Landscape Lighting is bar far the best investment to enhance the beauty of you outdoor spaces.  Most of the hours you are at home are during the evening in the seasons when it is dark.  Outdoor Lighting allows you experience your landscape at night - Priceless!

However, most lighting projects are plagued with mistakes that create more stress and frustration that can be avoided by education and use of a experienced professional.   Lets look at the most common errors.

Five Mistakes to Avoid

1. Use Quality products.  So often I see a project using big box products that simply are not made to last.  Look for quality connectors, waterproofing, heat dispation, and fixture finish (I prefer copper).  The type of source is important as well.  We prefer LED due to LOW power use and long life.  Many of the products we use have a lifetime warranty on the emitter and fixture.
2. Don't focus on fixture beauty.  This sounds odd but most fixtures are used as uplights or downlights.  The fixture is rarely in view, but the lighting effect is seen.  Pathlights are an exception.  Don't get me wrong, I like the pretty fixtures.  However, if it is hidden, go for utility first.
3. Plan for future plant size.  This sounds so simple but is rarely followed.  If the plant will be 10 feet tall at maturity, keep the fixure far away to still be able to uplight from the front.  Pathlights cast a pool of light downward.  Make sure they won't be totally blocked by seasonal flowers or larger shrubs.
4. Under/over Lamping.  Too much or too little light fails to provide the desired lighting effect.  Evergreen plants need about twice the light as a semi-open ornamental plant due to leaf density.  The typical evergreen is so dense, light fails to penetrate so texture is harder to see.  Relamping the fixture to a higher wattage is not difficult or add two fixtures to properly light the plant.
5. No Maintenance.  So often i see a lighting project several years old and it looks weak.  The fixture lamp is covered with glass or lexan and does need to be cleaned at least annually.  Irrigation water with high mineral content will increase the need to keep the fixture clean. Have a professional do a minimum of one annual visit.

Landscape Lighting can totally change your mood in those dark months were the landscape really can not be appreciated at night.   Call for a free demo or service call today(click below).