words Al Woods
During the summertime, most of us want to spend as much time as we possibly can outdoors. This is why many people want to ensure their outdoor area is well-lit, not just for family gatherings in the garden but also for safety reasons.
You want to be able to clearly see your pathway as you head home. One of the main purposes of having a garden is to enjoy the scenic views of nature. However, purchasing enough lighting to see your surroundings can be harsh on the environment and your wallet. Luckily, there are many energy-saving options to choose from instead. Read on to learn how you can have great outdoor lighting and still save energy.
Solar Lighting
For the outdoors, solar lighting is a great way to save energy. This solution is cost-effective and provides plenty of environmental benefits. These lights are often dimmer than low-voltage lights. This will create a soothing ambiance, which is a great way to make the outdoors relaxing and comfortable when hosting gatherings. When it comes to solar lighting, it all comes down to finding the right lamp post to take your outdoor garden or patio to new heights. That is because solar lighting relies on sunlight to restore its energy and work efficiently, so you would need to place your lamp post in a location that provides it with direct sunlight.
It’s advised to get wireless lamp posts because these are also energy-saving and will also preempt wildlife from chewing the wires. Furthermore, with a wireless lamp post, you will be able to place the lights wherever you want and move them around when have a gathering, to ensure you get the lighting you want and the atmosphere you were going for.
Low-Voltage Lighting
Another great choice if you want energy-saving and cost-effective lights is to opt for low-voltage lighting kits. This landscape lighting is very versatile and weatherproof. They also are easy to install, use less energy, and are affordable. They are perfect to ensure you can visibly see your patio as well as provide enough light while you sit outside. A single low-voltage fixture can provide illumination ranging from 4 to 50 watts. You can also hide the cables and position the lamps wherever you wish. The lamps are connected to cables that are provided in the kit you purchase. Low-voltage lighting typically uses LED bulbs which results in effective illumination with less energy use. LED lighting uses 80% less energy than standard bulbs.
Daylight Sensors
Daylight sensors, much like solar lighting is activated by sunlight. It basically recharges as the sun reaches its maximum daylight, which is in the afternoon. Daylight is required by the sensor to detect the absence or presence of light. This light will turn on and off by itself, so it’s a great choice if you are rather forgetful and are tired of not only using unnecessary energy but paying for it as well.
Motion-Detector Lighting and Lighting Timers
Motion-detector lighting is programmed to spot moving objects and turn on lighting as it senses them. This means that the movement of a person walking past a motion-detector light will signal it to light up. You can schedule the lighting timers to light up for a period of time. These options ensure that you aren’t wasting energy by having the lights on in the garden when it is not in use. Motion-detector lighting and timers will only turn on when required, thus it will be saving you from a hefty electric bill as well.
High-Intensity Discharge Lights (HID)
High-intensity discharge lights or HID lights are specifically designed to lighten larger areas while remaining energy-efficient. The light intensity that HID lights provide will ensure that your whole garden is clearly visible. So, this option is best if you have a particularly large outdoor area. The energy efficiency provided by HID lights allows you to have a high luminous efficacy without your electric bill costing you an arm and a leg.
As you can see, it is rather easy to make sure that you have great outdoor lighting that is intense enough to clearly see your surroundings and soothing enough to set a calming atmosphere in your garden, all while maintaining the safety of the environment. These energy-saving light options are going to be cheaper and more effective than their traditional counterparts, and they will still light up the outdoors in a way that is so inviting. Solar-powered and low-voltage lighting systems are suitable for any type of outdoor area you have.
