Now you have finally come to decide that you want to install outdoor lighting in your yard. The next step is to figure out how you’ll go about doing that. Of course, you have to think about which design will complement your house the best.
But looking through all the available options can be pretty daunting. There are just so many to choose from that it’s hard to decide. Not only that, but you also have to take a look at the boon and bane of an outdoor lighting system first.
What Is Outdoor Lighting
Outdoor lighting is a generic term for any system you put outside your house to increase brightness. That may be around your yard, throughout the trees, or along your walkway area.
You can even place it along your landscape to showcase your plants or to highlight any features in your house, including accent walls or fences.
Types For Consideration
The average everyday buyer would need to kBurnouts are usual issues that come with having an outdoor lighting system. This is especially true if you’re using halogen lights or incandescent ones.
Apart from that, you’re more at risk of burnout if your lighting system doesn’t receive the proper voltage it needs. This is what most electricians call a ‘daisy chain.’
This happens when all your light wirings are consuming power all from one source. It starts with a single lamp. One lamp will send back way too much voltage to the other lamps connected to the same power source that they also burn out early.
However, you can avoid this if you get frequent maintenance for your lights, especially if you’re using halogens and incandescent. It’s a general rule of thumb that you should get your light repaired at least twice a year.
1. Setting It Up May Be Tricky
If you’re a newbie when setting up lights, you run the risk of having a poorly planned and executed set-up. Bad lighting consists of a system that does more damage than good making it counterproductive.
The result of such is reducing the aesthetic appeal of your home. Moreover, instead of increasing your safety, you may be doing the opposite. This can happen if you have defective products or light sources placed in the wrong area or fixtures. Thus, you’re creating awkward shadows and glares, wasted power, and unwanted light.
But the good thing is, you can easily resolve these mistakes. One of which is learning the suitable types of outdoor lighting to use. Then, search on how you can design your outdoor space with lighting.
2. More Expensive Electricity Fees
You also need to prepare for the added cost of electricity apart from the upfront cost of purchasing the lighting system and its installation. If you have outdoor lighting, you’re most probably going to keep the lights on for prolonged periods.
As a result, you can have a higher electricity bill. Luckily, there are low wattage options that consume less electricity, but that’s still an added cost you might want to consider.
You can even opt to get solar lighting instead. These light sources are dependent on the sun for power consumption, so they don’t consume electricity.
3. Positioning Your Light Source Can Be Difficult
Lastly, the problem with most outdoor lighting is looking for the optimal location. This can cause concern if you have an irregular-shaped yard or if your outdoor space is hard to reach.
The same problem arises if you opt for solar lights. Of course, you would want to position your solar lamp in a place where it can get maximum sunlight. But that can be a problem if the sun is not shining at all.
The remedy is to ask your solar power installer to place it in locations where it’ll get more sunlight.
Conclusion!
If you’re interested in getting an outdoor lighting setup, you must do your research first. See which types of light sources are out there, then try to think if it fits the layout of your yard and your preference.
It’s also best if you don’t rely on yourself in setting up your outdoor lights. Inexperienced homeowners run the risk of mishandling the lamps or connecting the lights to the wrong power source.
So, when it comes to landscaping lighting, it’s best to leave it to the experts because you don’t want to get it wrong. now a few things before choosing what would be the perfect lighting system fit for their homes. Here are some of the most common ones you can have a look at.
1. Floodlight
Floodlights are a type of lighting with high wattage making it ‘flood’ the nearby surrounding areas with light. This is mostly used in commercial spaces because it’s burglar-proof.
Some brands of floodlights also offer add-ons on top of their standalone product. These are night vision and a motion-activated security camera for extra protection. Because it has a built-in camera, it allows you to record videos throughout the whole evening.
Other manufacturers also offer a built-in siren activated and controlled by an app that you can control via your phone while you’re relaxing indoors.
2. Motion Sensor Light
This type of lighting has a feature where it detects any sudden movement. Most of them have precise detection logic, weatherproofing features, and fantastic warranty deals.
Some brands of motion sensor lights offer you a pre-wired version. This means that installation is a whole lot easier. However, make sure you install these lights on a circuit of its own to prevent overloading.
3. Wireless Spotlights
As the name suggests, these lighting types are wireless and oftentimes utilized because of their easy installation feature. It still makes for a good security light at nighttime because it has an attached motion sensor too.
Also, you can put them anywhere outside. Because it doesn’t have any wires, you can even place it in areas of your yard that usually don’t receive light but needs an extra layer of security.
Outdoor Lighting Pros
With so many features of outdoor lighting come its advantages. Here are some of them:
1. Amplified Artistry And Appeal
The most significant benefit of having outdoor lighting is the increased aesthetic appeal it gives. It looks extra magnificent at night, especially if installed by a skilled and certified professional.
The right lighting fixture system for your home would aid in bringing out its best architectural features. A properly installed and maintained light network would illuminate a rather dimmed lawn area and its nearby surroundings. This help in making your home’s unique charms stand out.
Additionally, you can also highlight and direct attention to the unique landscape and lush flora collection you may be fond of collecting.
2. Security And Protection
Aside from its visual interest it imparts, outdoor lighting can provide security and protection for your home. Hiring an expert to do this will help you greatly in choosing the right system for you.
It’s not unknown that the common site of burglary incidents are residences that are sitting in the dark. The veil of darkness provides a window of opportunity burglars use as a protective cloak to hide their illegal activities.
But with outdoor lighting, your house will be more illuminated. This increases the possibility of your neighbor or random passersby taking notice straight away if there’s anything sketchy going on in your yard.
Apart from that, having outdoor lighting also allows you to get a better sight of your lawn when you’re driving home at night. This lets you see if there are unusual cars parked near your house or any stranger lurking around and acting suspiciously.
3. Increased Home Value
Having a well-lit yard isn’t only functional because it helps protect you and your loved ones but also gives you an edge in the competitive real estate market.
It is believed that landscape lighting is one of the biggest trends right now for architectural design. This is because more people see value in creating house extensions by utilizing the outdoor space. Homebuyers are believed to pay more if the house that they’re looking at has up-to-date lighting systems in place—including outdoor lights.
If you’re planning to list your property in the market real soon and would like to be two steps ahead of the game, your realtor may suggest having a specialist to install the right lighting system to help increase the perceived value of your home.
4. Eliminates Often Overlooked Hazards
If you have guests coming over, your outdoor space can be a real hazard if it’s not lit properly. This is especially true if you have stairs, pools, or any slippery parts in your outdoor space.
Illuminating these areas will ensure your guests’ and family’s safety while spending time outdoors at night. The surrounding perimeter of your home can be made very useful with the proper nighttime light fixtures in place. Your loved ones can enjoy a breezy barbeque cookout without fearing for any accidents to happen thanks to very helpful outdoor lights. Plus, if you have guests coming over, they can quickly locate your address if your place is bright and well-lit.
5. Cheap Maintaining Costs
Most outdoor lights have a decent number of hours before they burn off and need to be replaced. But LED outdoor lighting is thought to be the option out there that offers the longest hours for everyday use. LEDs or light-emitting diodes are a proven eco-friendly and money-saving light source alternative.
What happens is that through time, LEDs only slightly decrease in brightness. But this isn’t even a matter to worry about. That’s because good quality bulbs are guaranteed to last until 100,000 hours.
Unlike its incandescent counterpart, which only lasts up to around ten thousand hours, you’re more likely to get your money’s worth with LEDs. Along with its long life span, you can also expect a decrease in labor costs as you wouldn’t need to have it repaired constantly.
Outdoor Lighting Cons
While there are many benefits of outdoor lighting, there are also cons to using it. Thus, it’s up to you to weigh if the pros outweigh the cons.