Are your lights in a fog?
With backyard summer barbecues and parties just around the corner, you will want to make sure that your outdoor lighting system is shinning as brightly as possible. If it has been a while since your custom lighting system was installed, you may have noticed that your lights have dimmed over time. Not to worry.
One of the primary causes of this is your irrigation system. When properly designed and installed, the use of an irrigation well to water the landscape can be a practical, cost-effective, and environmentally-conscious alternative to using our limited clean drinking supplies. However, with the high levels of calcium and magnesium, hard water can stain your home, driveways, walkways and even your landscape lighting fixtures.
The most common sign of hard water staining is on the clear lens covers of your lighting fixtures as they become stained and scaled, making them appear foggy. If you see hard water stains and foggy lens covers, below are steps to clean your lenses between annual check-ups on your landscape lighting system.
• Buy a bottle of CLR® CALCIUM, LIME, & RUST REMOVER
• Wear gloves and protective eyewear
• Mix equal amounts CLR and water in a small spray bottle
• Spray the glass lens covers with the CLR/Water solution, spraying or spilling as little as possible on the fixture itself.
• Wipe away excess from the fixture, allowing the solvent to sit on the glass for several minutes
• Wipe the glass lens with a heavy-duty paper towel or rag
• Repeat the process as needed
• If residue remains, use a flat blade to scrape away the spotting before wiping away the solution from the glass lens. Note, it may be easier to scrape the lens cover with the cover removed from the fixture. Many fixtures twist on or have a set screw that can be loosened then slid off.
If done regularly, the solution will keep the glass surface clean from calcium and magnesium build-up and keep your lights shining brightly year-round.
As you already know, a landscape lighting system requires maintenance to operate at its full potential over time. Outdoor Lighting Perspectives of Jacksonville, not only designs and installs custom lighting solutions for your home, but we also offer yearly maintenance plans to keep your lighting investment in tip-top condition.
Call today at (904) 342-6040 to schedule your free design nighttime consultation or maintenance visit and see the difference for yourself.
Outdoor Lighting Perspectives of Jacksonville proudly serves Amelia Island, Fernandina Beach, Jacksonville, Avondale, Riverside, San Marco, Atlantic Beach, Neptune Beach, Jacksonville Beach, Ponte Vedra, Ponte Vedra Beach, Nocatee, Julington Creek, Mandarin, World Golf Village, St. Augustine, Orange Park, Oakleaf, Palm Coast and the surrounding First Coast areas. 
