How to Layout Egress Emergency Lighting

Many people are confused by the terms egress lighting and emergency lighting, often referring to the practice of illuminating exits as egress emergency lighting. In fact, egress lights are often connected to the residence's main power supply, and are designed to function when the building is being used. Emergency lighting, on the other hand, are often powered by battery, ensuring that they can still operate when the main power supply is not working, and do not function when the house is in use, but only when the egress lighting circuits fail. When laying out egress emergency lighting, therefore, you need to have two circuits, but these must control lights which illuminate walkways and exits at all times. The layout of these lighting systems can be done by a professional, but if you are eager to save money, a few simple steps can help you to get this task done quickly and simply.

Step 1 - Work Out Your Needs

The first step to installing egress emergency lights is to work out your illumination needs. The best way to do this is to wait until it gets dark, and then follow the path that anyone emerging from your house will need to take in order to get to safety. You should take note of any obstacles in the path, such as steps, plants which obscure exits, and other obstacles. These will all need to be illuminated in the event of an emergency. Don't forget that, in a crisis, people may be more disorientated than usual, or in the event of a fire, may be struggling to see through thick smoke. Mark all of these points in your notebook.

Step 2 - Measure Out the Lighting

You will now need to measure out the range of the lighting. You may find that your needs are limited by the cords which link your lights together. In this case, it may be worth investing in extension cord, so that you can cover all the obstacles which occur around your egress opening. You can experiment with where the lights need to go by placing a series of torches in the ground, and considering where they illuminate. You may find, for example, that two torches light enough of the area to be safe, rather than the three lights you thought were necessary. Make notes of where the light extends.

Step 3 - Lay Out Both Lights

When you have finished working out where each light will extend to, and how much visibility will be needed, you should then design a layout which incorporates both sets of lights. You may want your standard egress lighting to be more ornate, for example, so this could involve the laying out of posts, or decorative side lights. The egress emergency lighting will probably have to be more simple, and perhaps brighter than everyday egress lighting, so bear that in mind when designing the layout. Keep the design simple and effective.