Energy-Efficient Outdoor Lighting Options
Outdoor lighting plays a critical role in keeping you and visitors to your property safe. You might also use lighting to add beauty to your property to highlight plants and other features.
While lights once required vast amounts of energy to operate, you don’t have to let your home’s lighting drain your wallet. Instead, investing in energy-efficient lighting can help you achieve all of your goals for increasing safety and the curb appeal of your property without excessive energy usage.
Use These Key Takeaways to Spark Inspiration for Energy-Efficient Outdoor Lighting
Making the switch to lighting that has greater energy efficiency offers many benefits, and you can use these key points to get excited about your home or commercial lighting installation project.
- LED lights use up to 90% less energy than incandescent bulbs.
- Solar-powered lights help to reduce your reliance on grid electricity.
- Smart technology, such as motion sensors and timers.
- Strategic light placement can reduce the energy it takes to illuminate large spaces.
Explore the Different Options for Energy-Efficient Bulbs
Light bulbs have come a long way from the traditional incandescent types that we used to be stuck with for our primary option. Taking a look at the different light bulbs you can use in your design and their benefits makes it easier to make informed decisions.
LED Bulbs
Lighting professionals often recommend these bulbs due to their being the most energy-efficient option of all. Replacing incandescent bulbs is simple, and this one change can easily add up to savings on your utility bills.
Halogen Bulbs
Halogen bulbs are more energy-efficient compared to incandescent lights. But, the energy savings aren’t as pronounced compared to LEDs. However, you might prefer halogen bulbs when you need a strong, focused light. For instance, you’ll often see halogen bulbs in floodlights that property owners use for security in extremely dark spaces.
CFL Bulbs
Compact fluorescent lamps are another type that tends to fall in the middle regarding energy usage. However, many property owners prefer not to use these light bulbs due to their special disposal requirements. Since they contain mercury, they might not be as appealing to people prioritizing eco-friendly options in their outdoor lighting plans.
Determine Which Types of Outdoor Fixtures Fit Your Property’s Needs
When you reach out to our electricians for ideas to light your Niceville, FL home or commercial property, we’ll ask a few questions to learn more about your needs and preferences. Checking out these options can help you begin figuring out which kinds of lighting spark your interest.
Pathway Lights
Many of these types of lights come in solar-powered models, since you typically only need to rely on them to illuminate your walking path at night. Battery-powered options can reduce the need for wiring in your walking path, and you can also use them to line gardens and driveways for better visibility.
Floodlights
Modern floodlights allow for LED bulbs that can reduce the energy they require to light up your property’s darkest outdoor areas. Commercial property owners often use floodlights to illuminate access points such as doors and gates. As a residential homeowner, you might also like these lights for heightening security on larger properties.
Wall-Mounted Fixtures
We frequently place these on walls near doorways and patios where property owners want permanent lighting for many years. Wiring these lights into the home’s existing electrical system eliminates the need for bulky cords that can cause tripping hazards.
String Lights
The decorative strands come in many different fun styles, and you can use LED bulbs to ensure their energy efficiency. While you can often string these lights up yourself, it might be necessary to have one of our electricians add an outlet to your outdoor space for safer and easier access to power.
Specialty Lighting Options
Many property owners use special accent fixtures to direct lights up or toward specific landscaping features. You can also use specialty lighting for security and to enhance pools and outdoor kitchens. Our team is experienced with using creative lighting designs to add a sense of style and increase visibility in your outdoor entertainment zones.
Follow These Best Practices for Eco-Friendly Lighting
Starting out with energy-efficient lights helps you do your part to care for their environment while also knocking out high utility costs. You can also use these strategies to boost the benefits you receive from planning eco-friendly lighting.
- Use smart technology, such as motion-activated lights and timers
- Choose to only light the areas that need it for safety and security
- Ask your electrician to install lights with dimmable features
- Request fully-shielded lighting fixtures in areas where light pollution is a concern
Know How Our Professional Niceville Electricians Can Help
Selecting and installing outdoor lighting isn’t as easy as putting a new lamp in your bedroom. Instead, you can rely on our electricians to offer these services that make putting new lights outside your property easier and safer.
- Perform load calculations on your property’s electrical system
- Install new circuits to prevent overloading
- Mount fixtures in challenging locations, such as in trees or along rooftops
- Make sure all new lighting components meet industry electrical codes and standards
Brighten Your Home Without Raising Your Energy Bills With Energy-Efficient Lighting
Striking the perfect balance between improving home security and reducing energy consumption sometimes requires an expert’s touch. As we always tell our customers, don’t put up with any malarky when you can call Mister Sparky.
Our friendly electricians enjoy helping our neighbors in Niceville, FL and the surrounding areas feel safe in their homes. Plus, we’ll even throw in some creative ideas for using energy-efficient lighting to create show-stopping accents in your landscaping plan. Call us today and let our electricians shed some light on the best lighting options for your property
