Address Signs
Plaques and Numbers for Your Home
Lighted House Numbers

Lighted House Numbers

There are many reasons why you would choose to have lighted house numbers. If you wish to mount your house numbers in a place where there is no ambient light source at night, either from your own house lights or from street lighting, then your address becomes invisible at night.

This makes it difficult for your guests to find you and may require emergency crews to waste precious time looking for the correct address.

Types of Exterior Sign Lighting

You can choose from lighted house numbers made from conventional material like metal, slate or ceramic with an integrated light source or you can choose a self-illuminating house number. Tile house numbers are a popular choice that go well with powered lighting.

Lighted house numbers with an integrated light source come in electric, battery-powered LED type, or solar. The type of exterior sign lighting you choose will depend on where you need to mount the lighted house numbers. Electricity powered versions are more complicated to install, but may be the best choice if there is a conveniently located power source. Solar address signs work as long as the solar panel can absorb several hours of daylight per day. A battery-powered LED light source for your house numbers gives off good quality light, but requires occasional battery changes.

If you want to purchase self-illuminating house numbers there are many choices available. Some companies that sell lighted house numbers offer battery powered LED, solar powered or photoluminescent self-illuminating lighted house numbers and plaques. Each of these lighting methods requires very little to no maintenance. Each is easy to install. All are relatively inexpensive.

How They Work

Most LED lights use a 12-volt battery. LED light is very bright, but uses a fraction of the energy that a conventional light bulb requires. LED lamps also last about 40 times longer than conventional light bulbs. This type of lighted house number is designed so that the light is always on. During the day, the light is less visible because the sun outshines it. The only maintenance is occasional battery replacement.

Solar powered lighted house numbers use a solar panel to charge a rechargeable battery that lights the house number at night. These lighted house numbers have a light sensor that turns the light off during the day so the battery can recharge and turns the light back on at night when the daylight fades. Maintenance for these consists of wiping the solar panel with a clean cloth to keep it free from dirt and occasionally replacing the rechargeable batteries.

Photoluminescent lighted house numbers require no maintenance at all. They also require no energy source at all. Basically the house numbers are made of "glow in the dark" material, which is a plastic, usually acrylic, impregnated with a phosphor. Phosphors absorb light and then re-emit it for several hours after the light source is gone. This causes the substance to "glow" in the dark.

Lighted house numbers are stylish and easy to find and may help keep your family safe. You will need them whether you have hanging address plaques or lawn address signs that are stuck into the ground.

Ceramic, clay or tile is a popular material for address signs.

Address plaques also are designed with wood frames.

Metal choices are traditionally brass or cast aluminum for a more robust material.