A dark yard (or other area around your home or business) is a dangerous yard. Light generally equals safety, and illuminating the area around your house will detour potential criminals from approaching.

But traditional security lights are difficult to install, and can use a lot of power. Running an electrical line to the light may be something you’re not qualified to do, meaning hiring (and paying) an electrician just for that simple job. Also, if the power goes out or is turned off, the lights will no longer work.

A very simple solution to this problem is to use solar security lights. These lights have solar panels and built in rechargeable batteries. They charge in the day using free power, and blast out light at night. Most use some sort of highly efficient LED light to make the battery last longer.

Things to look at when choosing your solar light is light output, output duration, warranty, and reviews by external sources. Price is, of course, also a factor. Nobody wants to pay more than they have to for something like this, but you also want to choose something that will last a long time. Quality will pay off in the long run.

Some solar security lights will also be much easier to install than others. If you’re placing one on your house, all you usually have to do is drive a few screws through a mounting plate, and secure the light – but the process will vary from one model light to the next.