In the past, getting outdoor lighting for your home meant simply getting a number of light bulbs and then stringing them up in your front or back yard. Today, however, this is not the case. There are many options you can choose from regarding such lighting, which means that it’s easier for you to get a product that will actually suit you. There are many ways to categorize the types of outdoor lighting you can get, one of which is by how they work. The mechanism of action of the outdoor lighting is usually determined by your needs, and the circumstances of use of the lighting system. The main types of lights you are likely to come across include:
All night lighting
This is a type of outdoor lighting that is designed to stay on throughout the night. This is the most basic type of outdoor lighting, and therefore the cheapest to install. However, the cost benefits you might have accrued this way are likely to be eroded with time because they also tend to be very expensive to run. Depending on the number of lights you get and the types of bulbs used, you may find that using such lights increases your monthly energy bill considerably.
Of course, there are ways of reducing the long term costs associated with all night lighting. One would be by using solar lights. These are usually a bit more expensive to install, but the fact that they depend on solar energy means that you will never need to pay for their electricity after installation. Current developments in the use of solar energy have made the solar lights more reliable than they used to be in the past.
Another disadvantage of using all night lighting is the fact that it can make living in the home uncomfortable, particularly if the lights are very bright and stream into the bedroom. This might make it more difficult for most people to sleep.
Motion-activated lighting
Another option one can use is motion activated lighting. In such a system, there is a sensor that will detect the presence of any moving body, and this will then trigger the lights. One of the major advantages of this system is that it will only turn on when there is need for light in the outdoors, which cuts down on the energy costs. However, it can be very irritating, particularly if you have pets that run around the yard and keep activating them. The fact that the lights might turn on and off intermittently throughout the night can be very irritating.
To avoid this, you should consider installing smarter systems that are not triggered by just any motion. Some will detect the size of the object moving in the yard. If it’s the size of an average man or bigger, it will then trigger the lights. This way, the lights won’t be triggered by the movements of pets and pests around the compound.
Another potential disadvantage of motion activated lighting is the fact that it’s usually a bit more complicated than other types of lighting, as well as more expensive. However, the rising popularity of the lights has made them cheaper in the recent past, and the fact that new technologies are used in manufacturing them makes them more reliable and long lasting.
High/Low combination lighting
When you use motion activated lighting, it means that the lights will be off unless something triggers the sensor. However, there are some people who might want there to be a small degree of lighting in the outdoors. In such cases, using high/low combination lighting is ideal. In this system, there are two sets of lights; the low intensity ones that are always on, and the high intensity ones that are triggered by motion. This gives you the best of both worlds. An advantage of using such a system is that it’s cheap to run, and offers more security.
The importance of quality installation
If you intend to get any of the lighting systems above, it would be important to insist on proper installation. Even if you spend a lot of money on such a system, not having it properly installed means that you may not get the full benefits of the lighting system. In the end, you will have wasted money and time. The best way to get the installation done right the first time is by consulting a lighting firm that has a lot of experience in outdoor lighting.
In summary, if you are planning on getting outdoor lighting for your home, it would be wise to ensure that you think through your options before making up your mind on what system to get. The above are the major types of outdoor lighting. Choosing which one to get is simply a matter of personal preference.
