People will spend a lot of time, money, and effort to make their gardens or outdoor living spaces more attractive and lively, especially at night. Many homeowners will install outdoor lights and lamps to create the right look for their home. Unfortunately, some tend to make outdoor lighting mistakes that distract from their original purpose. Thankfully, there are landscape lighting experts like us who can offer guidance on how to fix these common mistakes.

The first of these mistakes is not starting with a sufficient design plan. Frank Crandall writes about landscape lighting at the news portal GoLocalProv. He says that the design should come first because it is crucial for homeowners to identify what they will need to get their desired outcome. Crandall suggests that they pre-plan details like the number of bulbs and wires, the placement of light sources within the landscaping, and the kind of lighting techniques that will be used.

http://blog.outdoorlights.com/2013/10/three-common-outdoor-lighting-mistakes-and-how-homeowners-can-fix-them/
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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.

http://blog.outdoorlights.com/2013/10/three-common-outdoor-lighting-mistakes-and-how-homeowners-can-fix-them/

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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If a well-lit home can be an attraction in the neighborhood, so can a well-lit commercial establishment. A dim or dull business outlet might seem dubious and uninviting for would-be clients. They would have second thoughts of even entering the premises and would most likely avoid it like the plague.

On the other hand, a brightly illuminated commercial building will be an inviting place for customers to go into. Shoppers will be easily enticed to visit it, with the lights serving as a come-on. For these reasons, any retail outlet wanting to increase profits would do well to install an excellent commercial outdoor lighting system.

This is especially essential during the holidays, when people are eager to shop and usually have the money to do so. Commercial outdoor lights can even be used to create the proper mood and environment, keeping with the holiday season, that would encourage shoppers to feel the Christmas cheer and indulge in a spending spree.

Commercial outdoor lights do not only make an establishment attractive, but also give shoppers a feeling of safety and security. The holiday spirit—and a business itself—can be kept alive with the help of great outdoor lighting enhancing business profitability and marketability.

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A higher voltage doesn't always mean brighter light; in fact, voltage isn't power (that's measured in watts). Voltage refers to how much force is exerted to create a current along the line from the power source to the outdoor lamp. High voltage simply means there's more electricity flowing at a given time but not necessarily a stronger one. People often mistake voltage for wattage. This is something that must be clarified prior to work on any home improvement project.

You can still have bright light with a low-voltage system for your garden. Power-wise, a 60-watt lamp operating on 12 volts is hardly any different from the same lamp operating on ten times the voltage. Keep in mind, however, that voltage can drop if a line is connected to several fixtures, in a set-up called a daisy chain. If you see that some of the lamps in the garden aren't as bright as the rest, the problem isn't necessarily with the wattage but the voltage.

In fact, experts recommend against daisy chaining in outdoor lighting. You can arrange the electrical system to “form a T” for the lights to receive an equal amount of voltage. This is recommended for low-voltage systems so an equal amount of light can be sustained across a landscape. 

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Thieves love the dark. Under the cover of night, they can slip past your fence, steal your valuables, escape unseen, and pull off a successful heist. Imagine a robber making it across your front yard, with the only thing standing between him and the loot being a couple of outdoor lights in your garden. If you had any doubts about installing those before, consider your investment worth it now. In this situation, they're exactly what you need.

With the outdoor lights on at night, a thief's stealthy advantage disappears and his chances of getting caught by neighbors—if not the house owner—increases. Experts say that outdoor lighting can do a great deal in deterring thefts in homes. Thanks to these and a good security system, any trespasser will most likely be caught in the act before he can scoot off a property with the loot. Haven't you ever wondered why agents in movies avoid floodlights while spying?

If you're looking for an affordable addition to your garden and security system, look no further than outdoor lighting. Go for LED lighting to get the most value for your money. While a more expensive choice, LED makes up for it by giving off brighter light for less power. 

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Commercial facilities need outdoor lighting for both aesthetic and functional reasons. They brighten up gardens and highlight architecture, as well as deter burglars and other kinds of trespassers. Commercial lighting comes in a variety of types, which have various lighting effects on surfaces. Here are some of them:

Wall or Awning Light

Most outdoor lighting withing this category are used for illuminating surfaces and signs along retail and commercial buildings. They are installed to keep signage visible to customers even from a distance, in some cases, they are used to illuminate directions or names of a room or building. Some models may come in adjustable shades and customizable mounting options.

Security Light

Unlike wall or awning lights, security lights provide a well-illuminated environment for people to have a wider visual. This is designed to deter criminal activities and/or monitor activities within a property. Modern types come with motion sensors, weather-resistant features, and surge protection for better and longer performance.

Marine light

Mostly seen in docks, marine lighting provides underwater lighting for boaters to see at least part of the water bed. Some come in a variety of colors to create exquisite effects in fountains and pools. They have waterproof light fixtures and can be used to communicate when using boats.

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Pretty, dazzling, yet practical; these are the words you might associate with outdoor lamps and lights. While they have the mundane purpose of providing illumination to your property at night, sconces, LEDs, and lighting fixtures do more than just brighten up the place. For one thing, a dimly-lit pathway is an accident waiting to happen, especially when children or senior citizens walk through it at night all alone.

Outdoor lighting also provides security: would-be trespassers and burglars will have a difficult time getting into your property undetected if there are plenty of outdoor lights around. In addition, simply having these lights turned on, even when you and your family are away, gives the impression that there are people inside the property, dissuading criminals from getting any funny ideas. Outdoor lights can also be used in tandem with other security devices like motion detectors to provide even better security.

When they're installed for landscaping, outdoor lights can serve as beautiful decorations that can impress your guests and neighbors. It is fairly common to install lights in lawns and gardens to make them look prettier. Increasing the aesthetic appeal of a house also increases its retail value, giving you a better selling price if ever you decide to put your property for sale. 

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