Security lights help bring you peace of mind that your property is safe at night time, especially when it might be vacant too.
A well-lit street or property can drastically reduce the chance of a break-in. It will deter burglars as they will usually pick houses that appear to have no obvious home security systems.
Most break-ins happen at night when the natural light has disappeared and burglars have less chance of being spotted by any neighbours, passers-by or by the police.
Keep reading to learn more about the pros and cons of LED outdoor security lights.
The Importance of Security Lighting
Outdoor security lights are a great feature to add to your home for added home security. The use of security lighting will not only protect your property but also help to create a deterrent to criminal activity in your entire area.
It will give a sense that all neighbours are keeping an eye out at all times and gives the impression that people are always present within their households.
Causing no time for burglars to make a move on a neighbourhood, as it will never exist in complete darkness - so they will never truly know when a property is vacant.
Could Your Home Benefit from Outdoor Security Lights?
If your property is not situated on a well-lit street with the benefit of having street lights on your doorstep, it might be time to install some outdoor motion sensor lights. They are a great safety feature and can not only be used to keep trespassers away from your home but they can also be used to deter animals away from your garden too.
If unwanted animals keep ruining your gardening, but you don’t want to cause them any harm, do not worry, light from even the brightest LED bulbs will not hurt any creature who happens to be invading your territory. The light will simply expose them and scare them away, therefore acting as a deterrent for future trespassing.
The Different Types of Outdoor LED Lights
If LED street lights do not already surround your home, then it may be time to educate yourself on the different types of LED outdoor lights in order to protect your property. LED bulbs are perfect for security lighting as they are energy-efficient and long-lasting, their effectiveness means they are found throughout a range of outdoor lighting.
A floodlight is a perfect option for many homes, they are large and powerful and will provide high levels of security to your property. At least one sensor flood light per property is advised for ultimate nighttime safety.
Other LED outdoor products are available and include LED spotlights for your decking or pathways, LED spike lights for your garden, which help add security and a great aesthetic to your outdoor space and also LED wall lamps, which will not only add security but also curb appeal and a decorative feature to the front of your home.
Related Products
You can accompany your outdoor light fittings with smart home security systems which can detect any motion and alert you straight to your smartphone or smart device no matter whereabouts you are, it can notify you in an emergency if it detects a potential security problem.
A floodlight cam is considered the best security light option as it combines not only motion-activated LED floodlights, but also the added security of capturing and recording video footage too. These clever cams being linked to a smart device gives homeowners complete peace of mind that their property is safe at all times.
When choosing a security light option, remember to consider where you intend on installing it and if it will be exposed to the elements. A model that is fully waterproof should be purchased if so to prevent water damage. This is important as some models are only weather-resistant and may become less effective throughout harsh weather.
The Downsides to LED Security Lights
Some downsides to LED security lighting could include that sensor floodlights could be terribly distracting due to the sheer brightness of them, they could attract unwanted attention too or cause real irritation to you or your neighbours.
Another factor to consider is if you happen to live near an area where there is constant movement with people walking past, cars driving by, or movement from animals, this will cause your lights to lose their effectiveness because of these unnecessary triggers, bare this in mind when deciding on the placement for them.
There will be an initial high cost for purchasing outdoor LEDs security lights. Quality models can be costly as LEDs are of high quality and emit more light per watt, although in return will last you much longer. However, if certain lights have a constant high brightness without the option to choose a lower brightness setting you will find that they use more energy, resulting in them being more costly to run.
Some solar-powered lighting systems are also available which is useful if you wish to have no running costs for them, however, be wary as these will not work all year round, during the winter months when there is not enough sunlight to charge them fully.
The Pros of LED Lighting for Outdoor Use
LED bulb security lights in particular are by far the most superior bulb choice when it comes to security lighting to protect your home.
They are super energy saving, the amount of light they give off to how much energy they consume will save you money in the long run and you will not have to worry about the maintenance of them.
A huge benefit to an LED motion sensor light is that they are really easy to install, once put up they work straight away, making them a quick and easy option to boost the security of your property.
You can choose to either get them hardwired to the existing wiring in your house or you can get some that operate through the power of batteries if you want a simple installation process.
Battery-powered LED security lights will last on average between four and five years, with technologies improving all the time, some of the newer models have a longer lifespan of up to seven years.
Some security light options will be more effective than others, but whichever you choose, having any type of outdoor lighting as a whole will deter trespassers and any criminal activity from happening around your home or neighbourhood. Which is a pretty good investment to make.
As is the case with any kind of capital investment, most organisations have questions that they want answered before making the choice to install an LED lighting system. Whether it’s general guidance or information on specific issues such as cost and profitability, we’ve already explored a number of those questions in some of our previous blogs.
One subject that we’ve only touched on so far, however, also happens to be one of the biggest topics when it comes to LED lighting. That’s why, in this post, we’re answering that all-important question: “how long do LED lights last?”
LEDs vs others: a demonstrable difference
One of the best ways to understand just how durable LED floodlights are is by comparing their lifespan against some of the other lighting technologies on the market today. For floodlights specifically, the most common alternatives to LEDs are metal-halide and halogen-based systems.
As shown in the table below, the average lifespan of a floodlight varies considerably between these three different types of lighting technology.
Clearly, LEDs are significantly more durable than either metal-halide or halogen-based alternatives. To put the above figures into context, the lifespan of an LED floodlight can be as much as 8x higher than that of a metal-halide unit, and 25x that of a halogen equivalent.
As helpful as an hours-based comparison might be in establishing how LEDs perform against other floodlights, though, it’s less useful as a way of understanding how long those lights will last in real terms. When making a capital investment, after all, most businesses think about how many years it will be before they need to replace or upgrade said asset.
Providing a definitive answer to the question of how many years an LED floodlight system will last, of course, is much more difficult. Usage can differ significantly between different industries, and even two organisations in the same sector may employ their floodlights in very different ways. Nonetheless, we can at least estimate the duration of a system by using some assumed averages.
The table below has been created with two key assumptions in mind:
- An annual usage figure of 2,000 hours.
- A “worst case” lifespan for each of the floodlights (i.e. 30,000 hours for the LED, 6,000 for the metal-halide, and so on).
Based on those assumptions, the hourly figures above can be converted into the following:
Obviously, this has major implications from a cost perspective. In the time that it takes for just one LED floodlight to reach the end of its lifespan, an organisation using alternative lamps will have needed to make multiple replacements: around five in the case of metal-halides, with as many as 15 new bulbs needed for a halogen lamp.
Material costs are not the only factor to take into account here, either. As well as needing to plan for the financial impact of the bulbs themselves, organisations using outdated technologies like metal-halide and halogen will also need to consider the associated maintenance costs. Often, this can require specialist support and high-working equipment such as cherry pickers – both of which come at a price.
How can I extend the lifespan of my LED floodlights?
While LEDs already offer a much better value proposition than the alternatives, most organisations will be understandably keen to ensure that their investment remains operational for as long as possible. To that end, there are four issues that warrant particular attention.
1. Choosing the right build for your environment
Not all LED floodlights are the same, especially when it comes to the vital issue of build quality. While cheaper materials can undermine a luminaire’s lighting performance, they can also cause a unit to be more susceptible to environmental issues like high temperatures and the high-saline atmospheres found at ports and other maritime facilities.
This makes it vital to select the right products (and manufacturers) for your needs. The addition of components like heat sinks and stainless steel bodies can help to counter some of those threats, keeping your LEDs in peak condition for much longer – even in taxing conditions. Finding the right floodlights for your site can have a marked impact on longevity.
2. Making smart use of dimming and other controls
One of the major advantages offered by LEDs over other floodlighting technologies is that the diodes they use can are inherently dimmable. While metal halides and halogen lamps are locked into their maximum output at all times, LEDs can quickly and easily be switched to a lower setting as the need arises.
As well as helping to reduce the amount of power used, this flexibility also means that the technology within an LED luminaire can be placed under less strain when its full output is not required. Unlike legacy lighting technologies, LEDs switch on instantaneously, too – meaning that they’re operational for less time overall, extending their operational lifespan further still.
3. Selecting a lighting provider that offers a comprehensive warranty
While the vast majority of floodlights will work as expected, as is the case with any kind of technology, things do sometimes go wrong. In those instances, it’s crucial to ensure that your investment is protected by a comprehensive – and long-lasting – manufacturer’s warranty.
As well as providing you with the assurance that your floodlights are covered in the event of an unexpected failure, a warranty also gives you an indication of the manufacturer’s own confidence in their products. Midstream’s industry-leading 10-year warranty, for instance, is a testament to our commitment to providing the highest quality units on the market today.
4. Adhering to the manufacturer’s specified maintenance recommendations
Compared with older lighting systems, LED floodlights are typically low-maintenance devices. In fact, other than occasional cleaning, a well-built LED luminaire is unlikely to require any significant maintenance for the duration of its lifespan.
With that said, it is still important to read and understand the relevant instructions and guidelines provided by the manufacturer when taking receipt of a new LED lighting system. Doing so will help to ensure that you have the best information on how to maintain your luminaires – and thus ensure that they last as long as possible.
At-a-glance
The key things to know about the longevity of LEDs are:
A high-quality LED floodlight can function for as long as 50,000 hours – and even beyond in some instances.
LED floodlights can last as much as 8x longer than a metal-halide equivalent, and 25x that of a halogen lamp.
That represents a significant saving on replacement bulbs and maintenance costs.
The best ways to extend the lifespan of your LEDs are to choose the right specification for your needs, make good use of dimming and other lighting controls, seek out a manufacturer that offers a strong warranty, and follow the maintenance instructions provided.
Pros And Cons Of LED Outdoor Security Lights
How long will my LED floodlights last?
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