If you’re thinking about diving into landscape lighting, your goal should be to place all this lighting strategically so you can highlight your favorite areas of your home. Good lighting outside your home can make it go from dark and spooky to inviting and bright while also keeping everybody safe. There are different ways to illuminate your home and different types of lighting that have specific functions. Landscape lighting is used to provide security from any unseen potential threats, make your home stand out, and most importantly, create an ambiance.
Here are 8 tips for landscape lighting that will make your home look better.
#1 Make a Plan
Before starting any landscape lighting project, you need to make a plan for what it is you want exactly. How you want your yard to look and select the right kind of fixture to fit your needs. Get an idea of what design you want by researching online. Think about how much lighting is needed and choose the material, color, and bulb of the lights you like more. This way you can incorporate your own touch into your home’s design.
#2 Focus On Your Home’s Lighting
As you’re making your plan of where you’ll be placing the landscape lights, think about your home as the main point of focus. You can install different fixtures such as step lights and lanterns to light up your home’s entrance so that it stands out.
#3 Install LED Lighting
LED lighting comes in many different tones, warm and cool, that can give your landscaping a nice-looking upgrade. In reality, these lights use less energy than the popular incandescent bulbs. Others are even solar-powered and will give you the chance to skip the batteries and rely solely on the sun to power your lights.
#4 Choose Fixtures That Match Your Yard
Whatever fixtures you pick should match whatever theme is going on in your yard. Unless, of course, you plan on changing that theme to the fixtures you have chosen. A way of choosing fixtures is looking for the ones that go well with your flowers, trees, and your home’s design. For example, if you have a lot of trees, you can install post lights or floodlights that will give the landscape a modern and classy look.
#5 Install Security Lighting
Don’t ignore any small spaces that you can’t really see. We recommend lighting any areas in which your yard can get rid of any blindspots for your own safety.
#6 Weather-Resistant Receptacles
Instead of having cords running through a window or door to power your fixtures, always plug any temporary outdoor lights into outdoor weather-resistant receptacles. These have covers on them and can withstand any dampness, heat, and freezing temperatures without getting damaged. Remember you need to maintain your outdoor lighting in the winter.
#7 Use Non-Binding Non-Metal Materials
If you’re thinking of installing holiday lights, it is best if you use non-binding non-metal materials when attaching temporary lighting. Avoid metal because it can conduct electricity. Also, use plastic cable ties, this way your wires won’t get damaged.
#8 Use Outdoor Extension Cords, Fixtures, and Bulbs
Our most important and final tip is: to make sure to use cords, bulbs, and fixtures that are specifically made for outdoor use. Your lighting fixtures should all be outdoor-rated. This way they can sustain a significantly high degree of weather.
Bulbs made for the outdoors especially can withstand any of the four elements, unlike the regular bulbs out there. Even if you’re installing temporary Christmas lights, you always should use outdoor extension cords for your safety.
Contact a Landscape Electrical Contractor in Clearwater, FL
If you have any questions and want to learn more about landscape lighting call the experts at East-West Electric. We can guide you through your project and even take care of all the installations! Contact us now at (727) 771-9403 for a free quote.
