It’s incredible the way lighting can change outdoor spaces. As is the case with indoor spaces, spending comparatively little on lighting can produce dramatic results. A DIY outdoor lighting project might be just the thing to make you fall in love with your home all over again. But before you begin an outdoor lighting project, it’s important to think about your options. Here are 10 tips for 10 approaches to outdoor lighting.

1. Using Outdoor String Lights

Outdoor string lights are just great. But there are so many different kinds! Some have bare bulbs; some have lanterns. Some are LED; some incandescent. Some are white; some are colored. Make sure you research your options and choose the ones that are right for YOU!

2. Taking DIY Outdoor Lighting to the Next Level

Sure, you can install a standard low voltage lighting fixture and be justified when you say you Did It Yourself, but have you ever considered making your own DIY outdoor lighting fixtures? Mason jars seem to be the ingredient of choice when constructing your own outdoor lights. The internet is full of instructions for making DIY outdoor lighting fixtures, so do your homework and find the perfect project to make your outdoor area more luminous.

3 . Making it Modern

Let’s get weird! Isn’t that what modern outdoor lighting seems to say? I guess it depends on whom you ask. Modern outdoor lighting usually consists of interesting light fixtures with unusual, playful designs, and they can really make your outdoor vibe more interesting and thought-provoking.

4. Showing Off Textures

Sometimes you start with a particular light source in mind. These days, that light source is often LED. If you’re sure you want to use outdoor LED lights, you have a wide variety of outdoor LED light fixture types, from LED rope to LED tape to LED path lights, step lights, puck lights, recessed lights, and string lights. LED outdoor lights are highly efficient and look great. And some, like the one above, run on solar power! That means free!

8. Decking Out the Deck

If you are focused specifically on outdoor deck lighting, make sure you think about caution. Outdoor deck lighting should entail step lights if there are steps and should include lights around the perimeter of the deck. LED tape or rope, colored or white, are often great for running on the underside of deck railings.

9. Using Timers

Cost, energy savings, maintenance and aesthetics must all be taken into account to optimize your budget and bring out the best in your home with the finest lighting design.

1.   Fluorescent and CFL (compact fluorescent) lamps work well in areas that require cooler, energy-efficient general illumination, such as undercabinet lighting and cove lighting in kitchens or flush-mount ceiling fixtures in garages and basements.

2.  Low-voltage halogen lamps are best for accent lighting and to provide luxurious illumination in areas of the home that call for a more up-scaled look, such as living rooms, bedrooms, dining rooms and master bathrooms.

3.  For task lighting, choose LED (light-emitting diode) desk lamps, reading lamps, track lighting and mini-pendants. Bulbrite’s Generation 3 dimmable LED lamps provide great color rendering and light output, perfect for track and recessed fixtures. 

 4.  LED lamps are becoming the standard for outdoor lighting, too, due to their low-maintenance and high energy-efficiency. Although the initial cost for LED lamps is considerably higher, you will find tremendous long-term savings in energy, maintenance and replacement costs—especially in areas where illumination is frequently needed such as outdoor security lighting.

5.  Incandescent lamps are still popular for portable lighting and ceiling fixtures to provide pleasant general illumination.  Aim for energy-efficient incandescent:  Bulbrite’s Eco-Friendly Halogen A19 standard bulb is energy-saving, fully dimmable and available in clear or soft white.

Note:  Do not skimp and buy bulbs of lesser quality, because substandard bulbs may emit a poor quality of light and may burn out prematurely.  Purchase your lighting from a reputable dealer who will stand behind the quality of their merchandise.

For more information on updating your home with quality, energy-efficient lighting, visit a Capitol Lighting showroom and meet with a professional lighting consultant.

Most people have dealt with a power cut at some time or the other. There could be a very bad storm or lightning could strike and the power could get cut; but it also returns quite quickly. However, you might switch on the computer and notice it has stopped working.

This is caused when lightning hits a power line which results in a sudden surge on the electrical pressure that overloads the electronic circuitry. It’s true that lightning strikes cause power surges; even everyday appliances in our homes can cause power surges every time they are switched.

Over time, these seemingly small surges can cause a lot of damage to your property; and they slowly reduce the lifespan of your refrigerator, computer or air-conditioner or any other appliance that’s plugged into a power outlet or any that’s been hardwired into the electrical system in your home. The one way to protect your property from damage is to learn more about what power surges are.

Across Australia, the basic electrical voltage for residences is 230V + 10% up to – 6%. The load vibrations are taken into account in this particular range, as the appliances quickly cut in & out. In case the voltage increases above the working range of the appliance, it can result in arcing in the appliance.

These arcs generate heat, and these results in damage to the electrical components within the appliance. This type of damage is cumulative and the appliances are still able to function normally, till the point the damage becomes so excessive that your PC or TV just stops working for no apparent reason.

For all plug-and-play appliances like your TV and PC, you can connect them to a point-of-surge protector, and that becomes a very easy solution. This particular system is very much like a standard power board. You simply have to plug in the appliances that have to be protected, into the device. This device doesn’t suppress/arrest the surge; it redirects that surge straight into the ground. If you have to protect only a single appliance and a point-of-use protector doesn’t fit, then it’s possible to get a special outlet with the built-in protection installed.

Even as the point-of-use devices protect various appliances which are typically plugged into any power outlet, you would have to get another device to protect those items which are hardwired into the electrical system of your home, including the lights and air-conditioners. These devices can be easily complemented by an electrical panel surge protector.

If it’s installed inside the mains, it will level out the fluctuations and power spikes; or it might also stop them well before they reach the devices. When a mix of electrical panel surge protection and point of use protection are used, it helps provide your equipment and devices from very powerful voltage spikes.

If you have consistently experienced any power surge issues in the past or if you want to just protect your property against the probability of surges, you only have to call us and speak with our experts. They will provide you with all the information and guidance you need and will ensure that you get the kind of solutions that work perfectly for you.

For more information, simply speak with the experts at Allround Electrical and take their advice on various aspects of CBUS installations. The number to call is – 1300 169 263. You can also write to us at this email address.

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