How long do you plan to live in your current home?
After approximately 5 years, an outdoor lighting system outfitted with LED bulbs tends to pay for itself. If you’re planning on living in your home for at least 5-10 years, you should certainly consider an LED outdoor lighting system for your property, as opposed to a halogen-based system. Halogen-based outdoor lights are much less energy-efficient and require more maintenance than LED fixtures.
Is the longevity of your lighting fixtures a primary concern?
Fixtures come in many materials, including plastic, iron, brass, copper, and others. Outdoor Lighting Perspectives of Cincinnati, Ohio typically recommend copper for its durability and overall longevity. Brass is less expensive than copper, and it performs well in the beginning of its lifespan. However, because brass is essentially a combination of zinc and copper, it is vulnerable to dezincification. Dezincification leaves microscopic pores in the light fixture. This destroys its structural integrity and makes the fixture brittle, in addition to undergoing a color-change. Copper is also likely to be more eco-friendly than brass.
What are you home’s focal points?
Focal points around your home may include certain architectural features, a specific tree, a large boulder, a landscaping bed, or other prominent feature around your property. Focal points may be highlighted in some way, whether utilizing up lighting, down lighting, moonlighting, or cross lighting. Highlighting a focal point is also an effective way to add a sense of depth to your landscape.
Are there any areas outside of your home that are difficult to navigate during the night?
Path lighting and other landscape lights can help you, your family, and guests see where they are going at night. This is especially helpful in areas which include steps, or where branches from trees or other debris may obstruct a walkway. In addition, any form of outdoor lighting removes dark areas that may be used to conceal intruders.
What plants have you incorporated into your landscaping and how mature are they?
Certain plants require a specific lighting schedule and color temperature to ensure proper growth. It is also important to consider if the plants’ growth will affect the lighting system in the future.
Would you like to see the lighting system installed on your home prior to purchasing?
Outdoor Lighting Perspectives of Cincinnati, Ohio offers free consultations. We will also create a free, custom design tailored to your unique home. Our landscape lighting designer will also come to your home to set up the lights according to our design prior to committing to the purchase. This allows the homeowner to suggest alterations to the design and to see how our landscape lighting design will transform your home.
Is the thought of working with electrical wiring concerning to you?
Working with electricity can be dangerous if you do not know what you are doing. Calculating wattage you have allocated to a particular circuit may be the most important safety issue to consider when installing landscape lighting. This can easily become more complicated after factoring in voltage drop and distance.
How much experience does your contractor have?
Is you lighting contractor properly insured, and can they provide references? Does your contractor only perform landscape lighting design and installation? Outdoor Lighting Perspectives of Cincinnati, Ohio are specialists who only perform landscape lighting design, installation, and maintenance. Unlike many contractors, landscape lighting isn’t simply an afterthought tacked onto our list of services we provide. If you are interested in a free design and free on-site demo at your own home, contact Outdoor Lighting Perspectives of Cincinnati, Ohio at (513) 496-1130.
About the Author: Jim Hilliard
I started Outdoor Lighting Perspectives back in 1995, since then we have franchised and now have over 35 offices around the country. Our business has grown to what it is today because of our extraordinary service. Thank you for your interest in Outdoor Lighting Perspectives.
