Embed Size (px)
Citation preview
Security lighting
90 mallinson road
london sw11 1bn
tel: 020 7924 1421
mob: 07866 724718
This month:
Keep your home and family safe with security lighting
Our monthly email offering advice on all
things electrical around your home. To
discuss any of the topics we cover
please get in touch.
To receive Circuit Shorts by email, or to
see previous mailings please go to
www.swbishop.co.uk/circuitshorts.
Steve Bishop
Steve Bishop is a qualified electrician
and a member of NAPIT.
- Keep it low -
A lot of people are under the misconception that the brighter the light, the better the
chance is of deterring a burglar. In fact, dazzling lights outside your home can create
shadows around the building where burglars can potentially hide. Low intensity
lighting is far more effective for keeping your house safe. Even cosmetic outdoor
lighting can work as a deterrent, especially in your garden. Find more information
about garden lighting at www.swbishop.co.uk/gardenlighting. However, lights
designed especially for security can be more cost effective in the long run. I list
below the three most popular types of security lighting.
- PIR security lights -
PIR (or passive infrared) security lights are sensitive to body heat which activates a
sensor and the light switches on when someone walks into the field of detection. You
can adjust the size of the area over which the sensor works and this will prevent the
light being activated by passing people, foxes or cats. It also means you can make
sure your light doesn’t annoy your neighbours. They are best positioned on the
approach to your front door, rear door or garage. As they light up when someone
approaches your house, you can see if anyone is lurking in the shadows. These are
also available as LED lamps which are more energy efficient. For more information
about how LED lamps save you money, please see our webpage by going to
www.swbishop.co.uk/ledlighting.
- Dusk-to-dawn security lights -
These do exactly what it says on the tin - stay on from dusk until dawn. They normally
use low pressure sodium lights which are orangey in colour, lead free, have reduced
mercury content and last longer. They are not as bright but are sufficient to
illuminate anyone lurking around outside your house. Although the fact that they stay
on all night may give the impression that they are not particularly energy efficient,
new models have a high intensity discharge lamps for efficiency.
- Solar powered security lights -
Solar powered security lights are relatively new to the market. They work by charging
during daylight and then activate at night when motion is detected. They can be easy
to install as they don’t need to be connected to the electrical mains and don’t cost
anything to run. The downside to these is that they can be unreliable and ideally need
to be located on a south facing wall.
- Installing security lights -
At S W Bishop Electrical we would always recommend leaving the installation of
security lighting to a fully qualified electrician as it should always be in accordance
with UK building regulations. Also, as with any outdoor electrics, these fittings must
always be RCD protected. For more information about RCD protection please go to
our webpage at www.swbishop.co.uk/rcds.
Looking through your front door spy hole into a shadowy darkness can make even
grandma look sinister. For this month's Lightbulb Moment we suggest positioning
a porch light fitting to one side of the door at a height that will illuminate a caller’s
face. This will enable you to use your door viewer to identify them effectively.
- Keep that carbon footprint low -
Please do take into consideration your neighbours as no-one is going to take kindly to
a light shining through their window when they are trying to sleep. The negative
effects of polluting lights extend beyond us humans as they can confuse night flying
birds, kill millions of insects each year and can cause other negative ecological
effects. Poorly directed light also wastes money and adds to our carbon footprint. To
find out more about government legislation regarding light pollution go to
www.gov.uk/local-environmental-quality.
I hope this month's Circuit Shorts has answered any questions you may have had
about security lighting.
As ever, if you have any questions about the information contained in this month's
Circuit Shorts please give me a call on my mobile (I am always happy to have a
chat and answer any queries) or if you would prefer, please email me.
Next month: Tips and tricks for saving money on your electricity bill
Steve Bishop
Mob: 07866 724718
www.swbishop.co.uk
