunting. But breaking down your needs step-by-step makes settling on the perfect lights for your home straightforward.

Determine Your Lighting Needs

When deciding on outdoor security lights, the first step is assessing your needs. Important factors to consider include:

• Area to be lit: Measure the size and shape of the spaces needing lights. This includes entryways, sidewalks, driveways, backyards, and patios. Know the square footage to light up.
• Required brightness: Outdoor security lighting should provide brightness of at least 2000-3000 lumens to properly illuminate hazards and deter intruders. Consider more output for larger areas.
• Light type: Flood lights spread illumination over a wide zone, while spotlights focus intensely on a specific area. Often a mix of flood and spot is ideal for full coverage.
• Smart features: Many security lights integrate motion sensors, remote access via phone apps, scheduling, light adjustments, and smart home connectivity.

Choose Fixtures Based on Bulb & Beam Type

Once you know your basic requirements, selecting an outdoor security light fixture boils down to preferred bulb type and beam performance:

Bulb Types

Common options include:

• LED: Most energy efficient. Very long-lasting (25,000-50,000 hours). High light quality.
• Incandescent: Less efficient. Short lifespan (1,000 hours). Warm light tone.
• Fluorescent: Between LED and incandescent efficiency. Cool light tone.

Beam Angle & Spread

The beam angle indicates the width of light coverage. Lights with a:

• Narrow beam (10 to 25 degrees): Brighten concentrated spot.
• Medium beam (30 to 60 degrees): Light up driveways and pathways well.
• Wide beam (70 to 120 degrees): Cover biggest areas.

Additional Features

Also, compare:

• Lumens rating: Higher is brighter.
• Color temperature: Warm white is more yellow. Cool white is crisper.
• IP weatherproof rating: 65 or above resists outdoor elements.
• Hardwired vs. plug-in: Hardwired operation is the most reliable.

Compare Power Source Options

Outdoor security lighting runs on:

• Solar power: Absorbs sunlight to power lights after dark. No wiring is needed.
• Battery: Self-contained power source. Portable. Needs frequent battery swaps.
• Hardwired: Connects to a home’s electricity. Most powerful and reliable source.

Consider solar or battery-powered lights for quick DIY installation. But for permanent security lighting, hardwired fixtures hooked to your home’s power supply work best.

Calculate Proper Positioning

Installing security lighting in smart positions is key. Important factors include:

• Mounting height based on manufacturer guidelines.
• Angle direction facing paths, doors, driveways, or other areas needing illumination.
• Avoid glare into windows and dark shadow pockets in the coverage area.

Proper angles and heights provide optimal light distribution without nuisance glare or uneven bright and dark spots.

Decide on DIY vs. Professional Installation

You can either install outdoor security lights yourself or hire an electrician. DIY is cheaper but requires know-how. Professional installation costs more upfront but saves potential hassles. Either way, basic methods include:

• Wall mounting: Attaches flush to exterior walls. Simple wiring.
• Eave mounting: Under roof overhangs. Out of direct weather.
• Post/pole mounting: Freestanding lights. Flexible positioning.

Compare options to suit your setup process, wiring access, and desired placements.

Factor in Design & Additional Features

Also, consider aesthetics and extra capabilities when selecting outdoor security lighting:

• Finish/materials complementing home exterior and landscape.
• Styles matching exterior architecture.
• Motion sensors trigger automatic activation.
• Dimmable/fading/colored lighting modes.
• Integration with cameras, alarms, doorbells, etc.

The right design and features help the lights blend into your property visually while offering expanded functionality past just brightening up areas.

Set Your Budget

Outdoor security lighting has a wide range of prices. When setting your budget, factor in:

• Upfront fixture expense: Simple vs. smart lights.
• Operation costs: Electricity or battery usage fees.
• Installation costs: DIY or professional expenses.
• Maintenance: Bulb replacement and repair needs.

Weigh costs against the value added in security, visibility, ambiance, and convenience each light provides.

Choosing the optimal outdoor security lighting takes research and planning tailored to your home’s unique needs. But the peace of mind and protection the right lights provide make the effort well worth it for you and your family’s safety.