Adding Outdoor Landscape Lighting to your commercial or residential property adds curb appeal, beauty, security, dimension, and best of all value to your property. You have worked hard to make your house look amazingly beautiful. So why shouldn’t your house look just as amazing after dark? With outdoor landscape lighting, you can dramatically change your nighttime curb appeal with a flick of a switch. Landscape Lighting highlights and draws attention to your home and landscape’s best features.
Modern Landscape Lighting is usually low voltage lights that are very energy efficient and safer to work with. Landscape lighting comes in all shapes, sizes, watts, and different beam widths to deliver the perfect lighting option for every situation.
Curb Appeal – Make your home or property stand out during the night hours. Plus, enjoy the warm welcoming ambiance that outdoor lighting creates around your home.
Safety – Outdoor lighting can illuminate walkways, stairs, and entranceways to your home and business to reduce missteps or tripping hazards.
Energy Savings – The installation of LED Lighting can reduce your energy usage compared to using large outdoor lights on your property.
Security – having your property’s exterior well lit can enhance your security without having to rely on bright intrusive power-hungry motion lights.
Family Enjoyment – Properly installed outdoor lighting around decks, backyards and patios make these areas more appealing and inviting for family or entertaining events.
Should you do the DIY Outdoor Lighting Route? Or should you Hire a Professional Outdoor Lighting Design and Installation Specialist Company!
Homeowners and Business owners can install basic outdoor lighting systems if they have some basic electrical knowledge and decide to put in the time and sweat.
Outdoor Lighting is low voltage but electrical nonetheless. Unless you go all solar-powered you will have to tie in all of your outdoor lightings into your home or business electrical system. But, keep in mind that there could be local building codes or business codes that might have to be met also. The other thing most DIY people fail to consider is choosing the correct lighting fixture for the job. Outdoor Lighting Professionals can help you choose the right fixtures that will not only look good but will hold up in your particular seasonal environments. The biggest reason to hire an Outdoor Lighting professional near you is their experience and ability to design your outdoor lighting system to where it has the most visual effects with lights and shadows and really takes your property to the next level.
When choosing outdoor landscape lighting hardware fixtures for your system you need to consider several things. The first one is the material and finish of the actual light fixture and how well it will hold up in your climate and weather conditions. You can find fixtures made out of plastic, composites, brass, aluminum, and steel. Each material has its pros and cons. A Professional Landscape Lighting Service can help you make the right decision based on where you live and where they will be installed.
Another thing to consider is choosing the actual type of low voltage lighting bulb style. Most modern-day landscape lighting is low voltage and not household 120 volt. This makes landscape lighting safer and easier to work with. Step-Down transformers are used to convert your household 120-volt electricity down to the most popular 12 volts needed. The most popular low volt bulbs used are LED, Halogen, Incandescent, and Solar. Each bulb type has different power consumptions and bulb life and cost that has to be considered when making your choice.
LED Landscape Lighting – This is the very best when it comes to energy cost and bulb life. LED bulbs draw the least amount of power at around 11 watts and around 80% savings in electricity and can last between 30,000 to 50,000 hours, or roughly 20 years. LED lights also don’t have a filament to burn out or break. Unlike most outdoor fixtures the bulbs can be replaced in LED-style lighting fixtures. These lights come on instantly with no flickers or delays and work great in cold and hot weather. The only downside is the initial cost difference, they usually cost more upfront but more than makeup for it over the years.
Halogen Landscape Lighting- is usually considered the second-best choice for landscape lighting. Halogen bulbs have decent energy efficiency but bulbs usually only last between 2000-5000 on average. Some lights using halogen bulbs are built to where the bulb can’t be replaced and new fixtures have to be purchased.
Incandescent Landscape Lighting – is considered to have moderate energy usage. The bulbs usually only last between 750 -2000 hours.
Solar Landscape Lighting – The benefit of using solar-powered outdoor lighting fixtures is they run off of the sun and there is no electrical wiring needed. The downside is solar lights don’t usually last very long and have to be replaced when they go bad.
Choosing the best type of Landscape Lighting!
Homeowners and business owners have many different types of exterior lighting to choose from when planning their projects.
Spotlights- These lights are also known as directional lights, downlights, up-lights, and bullet lights. This type of light delivers a narrow beam of light, usually never going over 45 degrees in width, perfect for targeting a particular landscaping feature, like tree uplighting.
Flood Lights- Floodlights cast wide beams of light, and utilize higher watts usually used for lighting up large areas like patios.
Path Lights are used to light up sidewalks, walkways, and other types of paths. They are also used in landscaping designs to light up landscape beds and other fixtures.
Hardscape Lights – This type of lighting is used on hardscapes such as driveways, stairs, walkways, walls, outdoor fireplaces, and patios. Hardscape lights are usually attached to the underside of overhangs and landscaping capstones.
Well Lights – These lights are installed below ground level or grade level. Perfect for places where mowers or traffic can drive over them.
Wash Lights- Wash lights are a form of floodlight that delivers very even illumination across wide surfaces like walls.
Deck & Patio Lights – These lights are designed to be mounted on fence or deck posts. They can also be installed on the sides of other objects.
Step Lights – Are lights that can be mounted on stairs or next to stairs to light up the stepping services.
Water Feature Lights- Submersible underwater lights that are used to light up and enhance ponds, fountains, and pools.
A Professional Landscape Lighting Company can explain in detail all of your landscape lighting fixture options and which will be best for your property.
Every home and property is unique, they have different layouts, different wall textures, and colors as well as different kinds of landscaping features that affect the outdoor lighting scheme. When planning your landscape lighting project you need to decide what you want to light up, where you want creative shadows, and where you want the attention to be focused on. Determining all of your light placements before starting to install is very important. Consider not only adding beauty to your property but also light your home to enhance the security of your home.
You should make sure you have the proper electrical outlets and connections to connect your new landscaping lighting system. If you don’t have the proper setup, hire a Professional Electrician or Professional Outdoor Lighting Service Provider.
Architectural Outdoor Lighting
Architectural lighting for the outside of your home or business pertains to creating lighting effects and moods that accentuate your home or building’s best features. It involves the creative placement of outdoor lighting fixtures to highlight the best attributes while creating a welcoming ambiance. Local Architectural Lighting Professionals can create an outdoor architectural lighting design plan that meets your needs and budgets.
Deck & Patio Lighting
Professional Deck & Patio Lighting allows you to spend more quality time with family and friends. The creative lighting generates an atmosphere that makes it comfortable and enjoyable to spend time on your deck or patio after dark. Professionally installed outdoor lighting enhances the mood by creatively lighting up your area. Traditional hardware store-type floodlights usually overpower your setting and are hard on the eyes. Quality lighting allows you to spend more time entertaining on your patio, deck, porch, or gazebo. You also gain a lot of added security and safety when things are well-lit.
Path & Walkway Lighting
Choosing to illuminate paths and walkways with landscape lighting provides security by removing dark areas of your business or residential property. The lighting also provides added safety by lighting up where you walk and step possibly preventing slips or falls. Having your walkways lit-up adds elegance and beauty to your property once the sun goes down.
Swimming Pool Lighting
Nothing will add more to your home’s entertaining atmosphere than custom pool lighting. Strategically placed lights in and around your pool area allow you to enjoy your pool well after the sunsets. Having a properly lit pool not only adds beauty but also added safety for your family and guests.
Outdoor Light Maintenance & Repair
Most outdoor lighting installations come with a warranty and are covered from defects. Several times a year you should do some basic inspections and maintenance on your outdoor lighting system. Look for loose, bare, or uncovered wires coming from the transformer. Then make sure each wire that runs to each light is in good shape also. Next, make sure no plants are touching or blocking each outdoor light. Another good thing is to inspect each light housing and make sure there are no cracks or damage. Then check to make sure each bulb is working and clean the glass. If you have a professionally installed outdoor lighting system you might want to contact them and have them do your maintenance and repair services.
If you have decided that the DIY approach is not for you, scroll to the top and search for professional Outdoor Lighting Companies near you.