Motion-Sensing Solar Floodlights Make Security a Snap
May 2, 2009 – 9:50 pmA simple motion-sensing outdoor lamp can go a long ways toward making your home less appealing to burglars, and floodlights are great for illuminating all the nooks and crannies in the yard and around the house.
Usually the output of solar lights tends to be weak in comparison with electric landscaping lights (especially up here in the Pacific Northwest where days aren’t always all that bright!), but we’re starting to see solar security floodlights that are almost indistinguishable from their plugged in counterparts.
The great thing about the solar lights is (aside from the fact that they eco-friendly since they don’t require electricity from the grid) that they don’t need a lot of wiring to install. You don’t have to worry about running lines underground to the house and what not. Just plug and play, as they say.
Check online and read people’s reviews to make sure the solar floodlight you’re looking at is a good quality (and puts out a decent amount of illumination). You can browse at Amazon or check a specialty solar store such as Solar Illuminations for their security lighting products.
Putting your kids on a leash and dragging them through the mall is so last century…
I’m not sure anybody needs a telephone that acts as a security monitoring system (there are doubtless more efficient set-ups) but this could be a fun gadget for the spy-minded person who likes to add security measures to the house.
If someone in your family is often losing the house keys, or you’d just like to be able to enter your home through the garage (without dragging the clunky remote with you), you might look into a keypad garage door lock.
Some folks prefer a hidden safe, but when it comes to gun safes, where you want easy access in an emergency, you’re probably not going to place this in some obscure corner of your house. You may want a unit you can place prominently, something that is attractive enough that you won’t mind looking at it every day. 
If you’re looking for a home security camera that isn’t a price buster (but isn’t the cheapest in cost and craftsmanship either), the 
If you’re worried about mail theft and/or identity theft, then a secure locking mailbox can be a smart home improvement. We’ve talked about 
If you’re the kind of person who leaves a key under a potted plant or a rock in the yard because you’re afraid you’re going to lock yourself out of the house, a key lock box may be a smarter home security move. As clever as we’d like to think we are with our hide-a-key gadgets, real burglars know all the spots, and chances are your hide-away isn’t as unique as you think.
can be mounted to any wall, indoors or out (it’s supposed to be weather-resistant and rust-proof), and it can hold up to five keys. You get to choose the combination when you first program it, so you can pick something you can remember.