In the state of Florida, you are probably not familiar with winterizing outdoor lighting or storing them away during the winter. However, we think that it is important to know that maintaining your winter outdoor lighting can prolong your light fixtures’ life span.
Adjusting Settings To Match The Shorter Days
Winter is here and the days just got shorter than ever, which means that your outdoor lighting system is not programmed for the new season properly. You have to make sure you take a moment to adjust the settings in your transformer to match the new daylight hours in your area. If you have to have a transformer system with photocells, you won’t have to do this. When the timer is set to dusk-to-dawn, the photocells will work in accordance with the setting and rising of the sun.
Maintenance and Cleaning of Fixtures
With solid copper and solid brass fixtures, regular cleaning is not needed since the finishes are designed to age beautifully and naturally blend with the landscaping. However, if you don’t have this type of light fixture, you will need to clean them throughout the winter. Here are some tips:
- To remove hard water stains: use soap and water. Start by mixing water and dish soap in a bowl, then clean with a sponge and gently scrub off any buildup. Let this mixture sit for 2 minutes and then rinse. You can repeat this process until the result you want is reached.
- To remove the patina from brass and copper: you can use Brasso, which is specifically designed to remove patina. To apply it, place a small amount directly onto a sponge and rub the solution into the surface. Buff any polished areas with a clean rag. Do not over-polish since Brasso can expose the raw metal under the finish if you apply too much pressure.
Add New Light Fixtures For Safety
Whenever snow falls and freezing occurs, walking around your property at night can be dangerous. This is why you need your light fixtures to be working properly at all times. It is a good idea to analyze your home properly during the night before winter comes. Do you see any poorly lit areas that could be dangerous with ice forming and snow? If you add new light fixtures can you ensure high-traffic areas are properly lit?
If the answer is yes, East-West Electric can help you add and install as many new lighting fixtures as needed.
Switch To LED Lighting
We offer this tip only if you haven’t already done so. Not only are you guaranteed to have long-lasting LED bulbs, but you will save some money on your energy bill. A 150-Watt LED light system can save $483 on average compared to a 1000-Watt regular lighting system. These savings can be very crucial when your home is eating up costs in heating and cooling. To learn more about how weather affects power usage, click here.
Prevent Moisture
The winter can increase potential damages because of moisture. Moisture is never a good thing for outdoor lights. Removing snow from outdoor lighting fixtures can prevent moisture from getting into the inner workings of the fixtures. When installing outdoor lights, choose fixtures that are high-quality and have a lifetime warranty, This will keep you from having to pay for any damages caused by moisture.
Professional Electricians in Clearwater, FL
Even when outdoor lighting is designed to last and endure the elements from the outside, it is still very important to carry out a maintenance check to prevent any costly issues down the road. At East-West Electric, our residential electricians understand how hectic life can be, we want to make it easier. Contact us for more information about outdoor lighting services. Call us at (727) 771-9403.
