Save the Party and the Environment
Your yard can be a great entertaining space, but what about when it gets dark? A campfire is nice in the early spring and late fall, but what about the summer months?
Your next backyard barbecue could benefit from some smart and fun exterior lighting. Here are a few ideas that will inspire you when installing exterior LED Lighting.
The first thing you should decide is what type of bulbs you will use. This could affect the type of wiring and fixtures you’ll need. It’s always a good idea to consult a professional electrician when taking on big projects.
If you’re looking to save money and cut down on energy consumption, LED lights are the way to go. They’re more expensive than incandescent bulbs and CFLs at first, but they will last longer and save you money down the line in energy costs, which makes them cheaper in the long-run.
Once you decide on the bulbs, you can start to choose from the many different fixtures available. You would think you’d be limited by outdoor lighting, but there are plenty of options the get that yard shining at night.
Light Up an Outdoor Volleyball or Basketball Court
You’re in the middle of a game. Everyone is having a good time, but the sun just dipped below the trees. The streetlights and house lights are on, but it isn’t quite enough. Once the sun goes down completely, you’ll all have to stop playing.
However, if you set up some outdoor floodlights, you can keep the game going into the night. With enough lights, you can strategically position them to illuminate the whole court. As long as you have the proper infrastructure to power the lights, you should be able to keep the fun going until the party’s over!
Add Lights Around the Pool
Some pools can be installed with lights in them that make the water shine, but if you’re going to be in the pool at night, it’s safest to light up the area around the pool as well. This can be accomplished a few different ways.
If you’re worried about installing electrical wires near water, there are options available that take advantage of solar power. These options will give you just enough light to safely walk around the pool at night without being so bright as to ruin the atmosphere.
These lights can be installed as streetlights, along fences, and even in gardens. The solar power will cut down even more on your energy costs and consumption as well.
Unleash Your Creativity with Flexible Strip Lights
Strip lights give you the freedom to come up with creative lighting solutions that are fun and unique. These flexible strips of lighting can be bent, twisted, and adjusted to fit whatever creative ideas you have.
Here are just a few uses for them:
- Light up an outdoor bar
- Add guidance down pathways
- Add ambient lighting to tents and porches
- Bring a dash of color around the pool
- Highlight an outdoor dance floor
These lights come in a variety of colors and can also be installed to change colors. Let your imagination run wild. This could be the detail that makes your party the best of the summer!
Hire a Professional Electrician If Issues Arise
Remember, it’s smart to consult an electrician when installing new lighting. If all that new lighting is causing your circuit breaker to trip, you might have overloaded your circuits.
Prime BSF, an electrical service company in Cherry Hill, NJ, says, “Running electricity causes wires to heat up. If the circuit breaker didn’t trip when a 15 amp circuit tried to use more, the wires would keep heating up until something caught fire or melted.”
Luckily, there are fail-safes in place to stop that from happening. A professional electrician will help you get to the root of the problem and properly equip your home to handle all of that added lighting.
Jennifer Bell is a freelance writer, blogger, dog-enthusiast and avid beachgoer operating out of Southern New Jersey
