Installing outdoor lighting around your home can beautify your yard, enhance landscaping and also add a level of safety at the same time. The outdoor lighting you choose for your home is another aspect of home decorating as there are many types, styles and designs to choose from to fit any type of decor. Whether you are looking to place lights along your driveway, a simple accent light in the garden or even transform an area of your backyard into an outdoor living space, the outdoor lighting products available for your house are numerous.
Buyer’s Guide For Outdoor Lighting
Outdoor lighting can be broken down into two major categories: home lighting and landscape lighting.Home lighting is any type of lighting that is installed directly onto the home or wired into the home. These include wall lights or lanterns, wall scones, flood lights, motion lights, ceiling lights and fans, a pendant or chandelier. Outdoor wall lights,outdoor lanterns and sconces illuminate the entry way to the home and are the most well known type of outdoor lighting. Flood lights and motion lights are typically used for security reasons and can make the outside of the home feel safer at night. Ceiling lights and fans are used for outdoor living areas, porches and even entry ways. Adding a ceiling light or ceiling fan to an outdoor room can allow extra living space and a great area to have a party or gathering at night. A chandelier or pendant can add sophistication and a touch of elegance to an area.
Landscape lighting includes path lights, accent lights, solar lights and post lights. These lights enhance the curb appeal of the home and greet guests and homeowners to a well lit entrance to the home. Accents lights can highlight an area of the property, a garden or tree. Post lights and path lights look great along a walkway leading to the home or add ambiance to a garden path and can be found in various sizes from small or medium sized post lanterns to large post. Solar lights can be placed anywhere around a property to add interest to an area and are a good way to save energy. For anyone that wants to do a project on their own there are low voltage outdoor lighting kits that come with all the instructions for set up.
Some other types of outdoor lighting fixtures include outdoor lamps, LED lights, rope or string lights and underwater lights. Outdoor lamps include either table or floor lamps. They are available in many sizes and are waterproof. LED outdoor lighting has become a popular type of lighting that lasts longer and uses less energy which in return saves you money on your electric bill. Another advantage is they typically last longer than other types of lights. Rope lights and string lights can liven up a patio and also work great for parties or other types of night time festivities. Underwater lights are used for ponds and fountains to enhance their look at night.
Energy Efficient Outdoor Lighting
If you are looking to save energy and be more energy efficient there are many outdoor lighting choices.There are energy efficient, energy star, and solar outdoor lighting that fit into the energy savings category. Energy saving products are very popular as more people are trying to save money and the environment. There are light fixtures in all outdoor lighting categories that are marked with the energy star logo which are given this approval by the EPA and Department of Energy. Solar powered lights are a good option for energy savings as well. Also, there are dusk to dawn lights that turn on and off depending on the natural light which saves energy as well.
Dark Sky Lighting
If you live in an urban area, a sub-division with many homes or have a homeowners association you may want to check if there is a dark sky policy before installing outdoor lighting. It helps to eliminate unnecessary outdoor lighting by businesses and homeowners and make people more aware of the type of lighting they have. This type of policy has been introduced to decrease light pollution and energy used on outdoor lighting in neighborhoods and to preserve the darkness of the night in order to see the stars and in return help to save energy. If you need this type of outdoor lighting there are outdoor lights that have been approved by the International Dark-Sky Association.
When you are ready to start shopping for outdoor lighting there are many manufacturers to choose from. Some of the most popular manufacturers include Hinkley, Kichler, Minka Lavery, Murrary Feiss, and Hadco. The outdoor lighting company you decide to purchase from may have products at retailers both online and regular box stores. Many online stores will offer to ship items for free from the website to the store for you to pick up. It is best to do a little research to browse the selection, compare prices and check the availability on the type of outdoor lighting you are looking for.
Outdoor Lighting Installation
Once you have purchased the lighting fixtures of your choice the next step is installation. A quick search online or in the phone book will help you find a qualified electrician in your area. It is best to have a professional to install any type of major wiring in the home that will need inspection. Now, if you intend to install the outdoor lighting yourself you may need to research the installation process for that type of lighting. A simpler task would be if you have chosen landscape lighting which is low voltage and is safe to install. Or, if you are installing outdoor lighting that doesn’t need wiring to it.
Once your project is finished you will have beautiful lighting that enhances the outside of your home. Whether you have a new living space to enjoy nights in the summer or have brought a new level of curb appeal to your home the outdoor lighting you have installed can be enjoyed for many years or until the next project begins.
This video has great tips on installing outdoor lighting, or you can check out this article on how to install landscape lighting.