Landscape lights make your property safer and more attractive at night. Well-placed lights can discourage intruders and make it easier to see trip hazards in the dark. Installing outdoor lights is easy if you don't have shade trees and you can just use solar stake lights. However, if you want to run the lights on your home's electricity, you'll probably need to hire an electrical contractor to install the wiring and outdoor outlet. Here's a look at how outdoor lighting is installed.
A Lighting Plan Is Needed
The first step before you even call an electrician is to put a marker every place you want a light. This helps the electrician create a plan for the wiring so it can be placed in the ground in an efficient manner. For example, a row of lights along a driveway can all be connected to a single line of wire. Another aspect of your lighting plan is to decide on what type of lights you want to install.
There are many attractive options that will enhance your property both at night and during the day. You may want lights that operate through motion detection, and you'll probably want landscape lights that come on automatically at a set time whether you're at home or not.
An Outdoor Outlet Is Necessary
You'll need a place to plug in the wiring for the lights, so the electrician may need to install an outdoor outlet in the front and back of your house. The outlet should have GFCI protection so the risk of electric shock from moisture is eliminated. The outlet also needs a cover since the plug will be connected continuously, and it needs protection from rain and animals bumping it.
Lights Can Be Installed Anywhere
You can add lights to remote areas of your property, such as along a fence line that's always in darkness due to shade that blocks street lights or security lights. All it takes to hook up an outdoor light is electrical wiring that's buried in a trench. The trench is only a few inches deep, and it's even possible to drive the wiring under a sidewalk or other obstruction without tearing up the slab. Wiring is usually placed in a protective PVC tube so it won't get wet, and once it's in place, it's covered with sod so it is out of sight and won't detract from your landscape.
Landscape lighting is low-voltage lighting, so it is safe to use outdoors. Plus, low-voltage lights have a long life, and they are energy-efficient, which makes them affordable to operate all night long. If you want to enhance your property with landscape lighting, talk to an electrician about your plans and the options available for bringing your ideas to life. The lights can usually be installed without much disruption to your current landscape since only a shallow trench is needed, and the benefits are increased beauty and illumination at night.
When we purchased our first home, we realized that there was a problem with some of the electrical work. Some of the lights flickered when we turned them on, and others really seemed to have issues if they were left on long term. I thought the issues was the light bulbs themselves at first, so I replaced several of them. However, after making those changes, it seemed like things were still having trouble. I began going through and thinking carefully about how to identify and resolve the challenges, and it occurred to me that working with an electrician could be helpful. I turned to the professional for help, and it was a good thing I did. Read more about electricians on this blog.