What does your house look like at night? Is it dark and foreboding, or warm and inviting? Night is generally the preferred time for criminals and the time people feel the most unsafe. When I was a Marine, I actually preferred to work at night. I simply learned how to use the night and some technology to create advantages against my enemies. We can fix your house in much the same way.
Using simple lights with a plan will let you use the night to your advantage. There are two thoughts for using lights, light up the entire area or use motion lights. Both work well in different situations.
Lighting up the entire area is what most government and high security buildings do. They are not concerned with neighbors or power bills. They also cut down all the trees, bushes, and buildings to create an open area to see for a long way, and use multiple layers of lights. That’s a little overkill for most neighborhoods. But you can get the same effect by cutting down a couple bushes and placing lights on the most likely points someone will approach your house. Adding lights to the porch, walkway, and driveway are a good start. Then think about putting lights on the back gate and parts of the fence face the street. Cut down your bushes and trees so no one can hide behind them while trying to get into windows or doors.
Once the lights are done and the bushes cut you can see if anyone is trying to break in. The last step is to put the lights on timers so they come on automatically when it gets dark. Most criminals will go to another home to break in.
Motion lights are more economical and nicer for any close neighbors. Put the motion lights up and point them at any place someone would approach your house. You still need to cut down bushes and trees that would let someone hide. Now when the motion lights come on you know someone, or something is there.
Most people I talk to are most afraid of coming home at night when it’s dark. Put either of these plans in use and you will know what your house looks like when you come home. If some of the lights are out, or not coming on, that’s when you know there is something wrong.
Stay Safe,
Ben