Renovation

How To Light Up The Home At Night With LEDs

If you’re in the northern hemisphere, the time of year is fast approaching when you will be spending more time outside. Plus with the warmer weather comes the desire to eat outdoors i.e. al fresco dining.

Discerning homeowners have already been hard at work cleaning up their garden of the worst of winter and they’re gearing up for those all-important evening barbecues with family and friends.

The good news is lighting your outdoor area can create the perception you desire even if your garden is not yet quite how you want it. Appeal to your guests’ emotions visually with lighting that creates the right ambience.

A relaxing night in the garden with family can also be curated for a dance night or birthday party. So if you’re a do-it-yourselfer looking to light up your outdoor areas, you should start considering the outdoor lighting options available to you as a lot has changed now we have LEDs.

Why LEDs?

There are alternatives to LED technology and you may be familiar with them. There’s the CFL (compact fluorescent) and halogen bulbs but LEDs (light-emitting diode) are the go-to for indoor and outdoor use. They are said to be superior for energy efficiency, longer-lasting, and have safe exterior illumination for both homes and businesses.

LEDs come in a variety of brightness levels and colors so that you can find the right lighting for your project. And while LED fixtures may cost a little more, they save money over time. There are a number of other benefits they offer for your outdoor project.

Efficiency

The LED lighting provides more lumens at lower wattages than other traditional fixtures. This means lower energy costs. Also, because they last much longer, you also save on replacement costs and maintenance. A bonus for users is that choosing LED lighting may qualify you for property assessed clean energy (PACE) financing.

Safety

Choosing fixtures that are UL rated (Underwriters Laboratory) gives you the security of knowing they’ve been tested for outdoor conditions. And an IP rating (Ingress Protection) of 65 offers weather resistance, while a rating of 66 provides full waterproofing.

Swimming Pools: So not only can LED lights be used outside, but they can also be safely installed in wet areas, such as in and around swimming pools.
Walkway lighting: LED lights are the perfect way to keep customers and employees safe as they walk your grounds at night and you can even add color features for extra effect.
Outdoor dining: Whether you’re lighting a residential space or a restaurant dining area, LED lights can be used to provide necessary brightness in service areas and ambience for diners with the added benefit that they don’t attract insects.
Landscape displays: Particularly with smaller gardens, lighting can be used to show off statues, water features, and exotic planting or that one feature tree or shrub.

Furthermore, LED lights don’t emit heat and, because of their brightness, don’t need reflectors that create fire hazards. Finally, unlike some other bulbs, LEDs don’t contain mercury, so they’re safer to work with and easier to dispose of.

A Superior Bulb

LED lights don’t emit UV rays that attract insects, which means you can light up your next evening event without the worry of bugs. It is also easier to control the direction of LED lighting, eliminating the need for reflectors or shades.

Another potential benefit of LED bulbs is that some are manufactured to change color at the push of a button, providing the potential for decorative lighting effects. The colour changes and setting off on/off programming is controlled by software so you can use an App on your phone and control the hue, brightness and times instantly.

Home Display

Have you noticed many homes for sale have photos of the exterior taken at night? This action is a realtors’ trick that works every time. Remember, perception is everything, and if your ordinary home looks more attractive under great lighting, then why not use it to your advantage? More home buyers will turn up to the open home viewings when they see an attractive exterior, so use lighting to improve curb appeal.