If you're tired of guests driving past your home due to poorly visible numbers, then backlit house numbers can solve the problem. These numbers are designed to be highly visible whether it's daytime or night.

Location

The best location is one that can be seen clearly from the street and sidewalk no matter the time of day or year. If you are putting in the house numbers in winter, for example, make sure plant growth in summer won't obscure them. Conversely, during a summer installation verify the location isn't one that gets blocked by snow or ice in the winter. You can opt to install the numbers directly on your home, on a wall or signpost in the yard, or even on large decorative boulders that frame a walk or driveway.

Energy Source

You have three options for powering your backlit house numbers — solar, hard wiring, and battery. The benefit of solar and battery-powered numbers is that you can place them anywhere without having to worry about electrical availability. The drawbacks are the lights can fail if there is insufficient sun to power the lights or a dead battery, plus battery lights will require frequent battery replacements. A solar light with a battery backup is a good alternative. Further, you can simply have an electrician run wiring to your lights so you can be assured they are always brightly lit.

Material Options

Most backlit house numbers are made of metal or acrylic. Both are lightweight and highly durable options. Aluminum is the most common option for metal numbers, as it is light, cost-effective, and resistant to rust and corrosion. Metal numbers can be powder coated in any color imaginable, providing a high level of customization. Acrylic numbers can be solid or translucent. The benefit of translucent numbers is the light shines both around and through them for heightened nighttime visibility, just make sure they are designed so that they are also visible during the day.

Size

The main purpose of size is to ensure visibility. To determine the best size, write out the numbers in bold black ink and in a variety of sizes between 6 and 15 inches on a sheet of paper and tape it to the desired mounting area. Then, safely walk to the middle of your road and see which is the most easily visible. You can then adjust the size further as desired. Backlit numbers come in a wide range of sizes, or you can have them custom fabricated to your desired size.

Visit a supplier of backlit house numbers to see all of the available options.