Security Lighting Buying AdviceTo most people, security lights are one of the
most practical and effective ways to prevent crime in or
around your home or office. In fact, a lot of people do trust
that a well-lighted property cannot prevent malicious activity
or guarantee personal safety, but crimes are less likely to
occur because lighting is an excellent deterrent to all the
potential criminal activities. |
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A security lighting system is a deterrent because it exposes
the criminal to all the chances that people would see and recognize
them, making them feel vulnerable and insecure. Criminals most
likely look for areas with little to no lighting, for obvious
reasons. Homeowners on the other hand, can benefit from a lighting
security system that can detect and recognize movement in an
otherwise neglected and dark area in or around your home. Downward
directed and shielded security lighting of medium intensity provides
the best vision for outdoor lighting. In addition to the position of
the security lights, controlling the glare is a major consideration.
This is crucial because homeowners who can see the criminal can
possibly provide authorities with descriptions, information, and
other valuable clues thus leading a very good chance to capture
them.
There are various types of security lights and outdoor
security lighting systems on the home renovation market today. To
better understand the differences it is best to classify the
security lighting into two basic lamp categories: HID and Halogen or
Incandescent. HID or High Intensity Discharge - HID light sources
are designed to operate by using magnetic or electronic ballasts in
combination with a gas filled lamp. The purpose of the ballast is to
convert the supply voltage to a higher operating voltage necessary
to excite the gas in the lamp and the gas then create the light.
Most of us today are familiar with mercury vapor lighting. These are
the blue-green colored security lights you may have seen way up in
the tree tops, or perhaps attached to your neighbor's house. Other
types of HID lighting include metal halide, high-pressure sodium,
and fluorescent. With the exception of fluorescent, all of these
sources require a warm-up period and a re-strike time to return to
full intensity should the power go off. They are not designed for
instantaneous use and should be supplemented by other sources for
panic or spontaneous lighting. High intensity discharge products are
energy efficient, long lasting and very commonly used in landscape
lighting.
Halogen or incandescent light systems - Halogen
fixtures are designed to operate on standard house current. These
light bulbs contain a carbon filament suspended on several supports
within the lamp envelope, which glow when current is passed through
the lamp. These lights which you see on everybody's house are
typically referred to as floodlights and are perfect for continuous
or instantaneous use because they require no warm up period. These
security lights produce a white to yellow color and are less
desirable for aesthetic lighting applications. These lights do work
well in combination with tree lighting or moonlighting jobs as
supplemental security lighting.
Motion Detectors and
occupancy sensors are other tools commonly used in security
lighting. These handy devices turn the security lights on an off
when motion or movement is detected within their range making them
ideal devices for security lighting and energy management. Because
they are constantly switching the lights off and on, they cannot be
used to control high intensity discharge sources. They are perfect
for controlling halogen or incandescent sources. It is important to
position your security lights out of arms reach so that they cannot
be disabled or destroyed by intruders. Remember, the best position
is a downward position, so mount them as high as possible on your
house for safe, reliable operation. Buying Suggestions: Security
lighting system is crucial to home security so please pick the right
and suitable one for your home. When considering security lighting
for a property, the security lighting system should at least have
three foot-candles; keep lighting uniform throughout the site; and
use luminaries that direct the light downward to surfaces within the
field of view, to make more effective use of the light and limit
light pollution.
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