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Choosing Outdoor Landscape Lighting

Jennifer — Mon, 28 Jan 2008 19:55:13 +0000

Outdoor landscape lighting has come a long way from citronella candles! Today, the styles of lighting for outdoor areas include an amazing assortment from the elegant to the efficient. There are almost as many options for outdoor lighting as for indoor fixtures. Before purchasing outdoor lighting for your landscaped yard, there are a few facts to consider.

Planning Your Purchase

It’s very easy to be overwhelmed at the choice of lighting for outdoor landscaped yards. The sole purpose of illuminating this special area of your property is to give it a distinctive mood whether you are entertaining or simply enjoying your own personal space. Decide on what type of image you want to project. Is it a quiet elegance? Or maybe you want a soft romantic feel? The type of outdoor landscape lighting you select can be enhanced by the look of the fixtures, the voltage and where you place them.

Solar lights remain popular with homeowners because they don’t require installation of wires and they don’t use electricity. Solar light fixtures are usually the most costly of outdoor lighting initially, but you save money on electric bills later. Another economy-minded option is low-voltage lighting. This type of lighting is easy to install and can be moved around as the mood strikes you. This makes them a more versatile choice.

Where To Place Them

If you’re looking to create a certain mood with your outdoor lighting, keep in mind the glow from the moon and other sources of natural light that may affect this area of your property. Position your outdoor lighting to provide a soft highlighting of key areas. If you have a fountain or a carefully arranged planting of flowers, the lights should call attention to these items in a quiet way. The colors of the lights you choose are very important. White lights work best, but colored lights may provide softer shading and are good for setting certain moods.

Another very practical reason for outdoor landscape lighting is safety. Having pathways properly illuminated makes it easier for guests to visit. Low voltage lighting usually accomplishes this to everyone’s satisfaction. Another benefit of outdoor lighting is that it may discourage a break-in, especially if you install motion sensors. Selecting the proper light fixtures and placing them to their best advantage will make your landscaped property an extension of the interior of your home as well as a showplace for your friends and family to enjoy.

Solar Landscape Lighting Can Save Installation Time

Jennifer — Thu, 24 Jan 2008 20:06:30 +0000

Many homeowners, when landscaping their exterior living space, use lighting to mark pathways or to illuminate shadows around their home for safety. By choosing to use solar landscape lighting, they can reduce the installation time while reducing the cost, as well as the dangers, of exterior lights. Most low voltage lights still require an electric line to run from a transformer somewhere in the home to each light, taking time to dig a trench in the yard in which the line is buried. With solar landscape lighting there are no wires needed, lessening the time and work needed to install them.

Additionally, many of the low voltage systems will show a drop in power after the first few lights, meaning that the ones placed further away from the transformer will be dimmer than the ones closest to the house. With solar landscape lighting all of the lights will be of uniform brightness as they draw their power from the sun and not the transformer.

One of the downsides to using solar landscape lighting is they need to have exposure to the sun during the day to charge their small batteries so they can light up in the evening. However, external solar cells can be used for lights installed in shaded areas with the cell placed in the sunlight and a short wire extended to the charger built into the lights.

Remote Areas Require To Extra Wires

Installing solar landscape lighting in remote areas of the yard only requires mounting the lights on their poles. Making sure the solar cells face to the south to take advantage of the sunlight eliminates the need to have a contractor install a cable several hundred feet into the yard. Around swimming pools, patios or just to mark a path located away from the home, solar landscape lighting can provide the desired illumination in a much shorter time.

Most of the solar landscape lighting is designed to turn on after dark and turn off at sunrise to save the battery power. The solar cells charge the batteries, which operate the lights in the evening. It is like having a flashlight set along the path with rechargeable batteries that are kept at peak charge by the power of the sun.

From a safety standpoint, solar landscape lighting has no wires running underground and can save pets and small children from a minor shock if they become too curious about what is in those pole sticking up from the yard. Additionally, the power for charging the batteries comes from the sun and not the electric company, saving money on the electric bill.

Low Voltage Landscape Lighting Reduces Threat Of Injury

Jennifer — Fri, 18 Jan 2008 19:38:20 +0000

When installing exterior lights, low voltage landscape lighting can provide the desired illumination, at a reduced cost as well as reducing the potential for injury to pets and curious children. Many homeowners do not believe that these types of lights can provide adequate illumination since they are typically 12-volt lamps, forgetting that their car’s headlights are also operated on the same type of power. The brilliance of low voltage landscape lighting will be determined by the ones being installed and not the power source.

With most of the low voltage landscape lighting, a transformer is installed somewhere in the house, most times in the garage or an outbuilding near the home, which transforms the 110-volt alternating current to 12-volt direct current required by most of the low voltage landscape lighting. In order to save money on operating the lamps they usually have sensors that turn the lights on at night and off during the day. Some even have the sensors connected to the transformer that shuts down the transformer when it is not in use.

When installing low voltage landscape lighting it is important to only connect the number of lights to the system that it is designed for. Systems are made for up to 12 lights to be connected to one power transformer and if more than the maximum is connected, the ones furthest from the power source may not be as bright.

Keeping Underground Wiring Protected

When installing low voltage landscape lighting a power line will from the transformer and connect to every light in the chain. The cable has to be designed to be buried under the ground and in some communities, it will have to be encased in a waterproof conduit. Even though the power running through the wire is low, a short circuit by a faulty wire can cause electrical problems if installed incorrectly.

Safety is a minor concern when using low voltage landscape lighting as curious children and pets may end up exposed to wires incorrectly installed. If the wiring is not fully protected underground before it rises to light the light, lawn mowers or weed trimmers could mean additional work to reinstall new wiring. While the voltage is low, it could cause a momentary surprise if bare wires are touched.

How far from the transformer the low voltage landscape lighting can be installed will depend on the type of system being installed. Some of the systems can send the 12-vots several hundred yards while some of the less-expensive ones might have trouble lighting low voltage landscape lighting more than 50 or 60 feet away.

Enjoying Your Yard At Night With Landscape Lighting

Jennifer — Sun, 13 Jan 2008 22:19:39 +0000

So you’ve finally got your landscaping project done. You have spent months or years and thousands of dollars into making the perfect outside for your beautiful home. Then, you realize that you work during the day, and when you get home, there’s only an hour or two of daylight left to enjoy all the hard work you’ve put in outside. So, how do you enjoy your yard at night? Very inexpensively, you can install landscape lighting to enjoy all the hard work you’ve done at night.

Low To No Maintenance

A garden is more than enough work on its own without having to worry about maintaining exterior landscape lighting. What can you do to ensure that you never have to worry about the lighting once you’ve installed it? One of the newest developments in landscaping technology is the invention of the solar powered lighting fixture. Once you install this fixture, it draws all the power that it’ll ever need to run from the sun, and once the sun goes down, these lights will automatically turn on and run off a battery that has been recharging all day. Not only that, but they are incredibly easy to install. In many cases, all you have to do it plant them in the ground, and they will run automatically with no further activation or installation.

A solar powered landscape lighting fixture saves you money. It doesn’t run off the power grid, so you don’t pay a dime for the electricity that it uses. It’s a great idea for lining pathways and flower beds, and when the power goes out, you don’t have to worry about not being able to see your way to or from the car in the driveway. The light bulbs that they use have also been improved, and now they last many years before needing to be replaced.

Not only that, but solar landscape lighting is environmentally friendly. Solar energy is extremely efficient, and it doesn’t generate any pollution. If you do choose to go the more traditional route, then you will have to dig up the ground to install wiring, and you’ll also have to worry about rodents chewing through the wires.

Ultimately though, landscape lighting is not about money or the environment. It’s about enjoying in the night all the hard work you’ve poured into your yard during the day. Lighting is also a security measure some people use to discourage thieves and other disreputable characters from coming near your home. However, what’s the point of throwing thousands of dollars into a landscaping project if you cannot enjoy it after dark? Enjoy your yard with landscape lighting.

Outdoor Landscaping Lights

Jennifer — Sun, 02 Sep 2007 01:26:09 +0000

Outdoor lights can be an important addition when landscaping the garden and surrounding areas of a property. Landscaping lights should accentuate the good points of the land without overpowering any aspect of it. Although some people prefer to use good lighting as a central point of their garden, others prefer the landscaping to include subtle outdoor lights that complement the rest of the garden. Landscaping the garden with pond lights can be pleasant for evening outdoor activities while using outdoor lights on the pathways can give a greater sense of security.

Landscaping lights are usually electric and powered by an adaptor or re-chargeable battery. However solar powered outdoor lights are now becoming a popular part of the landscaping process. Solar powered lights are initially more expensive than lights run by electricity but they cut out additions on utility bills so they save money in the long run. Solar powered landscaping lights are only suitable for gardens that receive a lot of direct sunlight and as this cannot always be guaranteed; many garden owners find that a compromise is necessary so they install lights which can take advantage of both solar and electricity power sources.

Lights that Improve Landscaping Design

The types of landscaping lights used often depend on the design and style of the garden itself. If a lot of effort has gone into making the garden look elegant, understated and sophisticated, the whole effect would be ruined if garish lighting was installed. Spotlights scattered around the garden can be useful as the light is not directed in the one area only and is normally not as strong or bright as an indoor light would be. Solar powered lighting is also duller than other forms of lighting so if a person required a bright garden, they would need to consider electric lighting instead.

There are many styles of lights used in landscaping such as stand alones, colored lights, floating pond lights and other lights which can be directed at ornaments or furniture without being blindingly bright. Appropriate lighting schemes can add a nice touch to an outdoor dinner party or barbeque while minimal lighting could create a tranquil, calming sanctuary outdoors. Regardless of the required effect, there are many different varieties of landscaping lights to choose from, all that remains is to choose one. Lighting can be one of the most important parts of landscaping as it can allow the garden to be utilized after dark as well as during the day.

Enjoy Your Landscaping, Even After the Sun Goes Down

Jennifer — Sun, 05 Aug 2007 04:49:29 +0000

Landscape lighting used to be simple. A few recessed cans lining the front path, a couple downlights tucked in the trees, and you were done. Not anymore. When it comes to the great outdoors, homeowners have seen the light.

“Today, people aren’t just lighting up the walkways so they can see their way to the door at night, and putting floods near the garage. They’re finding ways to illuminate the landscaping they’ve spent so much time and money on so they can enjoy it at night,” says Joe Rey-Barreau, education consultant for the American Lighting Association (ALA) and associate professor at the University of Kentucky.

Rey-Barreau tracks the latest trends among lighting dealers and designers and says, “This spring, we’re going to see a lot of changes in outdoor lighting practices. Landscape lighting is now being used as a means to extend living space so people can enjoy the best of both the inside and outside worlds. I see the focus this spring being on techniques that bring light closer to the house, and make the space more aesthetically pleasing in an unobtrusive manner,” he says.

Gone are the days of the big, bold lanterns that used to line people’s walks. Rey-Barreau says this year, the hottest trend will be to instead decorate with light from non-visible sources. Among the options for this: uplighting, downlighting and shadowing.

Uplighting is produced by shining a light up on a tree, statue or bench in the yard to highlight to give it definition, texture or even dimensionality. Downlighting is created by hanging the light source in the trees or from the rooftop and shining it on the area below. This technique is often used to improve visibility for security reasons. And with shadowing you use spot or flood lights placed at ground level, or in-ground fixtures placed in front of an object to throw its shadow on a wall behind it as a decorative feature.

Richard Lentz, president of Lentz Landscape Lighting in Dallas, Texas, says people’s desire to enhance their outdoor living space has played a big role in his business in recent years. “People have come to realize it’s a shame to just ignore all those great spaces they’ve created outdoors because it’s dark outside, so they’re hiring us to come up with ways to incorporate the landscape into their night life,” says Lentz.

Two examples of how Lentz uses lighting to transform a space for his clients:

* Moonlighting Effect

For a courtyard off the dining room, kitchen or even a bedroom, it is possible to create a moonlight effect that makes it seem like the courtyard is part of the space. “In this situation, we would install a Mercury Vapor light that casts cool light high in a tree to create the effect of moonlight, and complement it with a halogen lamp that lights up a fountain, sculpture or bench in the courtyard,” says Lentz.

* Lighting a Walkway

One of the most popular ways to light a walkway is with a runway effect where there are lights on both sides of the path, but Lentz says that distracts from the environment. “I prefer to filter light through the trees above to light up a sidewalk or steps. It gives you a real nice, natural effect.”

While expanding living space and decorating with lighting are popular reasons to put in landscape lighting, security is also an important factor. Chris Primous, product manager for Progress Lighting says he’s seeing a trend towards people installing lighting that will keep their homes bright and visible from the road.

“Just because the purpose of the light is security doesn’t mean it shouldn’t be decorative,” Primous says. “You can use spotlights and flood lights to both light the area and accent prevalent architectural features of the home’s structure or notable landscaping elements.”

For instance, if the home has a beautiful stone facade, a grazing technique with carefully placed accent fixtures (ideally six to twelve inches from the surface) will bring out the texture to create a visually stunning picture from the curb. Similarly, tall columns can be highlighted by using closely placed ground-mounted spotlights or in-grade fixtures with very narrow sources that will really bring out the height and showcase the architectural features of the column.

Jeff Dross of Kichler Lighting points out, “People have come to realize that if you want your home’s lighting job done right, you need to bring in a professional. As you get more creative people involved, it leads to more creative solutions and a better result. We’re seeing a definite maturing of the field.”

To learn more about landscape lighting, or to find a licensed lighting professional in your area who can help you take advantage of the latest technology, go to www.AmericanLightingAssoc.com or call (800) BRIGHT IDEA (800-274-4484).

Courtesy of ARAcontent

LED Landscape Lighting Kits: Giving Your Yard An Exotic Look At Night

Jennifer — Wed, 17 Jan 2007 15:23:09 +0000

If you are one of those people who are still using old low voltage landscape lighting, you might want to change to LED (Light Emitting Diode). LED landscape lighting kits can change the looks of your garden at night. The different colors in your kits will add more dramatic dimension to your front or back yard. If you want to give your garden an exotic atmosphere at night, choose the colors of your lightings well.

Selecting The Right Lightings

Before you go shopping for some LED landscape lighting kits, it would be best for you to first evaluate your garden design. If you used computer software to help you design your yard, use that same computer software to find out what types of lightings you will need to achieve that exotic effect. Note that although LED landscape lighting kits already provide you a variety of lightings and colors, you cannot really fit all of these things into your garden without ruining the overall ambiance of the whole place.

You must remember that most LED landscape lighting kits contain generic lighting to suit the different purposes of customers. It is therefore up to you to choose which lightings in your kits are best suited for your garden. LED lights are meant to be used in your yard in a subtle way — so there is really no point of overdoing things.

To get the right lighting effects for your yard, try to run several simulations using your landscaping computer software. Play with the lights. Put the lights at different angles so that you will some ideas of how things will look like. If you have some structures in your yard like those nice decorative bridges, ponds and the likes, try to manipulate the light to highlight these structures. It will probably take you a lot of trials before you can find the right places to set up the contents of your LED landscape lighting kits so take your time.

Protecting Your Lights

Most LED landscape lighting kits already have light protections so you need not worry about exposing your lights to the elements. However, there are some types of lights that need extra protection. To make sure that your lights are well protected, check the product description of the LED landscape lighting kit before you buy it. Never take things for granted when it comes to your yard lightings.