Clear Home Lighting

Patio lights provide outdoor illumination and can help homeowners create the ambiance they wish.  Moreover, patio lights can also increase safety, by helping to prevent accidental falls as well as potentially deter intruders.  In fact, some lights that can be installed in patios, such as the motion sensor lights, also have an attached camera, sometimes called a sensor lighting camera. Nonetheless, before considering the type of patio lighting to purchase, homeowners may wish to first consider the following factors:

(1) Does the homeowner wish to complement the decor of their patio, or will the decor be eclectic?

(2) How much lighting is desired?

(3) Does the homeowner want portable patio lights and/or permanent lighting?

(4) How big an area does the homeowner wish to illuminate?

(5) Does the homeowner plan to use one light, or multiple lights?

(6) Does the patio include steps, water features, decks, or other areas the homeowner wishes to illuminate?

After answering the above questions, homeowners may then wish to consider the following five types of patio lights, among other options available:

I.  Standard Hardwired Patio Lights: Many styles and sizes of standard patio lighting are available, including post mounts, wall  mounts, hanging lights, and pathway lighting, among many other choices available to consumers. Factors to consider with standard hardwired patio lights include the following:

(1) It is important for safety purposes, that these patio lights be rated for outdoor use, since they will be  exposed to the natural elements, such as moisture, wind, sun etc.

(2) Consumers may also wish to consider purchasing standard patio lights that have been certified by Underwriters Laboratories (UL).  Underwriters Laboratories is an independent product safety certification organization that tests products for safety standards.

(3)  Consumers may wish to purchase standard patio lights that have been rated to be energy efficient. Energy efficient lighting consumes less energy, tends to cost less to use when compared with non-energy efficient lighting, and tends to be better for the natural environment.

(4) Consumers may also wish to install a dimmer switch that is compatible with the patio light,  as a dimmer switch will allow homeowners the option to adjust the amount of light emitted by the patio light at any given moment. For example, the light can be adjusted from bright to dim, or degrees of lighting in between.

II. Low Voltage Patio Lights: These lights are available in different designs and brightness. They offer energy conservation by reducing electricity consumption, and thus can lower electricity bills.  Factors to consider with low voltage patio lights for home lighting include the following:

(1) Low voltage patio lights use a converter to typically convert 120 volts to 12 volts.  It is important to make sure the converter converts the volts down and not up.  Because the volts are converted to be lower, there tends to be less risk of shock and  serious accidents from electricity.

(2) The transformer needs to be rated for the amount of wattage for which it will be used. Most transformers are rated to use 100 to 300 watts.

(3) Converter and all its lighting components must be compatible.

(4) Converters are available in different qualities, so consumers may wish to research this factor  before purchase.

(5) Consumers may want to consider if they want to install a dimmer switch that is compatible with the low voltage lighting.

(6)  Consumers may want to consider if they want to place the low voltage lighting on a timer that is compatible with the low voltage lighting.

(7) All component of the low voltage lighting must be rated for outdoor use.

(8)  Consumers may also wish to purchase low voltage lighting that has been certified by Underwriters Laboratories, as Underwriters Laboratories tests for safety standards.

III.   Solar Patio Lights: Solar patio lighting is also an option to use for outdoor patio lights.  Such designs as solar pathway lighting, solar post lights, solar patio deck lighting, and solar spot lights, are among options available to consumers. Indeed, solar lights have become quite popular, since they use the sun's energy and cost little to operate. However, homeowners may wish to keep the following factors in mind before purchasing solar lights:

(1)  As the name suggests, solar lights are designed to work by harnessing the sun's energy during the day and emitting it after dusk.  However, the solar panels on the lights need direct sunlight to function as the manufacture intended. As such, in locations where the sun does not shine much, and/or on cloudy rainy days, the lights do not tend to work well. Consequently, in locations that are shaded as well as during cloudy days, the solar lights are not reliable for outdoor habitat lighting.

(2)  The solar panels must be kept clean for the lights to function as designed. Since the lights are outdoors, the lights required maintenance by cleaning the solar panels.

(3)  Solar lights tend to be dim.

IV. Lantern Patio Lights: Portable lanterns are another option for patio lighting.  Portable lanterns  tend to be small lights that homeowners can carry and place where they wish. The light output does not tend to be as bright as a standard patio light that is hardwired.  Nonetheless,  lantern patio lights are an option that can be used alone, in multiples, or in conjunction with standard patio lights and other patio lighting for lighting home exteriors.

V. Candles: Candles are another option for patio lighting. They can be used  individually, in multiples, or with candle lighting designed to be used in outdoor chandeliers. Indeed, whether the candles are used as individual candles or in a candle chandelier, they can add ambiance to the patio setting; however, consumers need to take the proper precautions to avoid accidental fires if they use candles for outdoor patio light.

Thus, after deciding which type of patio light, the placement of patio lights, and how many patio lights the homeowner wishes to install on their property, they may wish to consider whether or not they will hire a licensed electrician to install their outdoor patio lighting. While candles and lanterns do not require an electrician, and while solar lights and low voltage lighting tend to be easier to install than standard patio lights, consumers will still want to consider whether or not they need the help of a licensed electrician to install their patio lights.  Standard patio lights use the standard home voltage, and the low voltage lights involve using a transformer.  Therefore, consumers will want to consider hiring a licensed electrician if they plan to use standard patio lights and/or are not comfortable installing low voltage lights themselves, if the consumer is not an electrician.

Finally, the Internet tends to be a good place to research patio lights. A lot of information is available to consumers, in addition to  pictures of the different patio lights  available to illuminate their property.  As such, consumers may wish to commence their search for patio lights by looking on the Internet.

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This entry was posted on Thursday, January 14th, 2010 at 3:25 pm and is filed under outdoor lights, patio lights, solar lights. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.