Owens Corning
Exterior Lighting
Outdoor and entry lighting becomes more crucial as physical problems compound. Poor lighting can cause frustrating delays while we search for keys at the door and vision fails us. Toys or other objects carelessly left on the pathways may be an aggravation to a young, mobile person, but can be threatening or even deadly barriers for the elderly or infirm, to whom any fall can mean hospitalization and possibly surgery. Exterior and yard lighting can be a welcome safeguard, if properly done.

Lighting for Security

A major concern for the elderly and for us all is home security. Be sure your home's entrances, garage, and any outbuildings are adequately lit. It's also a good idea to light the corners of your house and any bushes or shrubbery. You don't usually need floodlights to illuminate your home's exterior properly. Low voltage outdoor lights placed around your home can be just as effective. These are 12-volt lights that are stepped down from 120-volt service via a transformer.

Photoelectric lights that switch on automatically at dusk can ease fears from prowlers or intruders. One of these is First Alert's Automatic Light Control. It fits into a standard light socket. The photocell automatically turns the light on at dusk and off at dawn.

One of the best multi-purpose outdoor lights available is the motion detector floodlight. These lights use infrared motion detectors in specific areas and are only activated when something moves in the monitored area. These lights that detect motion are triggered if any intruder comes near, but can save energy by being off but alert through the night. Motion detectors are especially useful for illuminating driveways, walkways, and porches. The Solar Sentinel from Sunergy, Inc. is a solar-powered motion detector that is easy to install and inexpensive to operate. Sound-activated lights are available also. These come on if any noise above pre-screened background levels is detected.

The following are some manufacturers of motion detector lighting:

Chronar Corporation, Sunergy Inc.
P.O. Box 177
Princeton, NJ 08542
(800) CHRONAR

Consumer Group (Electripak)
P.O. Box 30489
Memphis, TN 38130-0489

First Alert
BRK Electronics
780 McClure Road
Aurora, IL 60504-2495
(312) 851-7330

Intelectron
21021 Corsair Blvd.
Hayward, CA 94545
(415) 732-6790

TestRite Products Corporation
395 Allwood Road
Clifton, NJ 07012
(201)773-9109

As mentioned, lights can be triggered by the garage door opener to light a pathway in the dark, and remote control devices can be carried in pocket or purse to light the interior as you approach the darkened house.

Low-voltage yard lighting can be installed to mark a garden walkway, to delineate the boundaries of a deck or patio, or to outline a flower bed. If you decide to use floodlights, keep in mind that they should be pointed downward from the eaves or upward from the ground toward the house. Lights pointed away from the house can actually provide enough glare to hide an intruder.

For more information about lighting and safety, contact the National Lighting Bureau. This Bureau offers a free pamphlet entitled "Lighting and Security." It describes how proper outdoor lighting can deter burglars, improve safety, and provide other benefits. Another booklet offered is "Lighting for Safety and Security" ($5 a copy). Aimed primarily at businesses, this booklet is also useful for homeowners. These titles can be ordered from:

National Lighting Bureau
2101 L Street N.W., Suite 300
Washington, DC 20037
(202) 457-8437

Written by Gary Branson
Reprinted with permission. Copyright HouseNet, Inc.

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