October is National Outdoor Lighting Month, and it’s just in time! In a few weeks, you’ll have all sorts of ghosts and goblins walking up the drive to your house in order to receive their tricks or treats, and you’ll want them to safely see their path! We thought it might be timely to go over some tips and considerations you should be thinking about when addressing your home’s exterior lighting!
Think Safety
Yes, it’s nice to have lights on the house to call attention to walkways and decorative features, but lighting is also a great theft deterrent. Make sure that all of your entryways to your home are well lit and use light to call attention to any shadowy sides of the home. Motion-sensor lights over garages are a great theft-prevention measure as well. Adding landscape lighting on paths and private sidewalks provides a safe environment for visitors to your home.
Light for the Occasion
Bright spotlights might look great illuminating your American flag or the decorative masonry at the top of your entryway, but no one wants to eat on your patio with a spotlight on them. More and more fixtures like lanterns and soft-lit ceiling fans are making their way into outdoor entertainment spaces. Think about the purpose of the space before lighting.
Design from the Inside Out
No one will be looking at your outdoor spaces more than you, so design the lighting so that it will enhance the area’s appearance from inside the home. Proper lighting can actually give the appearance of the outdoor space extending from the interior.
Try LED Lighting Out
LED lighting is great for exterior lighting because it can save you money monthly, and it also requires less maintenance and changing of bulbs. You can essentially install and then be free of hassle for years with LED bulbs and fixtures.
Do the Math
To effectively light an outdoor space, you need to take the total square feet of the area and multiply it by 1.5 to get the wattage you would need for proper illumination. For example, a 250-sq. ft. space would require 375 watts for proper lighting.
We hope that your outdoor areas are ready for fall, but if they aren’t, we are here and ready to help you upgrade! Call Blue Collar Electricians today and find out what can be done to light up the night at your home!
