Here are some reasons why you should have an electrician install downlights above your home's exterior doors.

They can make using your doors easier

Having an electrician fit an outdoor downlight over each of your property's exterior doors could make these doors easier to use. If, for example, you often get home after dark or if you do night shifts and arrive home shortly before sunrise when there's not much natural light, having a light above the door you're entering could allow you to slot your key into the lock very quickly, due to the illumination the downlight provides.

This means you won't have to try to, for example, hold your phone in one hand and use the light from it to illuminate the lock, or accidentally scratch the metal that surrounds the lock with your key when you're trying to slot it in. It will also mean that on dark mornings or evenings when it's heavily raining, you could quickly see the lock, get into your home and get out of the rain without getting soaked. Finally, the presence of this downlight above the door will also help you to locate and turn or push the door handle with ease instead of having to fumble around looking for it in the pitch black.

They can be a useful security feature

The other reason why electricians often advise their clients to have outdoor downlights fitted over their doors is that they can be used as security features. If, for example, someone knocks on your door at night and you look out of a nearby window or through the door's spy hole to see who it is, the downlight over the door will illuminate that person's features and enable you to see who they are and whether they are doing anything suspicious. This would then allow you to make a more informed decision about whether you should answer the door to them.

This could be particularly useful if you live rurally and so cannot rely on nearby streetlights to shine a light on those who approach your door after dark or if you have weak night vision and can only see properly at night when there is a decent light source nearby.

Additionally, any would-be intruders who see that your exterior doors are illuminated at night could potentially be frightened off by the downlight, as it would shine a light on them if they were to approach the door.

Contact a local electrician to discuss options for outdoor downlights.