3 Reasons You Need Outdoor Lighting

by Audrey Ryan | Oct 25, 2019

As the days get shorter in colder months, more of our home, work, and social activities take place in the dark. Even if folks are spending more time indoors, outdoor activities in the dark happen more frequently, and people are walking to and from cars, activities, stores, and restaurants in the dark. All of us are more dependent on electrical lighting sources to help us get through our evenings. These short-day seasons, it’s a good idea to make sure your outdoor home lighting is operating correctly or to install outdoor lighting if you don’t have it.

Outdoor automatic lighting is most of the time referred to as security lighting, but it’s not just for security as in crime reduction. Yes, crime is one of the big reasons to install responsive outdoor lighting around your home. But there are a host of other benefits to keeping things lit. Outdoor lighting serves many purposes that pay off in terms of home use, convenience, and safety. Here are the top reasons why you need to have working lights around the outside of your home.

Safety and Awareness

When day turns to night if can be difficult to see your surroundings. So you might not see that patch of ice, or the logs your son set out for the fire pit. Did you know that according to the CDC, the 3rd leading cause of death in the US is accidental injury? Lighting around driveways, backyards, pathways, steps, porches and around the rest of your home can help to keep your family, guests and neighbors aware of their surroundings outside when it’s not as easy to see, so accidents may be avoided.

Home Enjoyment

More and adequate outdoor lighting means more opportunities to use your space! One of the more common comments from homeowners that install outdoor lighting is how much more they use their outdoor spaces to entertain or to enjoy time with their families. Simply put, if you can’t see it, you can’t use it. Placing outdoor lighting in the areas where you want to spend time even when the sun goes down opens up a lot of possibilities for family outdoor games, dinners, and drinks with friends. Guests have more space to mingle as they meander through your home into your outdoor living spaces. Lighting enhances the comfortable and inviting mood around your home that you can enjoy alone or with others!

Crime Prevention

Ok, the obvious benefit to security lighting is that it reduces cases of your home and property being burglarized. Thieves don’t select homes that have bright lights around the property. Why? Because it’s hard to find any dark corners to hide sneaky behavior. You, your cameras, your neighbors, and passers-by can easily see if someone attempts to break into your home. Lights with timers let you can change the scheduled lighting routine and make it harder for an outsider to know when you typically are away. Motion sensor lighting is the best of both worlds as it catches intruders off guard and brings awareness to the setting instantly.

If you’re on the fence about installing outdoor lights or you haven’t gotten around to fixing the ones you have, now is a great time to revisit the idea. If you’re concerned about the energy expenses, you’ll be glad to know that there are many very good LED options for outdoor lights that don’t suck the energy grid and look fantastic. Here’s another way to look at it. If you and your family are safer and better able to enjoy your property to its fullest extent than the value is justified. If you need help, call our electricians, who can come out and make this happen for you!