Handyman

Spring in Central Texas is right around the corner and we’ll all soon be thinking about barbecues, pool parties, and outdoor family fun. And with a national trend towards more outdoor living “at home,” it’s no wonder many homeowners are also looking for ways to enhance their investment and extend time to take advantage of it – even after the sun sets.

Landscape lighting is one of the most dramatic improvements you can make to your home – front yard or back – and provides an excellent way to highlight architectural features, trees and gardens. The impact is absolutely amazing. It extends enjoyment of your home into the nighttime hours, increases the value of your home and adds another level of security for your family.

Few homeowners realize that proper outdoor lighting can also expand the living space when viewed from windows inside the house. The right choice or placement of lighting fixture can also create a tranquil, relaxing ambience.

Here are some tips from outdoor lighting experts on how to maximize the effect on your home with landscape lighting:

• Use different levels of light to create a focal point. A common mistake is to light everything with equal brightness, creating an airport runway effect.
• Highlight the beautiful accents in your yard. Experts know how to use various design techniques including up lighting, shadowing, moonlighting and silhouetting to achieve specific effects when lighting a canopy of trees, statues, gazebos, water fountains and plants.
• Use indirect lighting. Let’s say you want to light an unattractive concrete walkway. Rather than using path lighting, you can light up the surrounding trees and the “spill” will illuminate the walkway.
• Think about multiple viewing angles. Make sure your lighting is aesthetically pleasing from indoors and out. Otherwise, glare can interfere with the effect you’re trying to achieve.
• Take your plant materials into account. Different plants require different tactics. For example, pine trees require more light than ash or birch trees.
• Ensure that the voltage is correct. Lighting experts recommend low-voltage systems for outdoor use. They offer greater energy efficiency, are safer to operate and they minimize light pollution, a problem with line voltage (120 volt) systems. For low voltage systems, transformers reduce line voltage to 12 volts at the outlet. Please note that since voltage diminishes (and lighting dims) as you move farther from the source, you must use properly-sized transformers and special wiring techniques to increase voltage for more distant fixtures.
• Don’t try to do it yourself. While tempting, it’s impossible to achieve an elegant lighting effect from a “box.” With DIY lighting set-ups, water and dirt get into connections, and lights frequently last less than a year.
• Ask for a night-time demonstration. Having trouble picturing what your home or landscaping could look like? It’s easy to find out. Just contact a professional designer for a free night-time consult and demonstration. Designers everywhere will tell you the most common response by homeowners is, “Wow, I had no idea my home could look that good!”

Right now is the perfect time of year to have your landscape lighting system designed and installed. You’ll be ready for that first spring-time patio pool party or barbeque! But just as importantly, you’ll enhance the curb appeal and value of your home, expand living space in both front and back, and increase the safety and security of your property.

ABC Handyman employs experienced landscape designers and offers the highest quality system on the market – including products that carry a lifetime guarantee. Contact ABC today to schedule your free, no-obligation nighttime demonstration!

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