Is your Outdoor Lighting in need of a Check Up?

Spring is upon us, I can already see the flowers blooming and the grills firing up. The days are longer and more time is spent outdoors, especially in the evenings enjoying the backyard barbecues. Now is the best time to get your landscape lighting system serviced. That beautiful tree you planted last season that didn’t need lighting may now be mature enough to be a focal point in your landscape. Spring is also the time to reassess your garden lighting design so that your lights are still creating the overall effect you desire. Routine maintenance and adjustments to your lighting design will ensure optimum performance of your lights and add to the full potential of your garden. Outdoor lighting generally requires little maintenance but as with any investment, you will want to be aware of the signs to look for that may require a system check up.

Lighting Fixtures are Crooked or highlighting empty space:

Fixtures can get knocked out of place from mowers, animals, kids or even the elements like snow or driving rain. Over time, the maturity of the landscape can completely change the focal point of the lights and ruin the intended impact of the original design. Conversely, if the landscape has been trimmed, the light that looked great on the bushes may now be shining right into your window. Part of maintaining lights requires all of the fixtures to be reassessed to allow for seasonal changes in the landscape. Lighting fixtures should be aligned properly and adjusted so that your garden lighting design has the most impact season after season.

Lighting is too dim or bulbs need replacing:

Dirt and debris can completely block light from the fixture creating a foggy effect. Mineral deposits are also a culprit. To remove mineral deposits on fixtures, use a Calcium, Lime and Rust cleaner with a non-abrasive cloth so you do not scratch the lens. If lenses have not been cleaned in a while, it may take some scrubbing to get them clean. Ground fixtures are very susceptible to the dirt and deposits so keep your lights in top shape by keeping them clean.

When replacing bulbs, check the maximum wattage it will take and make sure it is the correct bulb.   Consider switching to LED lights which are far more energy efficient. A bulb with too high a wattage can produce too much heat that may create a fire hazard or damage the fixture. Remember, that wattage is not the amount of light generated but how much power a bulb consumes.

Also, it is important to change a bulb as soon as possible when it burns out. In a low voltage system, each bulb draws a small amount of voltage when they are working. When the voltage increases because of the burnt out bulb, the rest of the bulbs on the line receive too high of voltage. Thus, this will shorten the bulb life of all of the bulbs. When we design our lighting systems we ensure the voltage is correct to all the bulbs so you are not in a cycle of constantly changing burnt out bulbs.

Lighting wire is exposed or damaged:

If you have done any digging in your yard or had a contractor do some landscaping, you know that wires can get accidentally cut or damaged. Always make sure that wires are not exposed, if there is copper wire showing, it must be repaired before it is reburied. We recommend that you do not repair the wire on your own. If the wire is damaged in any way, it is always better to have a qualified contractor repair and inspect the wire before burying.

Although outdoor landscape lighting does not require a major amount of time consuming maintenance, it should be routinely serviced. If it has been a few years since you performed routine maintenance, it would be beneficial to have your system checked out so that a minor adjustment does not become a major repair.  If you don’t want to spend the time to perform maintenance, we offer an annual service program which includes:

• Light bulb change out
• Lenses cleaned
• Inspecting beam spread for greatest impact
• Adjustment and alignment of fixtures
• Troubleshoot repairs
• Timer reset and adjustment

Spring time is the best time for an outdoor lighting check up.  Call Dallas North Law Sprinklers today at 770-943-9654 for a professional lightning check up.