A guide to porch light security

Looking for more ways to enhance your home’s security? Installing a porch light is a surefire way to protect the entrance to your property. Learn about the benefits of porch lights and how to utilise them effectively in this article. 

What are the benefits of porch lights?

Porch lights are brilliant crime deterrents as they make your home appear occupied, even when you’re away. It’s no surprise that burglars may prefer to operate at night, due to the fact that they could go about their business without being seen. However, by taking a proactive approach, there are certain ways to enhance your property’s lighting - with porch lights often being the first choice. This way, your property may be less likely to become a target for burglary, and you can keep an eye on who’s approaching the entrance. Porch lights are also beneficial to your own safety, allowing you to enter your home with ease, without having to fumble around in the dark for your keys. 

When should you turn your porch light on? 

If you aren’t planning on installing automatic porch lights equipped with motion sensors (which will turn on once movement is detected), you might be wondering when is best to switch them on. 

Some instances when you may want to leave your porch light on include: 

• If you’re having visitors 

• If you’re expecting a delivery 

• If you’re heading out for the evening 

If you are planning on leaving your porch light on, you might want to pair this with indoor lights or garage lights, for example. This further creates the appearance of an occupied home. 

When should you turn off your porch lights? 

Although turning your porch lights on can act as a burglar deterrent, this doesn’t mean that you should leave them on all the time. If a burglar notices this, it might suggest to them that you’re away from home as this goes against ‘normal’ behaviour. 

Some instances where you could turn off your porch lights include: 

• If you’re going on holiday: Rather than leave your lights on continuously, either ask your neighbours to turn off your porch lights every so often, or pre-program the lights to turn on at certain times. 

• When you go to sleep: By occasionally turning porch lights off, this may suggest that the home is occupied. 

Other ways to improve your home’s security

As effective as porch lights are for home security, it’s important that you also have other security devices to enhance protection. By investing in a high-quality Home Security System that can be operated remotely, you can keep tabs on your property from wherever you are. Customise your system by adding Indoor Cameras and Outdoor Cameras, which will continue to limit potential blind spots and hiding places. Alternatively, browse through our collection of Additional Alarm Sensors - including a Motion Sensor, Entry Sensor, and Glass Break Sensor - to customise your system based on your own individual needs. This way, if you ever do need to turn your porch lights off, rest assured that your home will be kept safe. 

Start building your own SimpliSafe home security system today. If you have any questions, our friendly team will be more than happy to help. Contact us to keep your home protected for years to come.