Every homeowner wants to up the value of his home, not only for aesthetic purposes, but also for the future, in the event that he decides to sell his house. According to a blog post on WDSUNews.com, installing certain lighting trends can help increase the stock of a house and make it more eye-catching than it has ever been. These trends use safe and economical low voltage outdoor lighting solutions that are becoming favored alternatives to conventional options. The blog mentioned key areas of the house where homeowners can install the trendy fixtures. One of these is the deck. Houses that have decks will benefit from these being properly lighted, as lights can enhance the beauty of the houses' exterior. Homeowners who opt for this can get low-voltage lights, which are safer for use and sturdier during inclement weather, as compared to traditional ones.

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A homeowner has outdoor lights installed for a variety of reasons. These range from enhancing the overall beauty of the home to providing an opportunity for residents to spend quality time in the evening under the stars. What a homeowner might not realize is that outdoor lights can also increase security for his or her property. Below are three outdoor lighting ideas from an article on Memetics.com that one can apply to make sure relatives or guests are always safe when on the premises. One idea is to use outdoor lighting to create safe pathways. Paths indicate routes to and from the home, particularly through a garden. If the homeowner holds parties in his or her backyard at night, well-lit pathways create visible boundaries between walkable areas and turf, which cannot be missed. As such, these can prevent accidents or injuries from occurring.

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According to a news post on Bernews.com this August, the Bermuda Police service has noticed a “persistent rise in commercial burglaries around the island.” This came following three separate incidents that happened within 24 hours in establishments on Lover's Lane in Paget, Parliament Street, and Laffan Street. In the wake of investigations, police officials urged business owners to review the safety and security solutions they are utilizing, including the commercial outdoor lighting systems they may or may not have installed around their premises. Authorities also called on business owners to heed some tips they provided if they want to avoid being burglarized.

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Individuals spend a lot of time, money, and effort to make their gardens or open-air living spaces attractive and lively, especially at night. A number of homeowners especially take care to install lights to achieve this effect. However, some tend to commit outdoor lighting mistakes that could get in the way of their plans. Thankfully, experts are ready with advice on how to fix them. The first of these mistakes is not having a sufficient design plan in the first place. Frank Crandall, who writes about landscape lighting at the news portal GoLocalProv, says that the design should come first because it is very important for homeowners to identify what they need to get their desired outcome. Crandall suggests they pre-plan details like the number of needed bulbs and wires, the placement of light sources in the landscape, and the kind of lighting techniques to be used.

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Some homeowners have been asking if LED (Light Emitting Diode) lighting for their yards or gardens makes sense. Two years ago, landscape experts would have told them to consider other options. But, as Lawn & Landscape magazine points out, LEDs are now gaining acceptance and popularity among designers. So, why should homeowners consider LED outdoor lighting now? There are three reasons these lights can benefit homeowners despite the costs involved. One reason is that LEDs are better than traditional incandescent bulbs, even for brightening outdoor spaces. LED bulbs are 75 percent more efficient than incandescent ones and last possibly up to 15 times longer. LEDs are also energy-efficient, especially if they display the Energy Star rating. In fact, one landscape designer based in South Carolina told the magazine that LEDs have evolved so quickly and considerably that they are now part of his daily designs.

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Outdoor lighting can really add character to your home. However, the budget-conscious may think that this is a bit superfluous, especially given today's tough economy. Nature lovers might also scoff at it as yet another reason to consume electricity, which ultimately results in carbon emission.

Light emitting diode (LED) light bulbs, which have been recently gaining popularity, might allay the concerns of both parties. Unlike the standard incandescent bulb, LED bulbs produce light when electrons move across semi-conductive materials. They can shine for up to 50,000 hours when incandescent bulbs already putter out at 750.

Since LED bulbs are often constructed of plastic instead of glass, they won't shatter as easily as incandescent ones. They also don't have a filament, which is fragile and easily damaged (by an electrical fluctuation, for example). In other words, they're the perfect set-it-and-forget-it lighting source for a patio or lawn.

While the cost of installing outdoor LED lighting may be more expensive than traditional lighting, LED bulbs will serve you for years and will pay for themselves in savings before you know it. Fortunately, as LED lighting becomes more mainstream, cost could become less of a deal. Now, you have an outdoor lighting solution that will beautify your house while being kind to the environment.

Make it look as if someone is at home. This is the advice Police Lt. Brian Piekarski of Sagamore Hills, Ohio gave to individuals who want to prevent burglars from targeting their houses. “Keep your home lit up. Outside lights are great. Indoor lights are good,” Piekarski was quoted as saying by Fox 8 Cleveland, following a string of burglaries in his neighborhood. “The darker your home, the more attractive it is to somebody who wants to burglarize it, because it’s going to be less noticeable for them kicking in the front door.” Take note of that line: outside lights are great. Strategically placed outdoor or landscape lighting can effectively boost the safety and security of one’s home, on top of enhancing the beauty of its exteriors.

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LEDs, otherwise known as light emitting diodes, have gained popularity in recent years because they are useful for various outdoor lighting applications. In contrast with incandescent and fluorescent lights that have filaments in glass bulbs with gases, LEDs are solid-state lights that have a longer life expectancy. Their size measures from 3 to 88 mm, which makes them ideal for use in spaces that have been considered too narrow for other lightbulbs to fit in. Another notable feature of LEDs is that they emit light in a particular direction, making them more efficient than incandescent and fluorescent lamps that emit light in all directions.

Moreover, the life of a high-powered white LED lasts from 35,000 to 50,000 hours, as opposed to 750 to 2,000 hours for an incandescent bulb, and 8,000 to 10,000 hours for a compact fluorescent lamp. It is also practical to opt for LEDs since they remain cool, unlike conventional lightbulbs, which waste their energy as heat. Additionally, LEDs have no glass components, so they are unbreakable. This makes them a popular choice for sports facilities and high-crime locations.

If LEDs have been poorly designed, they cannot last for long and may become inefficient. However, those which have passed the standards of Energy Star are expected to show a stable light for a longer period of time. Quality LEDs are also expected to light up as soon as they are turned on. Neither should they flicker nor consume any energy when they are turned off. 

Your business sustains your family and your employees, which is why it's only reasonable to invest in the appropriate anti-theft measures. Among other things, you might want to install commercial outdoor lighting fixtures that can make it a lot tougher for would-be burglars to conceal themselves and sneak into your property.

When choosing commercial outdoor lights, you’ll need to consider several factors. Among other things, you need to take into account the probability that crooks might attempt to break your lighting fixtures so they can enter your property under cover of darkness. Therefore, you need to choose a set of lighting fixtures with sturdy casings that do not break easily.

You might also want to entertain the possibility that your chosen lighting fixture may not come with a secure locking mechanism. Chances are high that you'll need to check your lights regularly, which is something you wouldn’t want to waste too much time doing. As such, see to it that these lights are installed properly for good.

Unauthorized disassembly is another security issue you’ll need to take into account when installing commercial outdoor lighting. Crooks will try to disassemble your outdoor lights, so it's highly recommended to install lights with tamper-proof screws or any other components. This way, you can worry less about possible tampering and avoid costly replacements.

Street lights and lamps have changed a lot over the years. Compared to oil, gas, and candle-based lighting fixtures of old, most outdoor lights these days run on electricity and even sustainable solar energy. Given the wide selection of lighting fixtures available, it would be wise to know which indoor and outdoor lights can best suit your home.

A good number of street lamps these days consist of fluorescent variants, which are essentially low-pressure mercury lamps that boast of decent illumination and light diffusion at affordable prices. Fluorescent lamps are also considered energy-efficient and eco-friendly since they contain low amounts of mercury vapor, albeit at the expense of comparative longevity. Mercury vapor lamps, meanwhile, are considered improvements over fluorescent lamps, although these variants are mostly suitable for use in sports stadiums and arenas rather than in residential properties.

Light emitting diodes (LEDs), on the other hand, have quickly become popular thanks to their revolutionary design. Unlike the aforementioned “discharge lamps”, LEDs don't rely on radiation to create light; rather, they generate electric currents to produce illumination. The absence of gases also means that LEDs don't burn out quickly, thereby granting them greater energy efficiency and service lives that set the bar for future lighting technologies.

Celebrations held at home tend to be intimate yet long-drawn affairs, which is why you need to make sure that your property is well-equipped to handle such occasions. You’re likely to entertain on your deck, yard, or patio if you have rather limited space inside your house. However, these outdoor spaces will need proper illumination if you plan to host festivities that extend well into the evening.

Outdoor lighting is unlike the kind used indoors; for starters, the fixtures need to be tough enough to endure day-to-day exposure to the elements. These lights also need to be bright enough to illuminate the whole expanse of your deck or patio, yet also energy-efficient enough to not burn through your monthly utility budget. It is, thus, not surprising why powerful, affordable, and low-energy and LED lights are the favorite choice due to the affordability, brightness, and low-energy LED bulbs are a favorite option when it comes to outdoor lighting.

If you’re building a new home, you can consult with your landscape contractor about suitable outdoor lighting options that can be incorporated into your home’s overall building plan. Planning for outdoor lighting while a house is being built also allows electricians to come up with a proper wiring layout. Thereafter, you can add solar-powered outdoor lighting fixtures if you wish so you don’t need to tinker with the wiring system.

Unlike interior spaces that have defined measurements, it can be harder to lay out a plan for outdoor spaces. Things can be even more complicated when outdoor lighting is involved, since lighting fixtures need to be added in such a way that they don't mar the beauty of your yard or garden. Interestingly, there's actually an art to outdoor lighting, and homeowners might want to learn a thing or two before plopping down a couple of lanterns.

Outdoor lighting will no doubt add to your electric bill, which is why you need to take into how much energy the new lighting setup will consume on average. You might want to first calculate the total wattage of each lighting fixture before rushing headlong into the project. You certainly wouldn’t want to invest in fancy lighting fixtures only to see your power bill shoot up tremendously in the succeeding months.

Another aspect you’ll need to consider when installing outdoor lights is the mechanism by which you can control them. While a simple switch setup might do, you need to be conscientious about turning it off; otherwise, you might encounter some nasty accidents or unnecessary bill spikes. You might want to opt for an automated system with a timer and/or motion sensor so you don’t have to worry about accidentally leaving the lights on all night.

Gardens and other landscapes lush with foliage could always use some lighting so that homeowners can appreciate them even at night. Lights will also provide illumination so that people walking through a yard won't trip over something. While there is a clear need for outdoor lighting, there is also the question of how to position the fixtures, especially when plant growth is considered.

Having a permanent light fixture in the middle of plant growth can be a recipe for disaster. The greenery can end up entwining with the fixture and ruining its wiring. It will be a real chore to constantly clean up and fix permanent lights if the plants keep getting in their way. The better alternative would be to use semi-permanent low voltage lighting that can be repositioned when necessary.

Low voltage lights are typically available in a series and have to be wired to transformers. They are also quite easy to reposition, as they can just be pulled out of the ground and then placed somewhere else. These lights are perfect for landscapes that have yet to fully flourish or for yards with designs that haven't been set yet. True to their name, low voltage lighting also uses up less energy than regular lights, so they can help homeowners save on their bills.