Is It Safe To Leave Lights On For A Week? | Vacations & Home Security - AlfredCamera Blog (2024)

According to the US Department of Justice, a burglary takes place every 30 seconds in the US.

Summer is the most popular month for break-ins because windows and doors are left open more frequently. It’s also vacation season, leaving houses empty and vulnerable.

Is it safe to leave lights on for a week or so while you’re away? Depending on the bulb, leaving lights on carries a risk of fire, and ultimately is not the best way to prevent a home invasion.

Keep reading to learn what the most effective burglar deterrents are for when you’re going on vacation.

Table of Contents

Is it OK to Leave a Light On For a Week?

Modern lights are safe to leave on for a week, though it isn’t advisable. If you forgot to turn them off, LED bulbs are unlikely to overheat, trip electrics, or start a fire.

On the other hand, incandescent, halogen, or fluorescent lights should never be left on for a week. These overheat and can cause a fire if left on for excessive periods.

If you want to leave the lights on for a week, it’s safer to install a security timer on a lamp. When configured properly, the lamp will turn on at pre-set times, like when the sun sets, to make it look like someone is home.

Home automation systems also do this. Creating automations for vacation will periodically turn lights on and off at specific times during the evening to simulate the presence of a person in the home.

Smart home assistants, like Alexa and Google Voice Assistant, perform these kinds of tasks.

Should You Leave Lights On While On Vacation?

It’s not a good idea to leave lights on while on vacation. In addition to potential fire risks, leaving lights on for 1-2 weeks will waste energy and increase electricity bills significantly.

Instead of leaving lights on, try these home security tips to prevent home intruders while on vacation:

  • Install motion-detector lights
  • Use interior lamp timers
  • Fit home security cameras
  • Invest in a home automation system with a vacation mode

The best way to make the home safer is to install security cameras. The most effective places to position cameras are at the front door, back door, garage, and driveway.

Need surveillance NOW before vacation? Alfred’s got you covered!

Leaving the lights on for a week while you’re away from the house doesn’t protect it. Security cameras, on the other hand, let you keep an eye on things while you’re away and may deter burglars.

Leaving for vacation any minute now? Don’t panic!

AlfredCamera is the most popular security camera app. It turns old phones, tablets, and even webcams into robust security cameras for free. No hardware necessary.

If you’ve got an old device lying around, it takes just a few minutes to get reliable surveillance and doesn’t cost a dime.

Get started by following this simple guide, or head to the App Store or Google Play Store to download AlfredCamera now.

Try out Alfred today for free oniOS and Android.

Does Leaving Lights on Deter Burglars

Leaving lights on for a week is not an effective burglar deterrent. When the same light is on every day and night for a week, the house draws attention and could actually make the house a target.

Security cameras are better burglar deterrents simply because no burglar wants their face recorded.

To protect your property while on vacation, be careful who you tell. According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, 65% of burglars know their victims, with over half being relatives or well-known acquaintances. Don’t post on social media that you’re vacationing, and only tell people you trust.

How Much Does It Cost to Leave a Light On for a Week?

Curious about how much it costs to leave lights on for a week? Check out the table below to discover the average cost per light bulb.

Type of BulbCost Per 1,000 Hours
Incandescent$6
Halogen$5
Fluorescent$1.70
LEDs$1 or less

Any type of light, when left on for a week, shouldn’t cost more than a few dollars. LEDs are the only light safe to leave on for extended periods, and also the cheapest.

Leaving security cameras on 24/7 uses around 4-5 watts of electricity per hour, compared to 6-22 watts per hour used by lights. This means that security cameras cost significantly less to run than lights.

Can Leaving a Light On for a Week Cause a Fire?

Leaving most types of light on for a week risks causing a fire as a result of overheating. However, modern lights are much safer. Compare the risks of fire below.

Type of BulbAre They Safe to Leave On for a Week?Can They Cause Fires If Left On 24/7?
IncandescentNoYes
HalogenNoYes
FluorescentNoNo(unless fitted incorrectly)
LEDsYesNo(unless fitted incorrectly)

Is it Safe to Have Outside Lights On at Night?

Outside lights are designed for night time use, so they are perfectly safe to use at night. However, leaving outdoor lights on all night contributes to light pollution and an unnecessarily high electricity bill.

Install motion sensor lights on the front porch, back door, garage, or driveway for a more useful night time lighting solution that saves money, energy, and avoids disrupting local wildlife (and sleepy neighbors).

Don’t want lights on your property? Do night vision instead!

Outdoor lighting isn’t ideal for everyone, and might not even be possible depending on the type of home you live in.

Turns out, night time surveillance doesn’t rely entirely on outdoor lighting thanks to infrared night vision.

AlfredCam and AlfredCam Plus introduce true infrared night vision to AlfredCamera DIY security systems.

While phones, tablets, and webcams all make fabulous security cameras thanks to Alfred, they do not offer native infrared support, so can’t produce an image without some form of light.

Add an AlfredCam device to your setup to get flawless night time surveillance even without a visible light source, so you can keep an eye on your house day and night.

Conclusion

Older light bulbs are dangerous and overheat when left on for long periods, meaning a significant risk of fire. Only leave motion detector lights or lamps fitted with a timer switched on during vacations.

LEDs are the safest, most energy efficient lights, so consider switching all lighting in your home to LED. At the very least, you’ll notice the difference in your bills.

If you’re heading on vacation, security cameras are much more valuable for home security than leaving lights on for a week. It’s also worth withholding bragging rights until after you’ve returned. Bon voyage!

Recommended reading: What to Do If Someone is in Your House When Home Alone

Is It Safe To Leave Lights On For A Week? | Vacations & Home Security - AlfredCamera Blog (2024)

FAQs

Is It Safe To Leave Lights On For A Week? | Vacations & Home Security - AlfredCamera Blog? ›

It's not a good idea to leave lights on while on vacation. In addition to potential fire risks, leaving lights on for 1-2 weeks will waste energy and increase electricity bills significantly.

Should you leave outdoor lights on when on vacation? ›

Don't Leave the Lights On

Leaving lamps and overhead lights on while you're away is not only dangerous, but it increases your electric bill. Light bulbs can become very hot and even ignite a fire. Instead, invest in a motion-sensor outdoor lighting system.

Is it safe to leave night lights on all the time? ›

LED lights may be left on all night without causing any safety risks, but doing so has certain advantages as well. For example, LED lights are perfect for use as nightlights since they emit a soft, calming glow that may help you safely explore your house at night.

Does leaving lights on use a lot of electricity? ›

Lightbulbs can suck a lot of electricity when left on for long periods of time. It's likely that your electricity bill is rising for every extra minute you leave that light on. Lighting is also typically misunderstood. You probably find that when you use your lights you're looking to brighten an entire room.

Is it safe to leave LED lights on 24/7? ›

Well-made LED lights can be left on 24 hours a day, seven days a week. They last extremely long and are relatively safe due to their very low chance of overheating. On average, LED bulbs last between 35,000 and 50,000 hours. LED bulbs convert about 90 percent of energy into light and 10 percent into heat.

Is it okay to leave a light on for a week? ›

If you forgot to turn them off, LED bulbs are unlikely to overheat, trip electrics, or start a fire. On the other hand, incandescent, halogen, or fluorescent lights should never be left on for a week. These overheat and can cause a fire if left on for excessive periods.

Does leaving lights on deter burglars? ›

Leaving on lights at all times doesn't seem to be an effective way to deter crimes. With a little planning and some home automation equipment, you can use lighting to your advantage and get better peace of mind.

Are LED lights safe to leave unattended? ›

In summary, it's best to turn LED strip lights off when not in use. But the occasional overnight use likely won't cause major issues beyond a bit higher electricity use. Just take proper precautions and don't overuse them. Smart timers and dimmers can help minimize any potential downsides.

Why shouldn't you keep a light on in the house at night? ›

Artificial light, especially blue light, can suppress melatonin production. Excessive light exposure can impact your sleep-wake cycle and negatively affect your overall health. An environment that is dark is essential for a better night of sleep.

What is the best light to leave on at night? ›

The best night light colours for sleep are red and amber, as they are warm and soothing colour that promote a good night's sleep. It's thought that colours close to red on the light spectrum stimulate melatonin production. Red light has a lower colour temperature than regular sunlight, making it ideal for sleep.

Is it better to leave the lights on or off? ›

Incandescent lights should be turned off whenever they are not needed, because they are the least efficient type of lighting. 90% of the energy they use is given off as heat, and only about 10% results in light. Turning lights off will also keep a room cooler, an extra benefit in the summer.

How much does it cost to leave a TV on all day? ›

How much does it cost to keep a TV on all day? First of all, you need to know how many watts your tv uses. If your tv uses 100 watts per hour and the electricity runs 12 cents per kilowatt hour then it costs 1.2 cents per hour to run. That's 28.8 cents per day or $8.64 per month to run it 24/7.

Should you leave your porch light on all night? ›

At Night: Leaving the porch light on at night naturally signals that your home is occupied. It alerts burglars and acts as a spotlight at the entry points. If you are waiting for someone to come at night, the illuminated porch light can give them a welcome signal and help you see who's approaching.

What happens if you leave LED lights on for too long? ›

In theory, yes, you can leave LED lights on 24/7. As we've already explained, LED light bulbs give off little heat during operation; it's therefore possible to leave LED lights on constantly without the risk of the lights overheating due to prolonged usage.

Should I leave my porch light on when I go on vacation? ›

A Porch Light Can Keep Intruders Away

It is harder to sneak around the property of a well lit home, so having some sort of night lights can successfully ward off seedy people. On the other hand, leaving a porch light on while you are away for work or vacation may signal to burglars that no one is home.

Should I leave the lights on when on vacation? ›

Some people feel lights make it look like people are home, but skilled burglars know to look for light patterns, so if the same lights stay on over the course of several days, they will catch on. The best solution would be to set light timers if you've equipped your home with them.

Is it better to keep outside lights on or off? ›

A Porch Light Can Keep Intruders Away

It is harder to sneak around the property of a well lit home, so having some sort of night lights can successfully ward off seedy people. On the other hand, leaving a porch light on while you are away for work or vacation may signal to burglars that no one is home.

When should outdoor lights be turned off? ›

While Going to Bed: Turn off the porch light and other indoor lighting fixtures before bed. Turning off the light suggests that your home is in use and helps you rest well. If you are still worrying about nighttime security, purchase a burglar alarm or camera with motion detection.

Is it safe to leave outdoor Christmas lights on when not home? ›

When to Turn Off the Lights. If Christmas lights are left on for too long, they can get hot and become a fire hazard. For this reason, turn your lights off when you go to sleep or leave your home, says Sharon Cooksey, fire safety educator at Kidde.

Is it better to leave outdoor Christmas lights on all the time? ›

It may seem low risk, but it's always better to turn off your Christmas lights before you go to bed at night. "We recommend unplugging your tree before you got to sleep or leave the house," shares Jen Wilbert, AVP of Property at Travelers Insurance.

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Arielle Torp

Last Updated:

Views: 6323

Rating: 4 / 5 (41 voted)

Reviews: 80% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Arielle Torp

Birthday: 1997-09-20

Address: 87313 Erdman Vista, North Dustinborough, WA 37563

Phone: +97216742823598

Job: Central Technology Officer

Hobby: Taekwondo, Macrame, Foreign language learning, Kite flying, Cooking, Skiing, Computer programming

Introduction: My name is Arielle Torp, I am a comfortable, kind, zealous, lovely, jolly, colorful, adventurous person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.