Daylight Saving Time ends at 2 a.m. on Sunday, November 1, which means sunset will suddenly arrive about an hour earlier by the clock. In New Orleans, the sun will set shortly after 5 p.m. at the beginning of the month, with evenings getting darker even earlier as winter approaches.
For homeowners throughout Greater New Orleans, that means driveways, walkways, porches, side entrances, and other exterior areas will be dark much earlier in the evening. The earlier sunset gives homeowners a good opportunity to see how their security system actually performs once daylight is gone.
At ABC Fire & Burglar Alarm, we help homeowners evaluate the cameras, lighting, and connected security features already around their homes and determine whether they still provide the visibility and control they expect.
Take Another Look at Your Home After Dark
It is easy to become familiar with how a property looks during daylight and overlook how different the same areas can appear at night.
A driveway that is clearly visible during the afternoon may have uneven lighting after sunset. Landscaping can partially block a side entrance, while changes around the front walkway may affect what a camera can see once daylight disappears.
As sunset moves earlier, homeowners have more opportunities to check those conditions during normal evening hours. Looking at camera views after dark can show whether important exterior areas remain clearly visible or whether placement, lighting, or equipment needs attention.
That check is especially worthwhile if landscaping, exterior lighting, or other parts of the property have changed since the cameras were installed.
Make Sure Your Cameras Perform After Sunset
Camera placement is only part of useful residential video coverage. Nighttime image quality also matters, particularly during the fall and winter when more activity around the home takes place after sunset.
ABC’s security camera and video monitoring systems can provide homeowners with recorded video and remote access to areas around the property. Depending on the equipment, cameras may also include infrared or other low-light capabilities designed to improve visibility after dark.
Check the actual camera image after sunset rather than assuming daytime performance will carry over at night. Exterior lighting, distance, obstructions, and camera angle can all affect how much detail is visible once daylight is gone.
A camera facing the driveway, for example, should provide a useful view of the area homeowners actually want to see. The same applies to walkways, side entrances, garages, and other exterior approaches around the home.
Not sure how well your cameras perform after dark? Call ABC Fire & Burglar Alarm at 504-889-9795 or request a free residential security consultation to review your current coverage.
Let Your Lighting Follow the Earlier Sunset
The time change can also leave exterior and interior lighting schedules out of sync with the season.
A light programmed to turn on at 6 p.m. may have made sense when sunset came later. After November 1, the property may already have been dark for nearly an hour by that point.
ABC’s smart home systems can incorporate compatible lighting controls alongside the home’s security system. Depending on the setup, lighting can be scheduled around evening routines or managed remotely instead of relying on homeowners to manually change timers as daylight hours shift.
For families leaving home in daylight and returning after sunset, those controls can help keep lighting schedules aligned with the season.
Check the View From Your Front Door
After the time change, more deliveries, visitors, and everyday arrivals will happen after sunset.
A video doorbell can give homeowners another view of that activity, allowing them to see and communicate with someone at the door without needing to be standing inside the entrance. Nighttime performance matters here for the same reason it does with other exterior cameras, since the image needs to remain useful under the lighting conditions around the property.
Homeowners who already have a video doorbell should take a look at the nighttime view and see whether faces, packages, and the surrounding entrance are visible from the position where the device is installed.
If porch lighting, camera angle, or older equipment is limiting that view, the time change is a good reason to address it.
See What Your Existing System Can Already Support
If your home already has cameras, an alarm, or connected equipment, the first step is to see what the existing system can already support.
We can evaluate what is installed and determine which components can continue to be used. Depending on the system, homeowners may be able to improve camera coverage, add connected lighting or other controls, or update specific equipment without replacing everything already in the home.
Systems installed years ago may still have useful components even if the property, landscaping, family routine, or technology around them has changed. Looking at the system as it exists today can help identify where a targeted update would provide the most value.
See Your Home the Way It Looks This Fall
As sunset moves earlier across New Orleans, Metairie, Kenner, Slidell, Covington, and surrounding communities, take a look at your home after dark and see whether the security equipment already in place gives you the view and control you expect.
ABC Fire & Burglar Alarm has served Greater New Orleans homeowners for more than 20 years. If something around the property has changed or your cameras are no longer giving you a useful nighttime view, our team can help determine what needs attention.
Call ABC Fire & Burglar Alarm at 504-889-9795 or request a free residential security consultation to get your home security ready for the darker evenings ahead.
