Exterior home security

[Anonymous]

Doing an overhaul on my house, which only has a basic alarm system. Tell me what you like, and why about exterior home cameras, lights, etc.

I’m not looking to recreate Fort Knox, but I think good lighting and being able to see who is at the door is a place to start. We only have what I’d call ‘mood lighting’ at our front door and garage currently. Maybe that’s enough?

What’s reliable (even in a power outage), affordable and convenient?

[Anonymous]

What's your goal? Do you have non-security outdoor lights? Start there. Add a Ring doorbell.

Having cameras/lights that work in a power outage either means batteries (PIA) or whole home backup. Probably not needed.

[Anonymous]

Visible security cameras and a video doorbell are deterrents which also provide information about what is happening around your home before and whether or not anyone makes their presence known more directly. Landscaping which does not provide concealment around the house makes the property less attractive to anyone up to no good. Exterior lighting is also a deterrent, and it's simple to install systems which come on at sunset and go off at sunrise year-round, such as the Lutron Caseta smart lighting infrastructure. You can and should have interior lights which come on at sunset, too, to make the house look occupied whether it is or is not. The Lutron system can handle that, or you can use smart bulbs in individual lamps, such as those offered by Philips Hue. An alarm system can alert you to an intrusion whether you're home or away, and signage at entrance points around the house noting the presence of the system serves as yet another visible deterrent.

These are all relatively simple and not necessarily expensive measures easily taken by any homeowner interested in reducing risk.

Your home need not be Fort Knox; it just needs to look like more trouble than it may be worth, and as a more difficult target than nearby alternatives.

[Anonymous]

Get a dog.