Outdoor Flood and Spot Lights

Your outdoor lighting can be extremely important, especially where home safety and security are concerned. An easy way to illuminate the outside of your home, both front and back, is with a floodlight or two. While a bright, white spotlight may sound like a nightmare for both you and your neighbors, rest assured that today’s modern security lights come with several features to keep the peace.

What features can my security lights provide?

Such features include sensors that detect the arrival of dusk as well as its departure, allowing the floodlight to turn on when needed and power off when daylight takes over. Another handy feature is motion-sensing capability. A motion-sensor light will stay turned off until it detects movement within a certain range, typically within a 180-degree radius and up to 74 feet away. If movement is detected, it will turn on to illuminate any would-be nighttime prowlers (or possibly even visitors who’ve arrived late and need to see your walkway). Be warned, however, that a motion-sensor light may not be the best choice for your home if it’s located near a busy street or sidewalk.

Where should I install my LED spotlights?

The location of your security lights is extremely important. Naturally you’ll want them to fully illuminate your targeted area without causing temporary blindness or waking up your neighbors. So you’ll want to mount them at least 9 feet from the ground and so that the light is pointed at a downward angle — around 22 degrees. Make sure it’s not pointed at your neighbors’ homes — or your windows or doors, for that matter.

Are LED spotlights the best option?

Along with LEDs, your security lights can feature a variety of different bulb types. Which you choose depends on the energy efficiency and longevity you desire. Here’s a quick rundown of the various types:
• LED: An LED spotlight or LED floodlight can provide a high level of energy efficiency and perhaps the longest lifespan of all the bulbs on the market. They consume less energy than fluorescent bulbs and can last up to 50,000 hours, according to manufacturers. LED lights are perfect for security purposes, since they provide a bright, white light almost instantly. However, they do require a hefty up-front investment.
• Solar: If you’re extremely concerned about energy efficiency, solar-powered lights are your best choice. However, similar to LEDs, solar lights can be an expensive investment at the start, and you’ll want to make sure you place them in an area that receives ample sunlight during the day. This will further restrict the locations where you can place your security lights, so if solar-powered is the route you’d like to go, it may be beneficial to map out the location of your lights beforehand to make sure you can place them in prime areas.
• Halogen: One of the more common choices, halogen features a fairly long lifespan (typically 2,000 hours or more) and a bright, steady light. Halogen bulbs do, however, become extremely hot while in operation, so ensure your halogen floodlights are out of reach of any children or pets.
• High-intensity discharge (HID): If you’re looking for premium energy efficiency, you can’t beat an HID light. These have been rated as being up to 90 percent more efficient than traditional incandescent bulbs. This efficiency comes at a slight performance cost, however, in that HID spotlights require extra time to power up to their full intensity.
• Fluorescent: These are rated as more energy efficient than incandescent bulbs and have been known to last up to 10 times longer. Because they contain a small amount of mercury, fluorescent bulbs must also be properly disposed of. They do tend to be cheaper than HID and halogen types, however, which makes them a fairly cost-effective choice.
• Incandescent: Your traditional bulb type, an incandescent can work well as a floodlight provided it has a high enough wattage. They require only a small payment up front; however, they are the least energy-efficient choice on the market. If you do choose to use incandescent bulbs in your security lights, keep in mind that the U.S. government plans to eventually phase these out, so you may have trouble finding replacement incandescent bulbs in the future.

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