There are many ways to improve your home’s security; deadbolts, locks, alarm systems, protective dogs, and so on. But you can equally improve the security with the right lighting. There are a lot more options than making sure the front light’s porch is on, and with the holiday traveling and peak home burglaries in full swing, you will want all the protection you can get. With that in mind, we at Sentry Electric would like to share home lighting security options you can apply to your Connecticut home.

Options for Outdoor Security Lights

Smart Timers: When everyone is away, giving the illusion the home is occupied is one of the primary purposes of your security lighting. With the smart timers, you create the effect. Set all of your security lighting timers so that it turns on and off at specified and different times. This approach is effective for both interior both exterior lighting.
Professional Installation: The quality is a considerable difference between professional installation and the DIY kits that are available. The DIY kits are of low-grade quality where professionals utilize industry Grade A quality equipment and efficiently install them according to achieve optimal use. In addition to superior equipment and installation, trade electricians ensure that the lighting system is connected to a reliable power source.
Motion Sensor Lighting: The motion sensors are able to detect motion with the use of passive infrared technology. Prowlers may be taken back the sudden lights and leave the area and you can have the warning when the lights suddenly switches on gives you the heads up someone is in the vicinity.
Improved Surveillance Cameras: The surveillance cameras will significantly be impacted by the increased outdoor lighting system and the dark areas where potential lurkers can be, offering you and neighbors more visibility. Many otherwise perfect videos have been rendered useless because of poor lighting. To improve the quality of footage if your security system is equipped with surveillance systems, make certain that the areas that are being monitored are well lit, especially at night.
Home Security Lighting: Not only will the increased lighting improve the security, but the areas that are generally dark otherwise such as the garage, the sides of the home and other such places are better illuminated for your own safety as well. You are more likely to deter anyone who considers breaking into your home with the simple additional security lighting. With the path lightened for yourself and visitors, finding your way in the dark can help avoid any tripping and falling, allows for more ease operating the locks as well as enhance the architectural design of your home and even landscaping with proper placement.
Lighting Placement: When it comes to lighting placement, many homeowners are at a loss. Illuminate all dark, shadowed areas around your home, including the nooks and crannies when considering the placement for your lighting. Below you will find several places that are ideal for security lighting to offer a few examples.
– Porches and doorways: The double lighting increase around the front and back door porches and doors.
– Sides of the home: Frequently dividing homes is a convenient brick wall, which is always poorly lit, offering lurkers an opportunity. Improving the lighting around this area will only lessen cover for people who are looking for places to hide.
– Garages: Install motion-sensor activated security lights above the garage door, a fairly common place, to allow the lights will turn on whenever a vehicle or person enters your driveway and to illuminate your path.

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When you walk in your house you expect to flip a switch and the lights come on. You open the fridge to perfectly chilled food and beverages. You run your appliances and charge your phone with no concern. When it comes to electricity we are so used to everything just working the way we expect. You want to be sure that when you do have a problem with your electrical system you have it looked at and repaired by a professional electrician. The electrical system in your house is something that should be left to a professional due to the risk of heat, shock and fire that does exist. There are some aspects of electrical needs that are common and that people ask on a regular basis.

Sentry Electric Lists Signs of Home Electrical Problems

Lights Flickering & Dimming in House: There are times when you notice that the lights in your home will flicker. This can be from two main reasons and each of them require the help of an electrician. First you need to know how to recognize if it is all the lights in the entire house or if it is just a single area. If you notice a single bulb is the one that is flickering it can be due to the actual bulb. Check the bulb to see it if is screwed in all the way. The two situations that require help from an electrician is if it is in one area and happens when you turn on the microwave or the doorbell rings. The other problem occurs when all the lights flicker. This can be a problem with the transformer and it may need to be repaired or replaced.
Circuit Breaker Tripped & Won’t Reset: When you are working in the kitchen and all of a sudden the circuit trips, everything comes to a standstill. Everyone knows that you need to walk out of the house and check the breaker box. When you go out you can usually see which breaker has tripped. A quick flip and the power is back on. The problem is that sometimes it doesn’t work and sometimes it won’t stick. This usually can be repaired by ensuring that the switch is all the way off before you turn it back on. Switch it back on and then the power should come on. If it does not then you need to have the breaker replaced all together.
Electrical Outlet Stopped Working: The outlets are set up strategically so that you can spread out the usage. When one of the outlets don’t work it can be a problem. If you think that an outlet is not working use a lamp or other item and check them individually. If one is not working it is important to look for a switch that might be attached to it. If it is still not working you need to have it looked at by a professional and repairs made.

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When you think about it, electricity is a real benefit in our lives. It is used in homes, businesses, schools and hospitals across the world. The invention of electricity has been such a wonder but it also is something that we take for granted. If you look around your house right now you probably have a television running, your laptop charging and the lamp on to name a few. If you took count of all the ways that electricity is used in your home it would be a long list. The problem is that now we have become greedy about how much we want to use and how often. This is what leads to people overloading an outlet or circuit. This is a danger to you and your family. Electricity creates heat and that is why the cords and wires that you use are all covered with insulation. This prevents the wires from becoming hot and causing damage. The heated or exposed wires can shock you or even cause a fire. That is why it is important to be careful when you are using electricity in your home.

Sentry Electric Lists Tips to Not Overload the Electrical Outlets & Circuits in Your Home

Check The Wattage Of Your Lightbulbs: Have you ever gone down the aisle of lightbulbs and noticed the options that are available? The lights you can choose from are quite a few and one thing they all have in common is they state the watts that are used. This number is not a number to be ignored but looked and used to determine which one is right for you. Before you leave the house to get replacement bulbs you need to look at the socket that the light is in. Inside or next to the socket you will find information about the watts that are recommended for that particular socket. You want to stay in the wattage that the fixture can handle so that you do not overload the circuit or blow out the fixture itself.
Be Cautious About What You Plug Into an Outlet: In your home on just about every single wall you will notice that there is an outlet. The outlet is there with often two plugs that can be used. That outlet and some of the other outlets in that room are tied together in one circuit. They are laid out specifically with how much that circuit can handle if you were to use each of the outlets along the path. The problem is that we start to become greedy and use extension cords to give us more options and areas to plug in. If you get too carried away and you are overloading an outlet it can cause the outlet to blow out of the circuit to short. This is a potential fire risk so be sure that you are careful about what you plug in. Reduce what is used in a particular room and pick what is most important or call an electrician to safely rewire your home.

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With the conclusion of the holiday season a few weeks away, it is a good idea to get an idea as to how to put the lights and decorations away in an organized manner to help you find everything you need for next year and in optimal condition, because it will be here before you know it. As you look to where to start the thought may occur to you that getting out the Christmas paraphernalia was way more entertaining than putting it away. The lights on the other hand, may have been the only frustrating experience. The detangling and bulb checking likely took hours. To keep the entire process fun for next year and to spare you the grief of detangling, we at Sentry Electrical have listed some tips and suggestions to store your lights more efficiently.

1) Inventory the Christmas Lights. Detach the lights and string them out lengthwise. The side the plugs in is known as the male side, and the end that gets plugged in is the female end. Ensure they are all detached, leaving them plugged in turns it into more of a hassle than it needs to be. After all the strands are stretched out, test them individually to ensure all the bulbs are still in working order; this includes any extra lights that might be unused. If you can test the extra strands that are currently tangled, do so and if more than half are not lit up, don’t bother taking the time to untangle them and toss them out; do not take up space on items that are broken. If you find that you have too many lights that are still operating, you can always donate them if there isn’t enough space.
2) Use Plastic Hangers. Avoid wired hangers; they are not conducive to this project. The heavy duty plastic or wooden hangers are optimal. Use a hanger for every strand of lights to keep it neat and organized. Where the wooden hangers cost a little more, they are the most durable. This method gives you the choice to hang or simply store the lights. To wrap extension cords or lights, start by taping one end of the strand to the either the lower right or left hand corner of the hanger; duct tape is the best adhesive to keep the strand in place. Keep the cord taunt and avoid allowing any slack as you wind the strand around the hanger. Keep the cord tight to avoid tangling but not too tight that it is too stretched. Use more duct tape or a rubber band to hold it in place.
3) Christmas Light Storage. Storing them after they are neatly wrapped is essential as well. To increase the organization, place a flat cardboard in between the layers of lights within the box or crate you store them in. Safety is an important element to consider as well. When removing the lights from heights, use a sturdy ladder safely and do not over extend yourself. Do not yank the cords out of their sockets, but gently pull them out. Properly secure the lights and extension cords carefully in optimal locations; away from moisture for example.

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When designing the lighting in your home, you will be working with three basic types of lighting: ambient, task and accent. All of the lighting found within your home falls into one of these three categories. Today, Sentry Electric is here to define each of these categories to help you in making lighting decisions for your home.

Ambient Lighting Examples

Ambient lighting is possibly the most important form of lighting in your home. This is the artificial light that will replace sunlight. This form of lighting will illuminate your entire space and is known as general lighting in a home. Many people aren’t happy with general lighting and are interested in adding the other two layers of lighting to help enhance lighting even more. Some of the forms of ambient lighting you may find are: ceiling fixtures and chandeliers, lighted ceiling fans, torchieres or sconces and recessed ceiling lights. Once you have a good base of ambient light, you can start making plans to work on other lighting choices.

Office Desk, Under Cabinet & Other Task Lighting

Places that you may find task lighting comes in handy are areas that you need to concentrate on specific tasks. You may choose task lighting in your kitchen, office or even bathrooms. You want this lighting to be free of any shadows or glares that could get in the way of the project you are working on. Task lighting should also be very bright so you have better vision when it is on and won’t have to worry about straining your eyes. Some forms of task lighting include: desk or table lamps, pendant lighting, directed track lighting and vanity lights.

Indoor Accent Lighting

Accent lighting, when used right, can be used to create a certain mood in any room. Not only is it great for setting the tone of a room, but it is used to highlight different architectural features found in your home. When there are design accents around the room, accent lighting can spotlight them and draw attention to artwork and other important objects. Some forms of accent lighting you may see are: directed track lighting, can & up lights, niche lighting, picture lights, wall sconces, light bridges and more.

Home Lighting Designs for New Builds

When you are building a house, laying out the lighting design is exciting. You have a completely clean slate to work with. There are a couple considerations you should make when you are selecting the lighting for your home. You should consider how the room is going to be used, appropriate fixtures, energy efficiency as well as cost.

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No matter what lighting features you have chosen for your home, you want to make sure they are installed correctly. The lighting experts at Sentry Electric have the experience and resources to create a beautiful space for you using light. We can consult with you about your lighting goals and vision for your home and create a home that has the lighting of your dreams. Call us today!