When leaving your home for a few days or even for vacation, many homeowners believe they should leave their lights on to deter burglars.
They believe burglars prefer to target empty houses, so leaving the lights on creates the illusion of their presence when they are not there.
In the study Understanding Decisions to Burglarize, 12% of burglars claimed they plan the robbery with 37% stating it’s a combination of a spur of the moment and planning.
That is why it is important to remember that maintaining the same lighting routine as normal is an essential part of making this illusion work.
So, don’t bother leaving on your lights all day and night, this can make the situation even worse. Plus, it increases your electric bill.
Instead, opt for smart switches and bulbs that comprise features such as timers. Light timers automatically turn on your lights even when you are home with voice commands or the tap of a button.
This helps create the illusion of active movement, which is a good sign that the lights are going out. I recommend switching the two main lights on and off while you’re away, and if you normally go upstairs then program the lights to turn on in your bedroom.
The trick is to mimic your normal routine so that in your absence nothing looks different. Turning the lights on and off several days a week when you are on the road reinforces the idea that you are still there.
Switching To Light Timers- This saves Energy and Are More Realistic
Smart lights can help prevent break-ins and are most effective when used as part of a home security network. Connecting smart lighting devices to smart homes and security systems increases their capabilities, allows them to work with other smart home devices, and can even help deter intruders.
With remote control and automatic lighting control, smart lighting ensures that you maintain the same lighting schedules as if you were home. Smart lighting also helps you save energy and money by automatically turning itself on and off according to the time you set it.
The Philips Hue ecosystem is an excellent choice to buy. Some of their product comprises dimmable, intelligent LED light bulb designed to be energy efficient and connects to third-parties devices such as Habitat and other home security service to better protect your home.
The key to good security is to program smart lights to mimic human behavior with recognizable patterns. Smart bulbs combined with Home Security’s smart home technology can provide automation and control to convince burglars that you are home.
What Happens If You Leave Lights On All day?
Leaving your lights on in your home when you are out for days is very costly. Remember when you are home during the day most of your lights are off and at night your light is on.
Although LED can last for 50,000 hours, you are shortening the lifespan of your bulbs when they are on all day. It is also an additional cost to your electric bill.
How long can a light bulb stay on safely?
House fires are devastating, and it is not uncommon for light bulbs to go up in smoke. Although no one can say exactly how long is too long to leave the light on. There are some general guidelines to help us avoid these tragedies in our own homes like the type of bulb and their environment.
One of the main differences between LED and incandescent bulbs is that LEDs don’t produce much heat. This means that you can leave LEDs on longer without worrying about them heating up. Therefore, you should turn them off when they are not in use, and traditional bulbs should not be left on for long periods.
LEDs have a heat sink that prevents them from overheating. If you notice the bulbs getting too hot, the LEDs will flicker or dim instead of causing damage.
Thus, LED lamps are perfect for long-term use. However, no matter where you place your lights, once it’s in a compact place like in your ceiling, they can overheat if they don’t have the proper ratings.
Other Pro Tips That Can Help You Keep Your Home Safe
You can keep your home safe by taking a few precautions. A burglar’s best tool is time, and the more barriers you have erected, such as locked doors and windows, the more likely they are to give up trying to get into your home.
Leave curtains open Not Window
Its inevitable curtains are always a tough decision. Leaving them closed during the day means no one can see in, but it also makes your house look uninhabited and inviting to intruders. Therefore, leave the curtains open; that way, people will know you’re home.
Ask friends and neighbors for help
A great idea is to ask your friends or neighbors if they can help you out. They may be able to watch the property, pick up mail and papers left for them in your mailbox, mow lawns and sweep up leaves that have accumulated in areas that usually are clean when you are at home.
Don’t post you are out of town on social media
In this day and age, it’s important to remember that there are hundreds of strangers reading your thoughts every time you post on social media. So burglars can track your every move on these platforms. That’s why I always tell my family members to post vacation photos after they arrive home.
If your reason for leaving your lights on when you are away may deter burglars, this is not a good solution. Remember, some intruders plan their burglaries, this means they are stalking your home to learn your routines.
If they see your home well-lit for 36 hours straight, burglars will know something is wrong and you are not at home. So the best thing you can do is add timers and beef up your security system, to make your illusion as realistic as possible.
