Outdoor lighting — from streetlights to bunker lights — is an essential aesthetic and functional element of any residential or commercial building. Many award-winning photos of commercial or heritage buildings have been taken at dusk, with outdoor lighting adding that extra oomph to the image. Similarly, lots of homeowners prefer yellow light for their outdoor spaces as this creates a warm and cosy feel. For commercial settings, white light is often favoured to facilitate a less homey and more professional atmosphere.
What Are Bunker Lights?
The most popular type of outdoor light is the bunker light. These were previously used to illuminate bunkers during times of war, as they were designed for very dark or low-light outdoor spaces. However, now they are used for dark outdoor spaces such as a gully, backyard, or carport. They are quite popular for outdoor use because they are wall mounted, and therefore don’t get in the way. In addition, they are quite economical — even the most aesthetically appealing ones are very affordable.
Furthermore, these lights are awesome value for money because they last a long time. Also, many makes offer weather-proof options, so your bunker light should be able to light the way even in undesirable weather conditions. Bunker lights can also easily match with a variety of building exteriors.
How Can Bunker Lights Amp Up the Security Around Your Home?
Bunker lights offer a number of advantages that can help to beef up your home security. Depending on the level of security you’re after, you can also add certain features to your bunker lights that will allow them to fulfil their duties even better.
Light Up the Exterior for Security and Safety
Bunker lights give you a sense of security when you are outdoors, such as when you are trying to find the key in your purse or the keyhole itself. They’re also convenient for when you make a quick trip to the mailbox or take out the rubbish at night time. If you have one or more bunker lights installed, you can confidently and safely navigate the outdoor areas of your house.
Provide Extra Surveillance Benefits
Bunker lights also enhance the effectiveness of your surveillance equipment as they allow for a better look at anyone passing by. Furthermore, illuminating buildings with bunker lights or any other form of outdoor lighting is an essential element of a security strategy called target hardening. This strategy takes a proactive approach towards dealing with security threats, as in taking measures that enhance security to such an extent that any trespasser or burglar will really have to work hard to plan and execute a break-in. The time duration between planning and execution can become a major deterrent for trespassers, thieves, and burglars.
Utilise Sensors for Extra Convenience & Security
Another interesting feature that can be added to a bunker light is a motion sensor. Sensor lighting is great because it lights up if someone is within its radius. This can be convenient if you don’t want to fumble in the dark for the light switch, but it can also alert you that someone is on your property. For instance, if a burglar passes near a window that has a bunker light with a sensor installed, this light will switch on and you’ll know someone is there.
One pro tip for enhancing the effectiveness of sensor lighting is to ensure the light isn’t blocked by any trees or shrubbery in the area. The best way to stay on top of this is by pruning any shrubbery that grows near windows and trimming any trees that sit near the lights. Another important tip is to always get your lighting installed by a licensed electrician. They can help you find the best position for it.
Try a Timer to Match Your Routines
You can also add additional devices, such as timers, which program the lights to switch on during certain periods of the day. For example, these lights can automatically switch on during the evening or at night. Additionally, sensors can be linked to the various entrances and doors of your home. So, when a door opens, the light switches on immediately, making it convenient for you to enter and exit your house as well as alert you of any suspicious activity.
Tips for Effectively Lighting Up Your Outdoor Spaces With Bunker Lights
If you are planning to install bunker lighting to the exterior of your home or office, you will find the following tips useful.
Choose an Aesthetic & Stick to It
Make sure you take aesthetics into consideration, as different light setups can completely change the exterior design of your home. Some people simply opt for a light at their home entrance, while others prefer a dreamy lit-up pathway from the lawn to the main entrance. This addition also serves as a major security feature as many intruders do not want to darken a lit doorstep for fear of identification.
Consider Electricity Consumption & Your Power Bills
When crafting your bunker lighting setup, take electricity consumption into account. For outdoor lighting, it is important to favour products that are energy efficient. You don’t want to be adding to your energy bills for the sake of amping up security. One smart way of reducing your electricity consumption is by using products that have additional energy-saving features. For example, bunker lights with motion sensors only light up when someone passes by so that they are never used unnecessarily.
Think About Safety & Security
Ensure the Entire Property Exterior Has Sufficient Lighting
To fully benefit from outdoor illumination and bunker lights, make sure your lighting is placed in such a way that allows you to see to up to at least roughly 10 metres around your property. It is also a promising idea to make sure your entrance is lit so you don’t waste too much time at your doorstep trying to find the keys and keyhole. Spending too much time at your doorstep in a distracted state is not only an annoyance but a security hazard, as people in this situation are often victims of muggings. Additionally, make sure the mailbox is illuminated because if you ever want to retrieve your mail late at night, you want to be able to do so safely. If used strategically, outdoor lighting can play an extremely significant role in keeping your home or office, yourself, and guests safe.
Eliminate Blind Spots With Additional Lighting & Security Features
Ensuring the safety and security of your property and its inhabitants is your number one priority. Often the dark areas or blind spots around your house or office may present a security hazard, as this is where thieves and attackers would hide and observe activity around a property. Having these areas illuminated using bunker lights can act as both a deterrent to thieves and a method of eliminating blind spots. Additionally, the installation of bunker lights is very common in Australian neighbourhoods to ensure the safety of passers-by and prevent any accidents from occurring. Staying safe depends upon people being cautious and vigilant, and you can never be too careful.
Connect Security Systems to Outdoor Lighting
If you watch the news often you will know that a large percentage of the premises that are burgled are either empty or appear empty. You are now probably wondering; how does anyone even know if a house or office is empty? Well, the answer is simple — an occupied property will be illuminated at various times, and this illumination will be at least a little visible from the outside. An empty property, on the other hand, will not have any lights on. When a burglar targets a property, they often identify how many people reside in or use the property and determine the times of day in which these people are usually there.
In the face of this issue, many people secure their property by connecting their security systems to their outdoor lighting. This way, lights will turn on and off even when there is no one present so that it appears as if someone is there. When you have outdoor lights installed, burglars and other intruders will also fear identification. With outdoor lighting, you can often conduct facial recognition from up to as far as 10 metres away.
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