Criminals love the dark.
Dimly lit stairwells, dark spots behind overgrown shrubs, shadowy walkways. Perfect for lurking.
Your visitors hate the dark. It’s easy to trip and fall. Customers hate it, too. It’s hard to find their way.
Tenants avoid it. Why rent a dark, creepy property when the place down the street is awash in light?
Deter the bad guys and make your visitors, customers and tenants feel safe and welcome with landscape lighting security.
Take a look at these commercial landscape lighting tips that put the spotlight on security.
1. First, Take a Walk
There’s no better way to check your property’s lighting than to walk through it in the dark.
Pretend you’re a customer, visitor or tenant. See it with their eyes.
You might be surprised at the dark spots you discover, from neglected stairs to broken path lights to overgrown shrubs.
Would you want to hang out on your property after dark?
2. Light Up Your Signage
People feel safe and secure when they know exactly where they’re going.
Pedestrians who look lost, confused or who are hesitating are easy targets for criminals.
Take a look at all the directional signage on your property. Is it well lit? Have any plants or trees grown so much that they obscure it?
Make sure your signage is bright and clear.
3. Lighting Along Walkways and Sidewalks
Dark paths and sidewalks are big tripping hazards.
Path lights do double duty, offering safety and beauty as they spill light right where pedestrians need it.
You already have those, you say?
It’s worth a look to see if they’re still working well, and not broken or overgrown with plants.
4. Lighting Within Retaining Walls
Retaining walls are a great way to cast some extra light.
Undercap lights spill just enough light for pedestrians and offer an extra perk by highlighting the architectural features of the wall.
Safety plus curb appeal is a win-win.
5. Clubhouses and Common Areas
You can offer the best amenities, but they aren’t much good if people are afraid to venture over in the dark.
Light the foundations of buildings and the buildings themselves so they're not inviting to vandals or thieves.
Be sure the paths people take to get there are awash in light, too.
6. Overhead Lighting
Architects probably designed the overhead lighting on your property, from parking lots to your front entrance.
Maybe a decade ago.
But have they taken a stroll through lately to see how it’s really working?
We didn’t think so.
You should have enough overhead lighting so people feel safe when walking to their car in the parking lot, traveling your sidewalks, strolling to their mailbox.
7. Beyond Overhead Lighting
Lights from above are important but overhead lighting alone isn’t enough for landscape lighting security.
Uplight surrounding trees and landscaping for an extra level of light.
Combine path lighting with your overhead lighting to
Illuminate everything safely.
8. Security Cameras
Your security cameras are only as good as the lighting surrounding them.
Make sure the areas around your cameras are lit well enough for the cameras to capture the scene.
9. Don’t Overdo It
There’s such a thing as too much light.
Nobody wants to feel like they’re entering an interrogation zone or a hospital operating room.
Aim for attractive pools of illumination, not harsh spotlights.
Professional lighting experts know how to design and install the perfect balance, so your property is both appealing and secure.
10. Are You Overdue For An Update?
Landscaping changes over time.
Some of the lighting you had installed when you opened might be obscured by plants or tree branches that are considerably bigger than they were a few years ago.
Path lights that used to be perfect might be overgrown with plants or damaged by foot traffic.
Stairs that used to be safe and well lit could be too dark now and need a lighting boost.
Now is a great time to take stock — before somebody trips on your sidewalk, vandalizes your building or decides to rent from that well-lit place down the street.
You don’t need that stress.
Boost Your Property’s Security with Commercial Landscape Lighting By Hatcher
Skilled, professionally installed commercial landscape lighting automatically makes your property safer.
Your tenants, customers and visitors can see the way to their cars in the parking lot.
They can travel walkways and sidewalks without worrying about tripping.
They can enjoy the amenities you’ve worked hard to offer, because they feel safe getting there.
These are just a few of our commercial landscape lighting tips. We’d love to tell you more, whether you need to start from the ground up or give your current lighting a security boost.
Are you ready to make your property safer and more secure with our expert commercial landscape lighting? Talk to one of our commercial landscaping experts today! We’ll meet at your property, create a custom plan, and get you on your way to enjoying a beautiful, worry-free property.
