Why You Shouldn't Leave Your Porch Light On When You Go Out Of Town

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It is a commonly held belief that when you go out of town, you should leave your porch lights on. The reasoning behind this is sound enough. Lights on indicate the presence of people inside the house, and will therefore deter any potential thief from stealing your valuables. However, it turns out that you might want to think twice about leaving your porch lights on while you're away because they can actually encourage, rather than deter, burglars.

It may seem counterintuitive, but when you leave your porch lights on 24/7 during your time out of town, it actually sends a shining message that you aren't home. According to ADT, the majority of home break-ins occur between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m., which coincide with the times when the house is most likely empty due to work and school schedules. A porch light that is consistently on for multiple days is just further evidence that no one is home because it contradicts the typical lighting schedule.

But what about after you go to bed? Well, turning off of a porch light on your way to sleep actually serves as a cue to any night owl thieves that you're home. As such, there is no reason to keep the light on while away. But, since you are out of town, how exactly are you going to be able to shut the lights on and off? Answer: Modern technology and good neighbors.

One of the easiest ways to make sure that your porch lights aren't attracting burglars while you're away is to ask a neighbor you trust to come over and turn them off and on. This is ideal because you'll have someone checking in on your house daily, which can deter burglars as they know the home is being monitored.

What if you live rurally or don't have an excellent relationship with your neighbors? This is where modern technology can help. One of the easiest ways to automate your porch lights is to turn them into motion sensors. You can change your current bulbs to motion sensing ones that can be found affordably at Amazon, Home Depot, or Lowe's. These will sense motion and turn the lights on, which can easily scare a burglar.

Another option would be to automate your home lighting. Before you go about adding smart lighting to your home, however, know that full home automation can cost over $1,000. If that is not in your budget, you can purchase a programmable light switch like the Honeywell Home 120-volt Indoor/Outdoor for under $100 at Home Depot and have an electrician install it. This can create seven different settings that can mimic your everyday home lighting. Also, if you have a home security system, like Ring, you can purchase their smart lights and control what's on and off by using the corresponding app on your phone.