What Lights to Keep On At Your House While You Are On Vacation

There’s something about darkness that invites trouble. That’s why homeowners tend to keep at least a few lights on at all times—including when on vacation. 

The professionals here at Electric Concepts give this subject a great deal of thought. One of the reasons is because there’s often debate over the right lighting setup during vacations. With the vast majority of burglaries occurring when homes are vacant, vacation lighting can be important in protecting your home while saving on energy costs. 

The Facts About Constant Lighting

Why We Keep The Lights On At Night

The simple answer to this question is to ward off burglars, or other bad actors with ill will. For as long as the light bulb has existed, people have left the lights on at night to deter intruders and thieves. 

Unlit Homes Appear Vacant

There may be some folks around the neighborhood who choose against vacation lighting. More often than not, these are simply empty houses. Then again, some of these folks choose to keep the house dark, perhaps to save money. This can prove far more costly in the end. 

Burglars tend to avoid homes that are or appear to be lighted. However, the data shows that lights affect intruder behavior far less than a car parked in the driveway, or anything that gives a stronger appearance that the house isn’t vacant. 

So why bother? Shouldn’t we save money if lights aren’t a great deterrent? Well, not so fast. 

Lighting Designs That Deter Home Intruders

While this isn’t our typical blog on lighting trends, deterring intruders does seem to involve a great deal of design prowess. In general, there are three important aspects of lighting your home while you’re away on vacation.

Dynamic Lighting

Cars deter intruders because presence in the home is their biggest deterrent. Most folks on vacation leave on static lighting. That is, the same lights are on the entire time. For decades on end this was unavoidable. 

But modern technology has afforded us dynamic lighting. Dynamic lighting is defined by lighting patterns that change over time. These lighting changes mimic an occupied home, since few people keep the same lights on or off for hours, even days on end. 

The professional technicians here at Electric Concepts can install lights that turn on and off at certain times. There are even technologies that can alter the timing and pattern of your lighting design. 

Flood Lights

One of the best deterrents for any home invader is a good set of flood lights. Flood lights have motion sensor technology that triggers them to turn on when there’s sufficient movement—such as a person walking near the house.  

Better yet, flood lights will help deter intruders whether you’re on vacation or at home sleeping. Few things ward off potential burglars than high-octane lights revealing their location precisely as they arrive on the premises. 

It’s important to install a set of flood lights that properly protect your entire property. Electric Concepts’ design specialists can help guide you through the best options for covering every angle around your home. 

Don’t Reveal The Indoors!

Though subtle, and also tricky, this one’s just as important as the others. Burglars tend to hit houses whose windows clearly reveal the inside. Nice furniture, expensive decorations, TVs, and other electronics—knowing the home’s contents provides much, if not most, of the incentive. 

Certain porch lighting designs help keep windows full of glare. Interior lamp positioning can play to this effect, or limit a potential intruder’s depth of sight past the windows. As experts in lighting dynamics, Electric Concepts can design an arrangement with robust lighting that leaves peekers with spots in their vision.

Incredibly important, vacation lighting schemes can deter even the bravest of burglars. But you need a design team that understands both the data and attendant deterrents. Get in touch with us here at Electric Concepts to get started on protecting your home with vacation lighting. 

Learn More About Electric Concepts’ Lighting Design And Installation Team 

As Montgomery, AL’s top lighting designers and electricians, Electric Concepts understands how to guide you toward updated lighting designs that meet your tastes and specifications. Give us a call to discuss a plan for upgrading your lighting design. You can contact our master electricians at any time to get started.