Illumination isn’t just for your home interior or front door space. Outdoor lights have many uses, and there are ways that you can install them for greater efficiency. After all, more Americans are enhancing their outdoor spaces, and lights are a great way to do so. Here are tips for strategically placing permanent outdoor lighting for efficiency, safety, and aesthetic purposes.
Highlight Your Home’s Main Features
Using outdoor lighting to highlight your main features can prevent tripping hazards while also adding ambiance to your space. You may have water features such as a koi pond, swimming pool, or bird bath that you want to keep lit day and night. After all, you may want to go outside and watch your beautiful fish swimming around at night. You also want to be safe when doing your nighttime swimming.
Choose Lighting Options With Motion Sensors
It’s easy to run up your electrical bill if you don’t know when to turn your lights off. When using your permanent outdoor lighting for safety, you don’t need to keep them running nonstop. Efficiently utilize them with the use of motion sensors. These sensors will only turn on your outdoor lighting if someone or something is approaching the area. Since they only light up when someone is approaching, it’s a good way to quickly be alerted and save on energy.
Consider Proximity and Positioning
Even when using your lights for security, you don’t want them to be the equivalent of light pollution. In other words, you don’t want your outdoor lights at night to be a disturbance to you or your neighbors. If outdoor lights are glaring into your neighbors’ bedrooms, you may start getting complaints. It can be equally disruptive to you if it’s glaring into your room.
Plan Your Design With the Experts
You should plan your outdoor lighting as you would any other home edition. Haphazardly adding lights can make things look messy and end up costing you more money and bills. Additionally, different fixtures have different properties. A 10-watt LED bulb emits approximately 700 lumens, which is equivalent to a 60-watt incandescent bulb, according to Forbes. You have countless options when it comes to LED lights, so put time into your design. Create a lighting plan with your contractor to map out the best placement for your lights and ensure you have enough of them to achieve your vision.
As you can see, permanent outdoor lighting can take some planning, but it’s worth it. With the right LED outdoor lighting, you can feel more secure, highlight the right features, and make your space look more beautiful. Our team at Emerald City Landscaping & Outdoor Lighting has experience with landscape lighting and can’t wait to assist you, so contact us today.