With the holidays come visits from family and friends. Keep in mind that your home might be somewhat unfamiliar ground to many who gather there. Make your home a safer place to visit by ensuring that exterior lighting is up to snuff. (You may know the exact height of every curb and step leading to your home and can get from the garage to the front door in the snow after dark with your hands tied behind your back. But your guests probably can't.) Best to consider some of the following tips. First, think about installing automatic light controls -- the kind that operate by sensing heat or motion. Photoelectric operation is OK, but a timer must be added to this kind of configuration so that lights can be automatically turned off when not needed. Solar garden lights don't need wires and can be staked into the ground next to entry walks and driveways. After the holidays -- when traffic subsides -- the walk lights can be stored until next time. And that's the On The House tip for today.