Home Security Beat

Setting Up Timers for Your House Lights

Setting up your outdoor and indoor house lights with timers is a basic step to preventing crime. When there are lights outside the entrances of your home, there are fewer areas for burglars to hide or stake out your home. Also, a couple indoor lights on timers can be effective, because it makes it seems as though someone is home even if you’re not. So how hard is it to setup timers?

Timers are simple and easy to use, so don’t think you’re going to be fiddling with the device for hours. Many of them just plug into your wall socket and then the light gets plugged into the timer. Next you set the timer for the specific times you want it to turn on and off. That’s easy enough and this small amount of effort can significantly effect your family’s safety and security.

How does a timer operate? When you’re choosing a timer for your house lights, make sure that it works via photocells. If you don’t get ones with this feature, you will have to reset all of your timers when the electricity goes out. Photocells automatically turn off when there is enough light outside, and they turn back on when the light returns. Who knew timers could be so smart? This option would be more like solar lights, and you can get these type of lights for your walkways. They are often on stakes, which can be pushed into the ground. Then you never have to worry about setting anything. However, this might not be a wise choice if your house doesn’t receive much sunlight.

Buying timers is an expense, but it’s worth it, and you don’t have to go crazy with them. You don’t need to waste electricity or raise your electric bill just to be safer. All you need is one or two lights inside your home set on timers. For the outside, at least make sure that your entrances are lit, and you can go a step further by lighting walkways or dark corners near your garage with solar lights.

If you’re more technical minded, you can purchase lighting control that allows you to control your lights and even your appliances through your computer or wireless remote. This might be worth it if you already have your security cameras setup via your PC. Making the extra effort to light your home during the dark hours will be worth it.

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Tags: house lights, light timers, timers