Landscape lighting is a great way to showcase features of your home and property at night. It also makes entertaining and spending time outdoors safer and more enjoyable.
Do: Try highlighting taller trees or structures with up-lighting. The contrast of dark shadows and bright light is dramatic and draws the eye. For more information, just click the Visit Website to proceed.
A well-manicured lawn and lush landscaping are key to a home’s curb appeal. The term refers to a first impression that can captivate or deter potential buyers, so it’s essential to maintain and elevate these elements. Besides regular maintenance, one easy way to do this is to use landscape lighting. This type of lighting accentuates the beauty of a yard, turning it into a nighttime showcase that will awe guests and passersby.
The key to creating a dramatic curb appeal with landscape lighting is determining which architectural features to highlight. Focus on highlights that make the house stand out from a distance, such as highlighting the dormers or rockwork on the exterior of a contemporary home or illuminating pillars and other unique structures on a property. You can highlight specific landscaping elements like tree trunks, a beautiful topiary, or a statue.
Other important things to consider when boosting curb appeal with landscape lighting are your chosen materials and colors. For example, avoid using plants with lots of natural litter, like petals and seed pods. This will turn off people who want to avoid this kind of upkeep. Instead, opt for a plant selection that looks good all year round.
Another way to use landscape lighting to boost your home’s curb appeal is by illuminating winding pathways throughout your property after dark. This will not only enhance the visual appeal of your property, but it’ll also be safer for you and your guests.
When you combine the magic of lighting with carefully placed shrubs, trees, and flowers, you can create a spectacularly inviting space with people stopping to admire your home. This curb appeal is more than just a good way to attract guests and help you sell your property. So, if you’re considering listing your home in the future, it’s worth taking some time to enhance your home’s curb appeal with simple landscape lighting. Invest in quality fixtures built specifically for outdoor use to withstand moisture, soil contact, and changing temperatures through the seasons without corroding or breaking down.
Lighting experts can help you decide how to illuminate your landscape best and where the fixtures should be located for beauty and safety. They can also help you with any necessary planning and permit requirements and ensure that your outdoor lighting is installed properly for safe operation.
The right outdoor lighting fixtures can help discourage criminals who might target your home for a break-in. Effectively placed accents and spotlights can brighten dark areas around your doors, porches, and steps, discouraging burglars and intruders who might lurk in the shadows.
A professionally designed lighting system can make your property look more inviting for guests after dark and improve the security of your home, children, pets, and belongings. Landscape lighting can highlight trees and shrubs or illuminate pathways to keep people from tripping or falling on uneven surfaces.
Your landscape lighting company can advise you on using different types of outdoor lighting for your specific needs, including which bulbs are rated for outdoor usage. They can also recommend how to best protect your lighting from harsh weather conditions by placing fixtures where they will be shielded from rain and wind.
It’s important to understand safety issues related to your landscape lighting, especially when it comes time to disconnect or remove the lighting. Most outdoor lighting systems are low-voltage but still emit significant heat and can pose a risk if handled incorrectly. Before you begin working, ensure the power is turned off at your electrical panel or the transformer that controls the lights you will be working on. It would help to use a voltage tester to ensure the wires are not live before disconnecting them.
If you are using metal lighting structures or ornaments, avoid contact with them while disconnecting and removing them. This can cause a dangerous shock. Wear personal protective equipment, such as a hard hat and eye protection, is also a good idea. The strands can be as sharp as needles when cutting and stripping landscape lighting cables.
Homeowners can use landscape lighting to address several security concerns. For example, lighting walkways, paths, and stairs make them visible at night and help people safely navigate the property. Additionally, by lighting tripping hazards like exposed tree roots and uneven pavers, you reduce the risk of someone falling and hurting themselves.
Lighting also helps prevent a different kind of intruder—nocturnal wildlife that might threaten pets or young children. By installing dual flood lights with motion sensors around a home’s exterior, homeowners can scare away coyotes, alligators, and raccoons that might otherwise hunt these vulnerable creatures at night.
Another way landscape lighting can increase security is by illuminating entryways and other parts of the house that may be a hiding spot for criminals. By highlighting these areas with strategically placed lighting, homeowners can ensure that no one lurks in their yard at night and deter criminals from even considering entering the property.
Landscape lighting can also help ward off other nighttime dangers by making it easier to watch children and pets as they play outside. It can also discourage predatory animals that prowl for small animals, such as birds or squirrels.
In addition, homeowners can light their entire property by implementing a lighting system with both uplighting and moonlighting (installing fixtures in trees or other border features to illuminate them from the ground up and down). This helps to create a defined boundary for their property and deter anyone from trespassing on it.
A smart landscape lighting system lets homeowners control their lighting remotely via smartphone apps or tablets. This allows them to set up lighting scenarios that simulate their presence while on vacation, which can further deter criminals from attempting to break into their homes.
In addition to setting up lighting scenarios, homeowners should regularly inspect their landscape lighting systems for signs of damage or wear and tear. This includes checking for exposed wiring, cleaning the fixtures to prevent dirt and debris accumulation, replacing burnt-out bulbs, and repositioning lights to account for plant growth.
As with anything, landscape lighting requires routine maintenance. Unlike interior lights, which need replacement bulbs, outdoor lighting is subjected to various conditions that can affect its function and appearance.
If a lighting fixture is broken or damaged, it should be repaired immediately. Not only is a broken fixture unsightly, but it can also pose a safety risk. Leaving it in disrepair increases the chances of electrical damage and the potential for fire.
Many homeowners or gardeners are responsible for maintaining their landscape lighting system. Unfortunately, this can lead to all kinds of problems. For example, gardeners can knock fixtures out of place, bury them with mulch and debris, or blow leaves on top of them. This can compromise the perfect aiming of light beams and the overall effect that the system was designed to achieve.
Another common issue is that the wiring running to and between the landscape lighting fixtures can become exposed. Leaving this exposed can make it easy for children and pets to trip over it. This can also increase the chance of the wire becoming damaged by moisture and other environmental factors. It is a good idea to re-bury any exposed wiring.
In addition to checking for exposed or damaged wiring, a property owner should regularly check the fixtures. This should include inspecting for broken lenses, dented metal, and corrosion. If a fixture is missing a lens, it should be replaced as soon as possible to avoid the light being left unlit.
Lastly, it is important to regularly look for any areas of the yard that are starting to appear dim. This can indicate that a bulb is nearing the end of its lifespan or has already burned out completely. It is a good idea to replace the bulb before it goes out completely to prevent it from leaving that area of the yard unlit.
Remembering that a property’s landscape lighting design can be improved over time. Adding new fixtures, changing the positioning of existing ones, and adding more lighting can enhance a home’s curb appeal and increase the property’s security.