7 Tips to Install Energy Efficient Landscape Lighting

7 Tips to Install Energy Efficient Landscape Lighting

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Energy efficient landscape lighting for commercial or residential projects offers greater security and aesthetic design, all while saving you money and reducing your overall energy usage. The following tips can help you accomplish the landscape lighting look you’re seeking with added benefits to boot.

1. Invest in Long Lasting Energy Efficient Landscape Lighting

Regularly repurchasing rusted or worn-down fixtures is anything but eco-friendly, let alone budget-friendly. Still, no one wants rusted, corroded or chipped and dinged lighting fixtures; it just doesn’t look good. So, how do you prevent rain, weed whackers, and dog urine from causing fixtures to break down over time? Simple, you invest in durable lighting fixtures designed to stand up to all these elements and more.

TerraCast Products stand behind the toughest lighting fixtures in the industry thanks to carefully selected materials and our unique manufacturing process, which takes place right here in the USA. Lampposts, in-ground lighting, bollards, tree ring lights, we have it all!

Shop our complete collection of residential and commercial energy efficient landscape lighting.

2. Go with LED

Did you know switching to LED bulbs could reduce your electricity usage by as much as 80%? Furthermore, LED bulbs outlast incandescent bulbs by YEARS. The average incandescent lightbulb burns out after just 1,000 hours of use, while an LED bulb burns out after 30,000 to 50,000 hours of use.

3. Amp Up Security

Lighting offers added safety and security. Not only does it make people feel safer but it deters trespassers, thieves and vandals. Get the most use out of your lighting fixtures by carefully positioning them in areas you most want to deter criminals, such as around the proximity of your building, or along otherwise dark pathways people could lurk undetected after dark.

4. Do Diligent Research

Pick landscape lighting fixtures wisely; no two are made the same. Putting in the research upfront prevents you from spending time and money fixing mistakes in the future. Thus, diligent research is more energy efficient for you, as well as the lighting fixtures you ultimately select.

During your research, it’s important to check out lighting rating to ensure fixtures are designed to be used as intended. For instance, if you are installing lighting in grass areas you’ll need lighting that is approved for use in wet areas.

We pride ourselves on manufacturing the strongest, longest lasting LED lampposts, tree ring lights, and other residential and commercial landscape lighting fixtures. Our unique resin-based blend creates a non-porous, durable post that is resistant to water and impact damage—even from pesky grass cutters and weed whackers. We welcome you to conduct diligent research on our products, we guarantee you’re going to like what you find!

5.  Automatic Landscape Lighting Fixtures

Automatic lighting fixtures offer a superior way to ensure landscape lights turn on and off as needed. There are different types of automatic lighting fixtures based on your needs. Some can be set to a timer, turning on and off at pre-selected time intervals. Another option is a motion detecting light that turns on whenever it senses motion. While auto lighting fixtures can help to reduce energy usage, they also serve other benefits. For instance, lights that automatically turn on when they detect motion can scare away a potential criminal.

6. Give Your Light Some Height

Placing lights at different heights throughout landscaping helps make better use of every bulb by evenly distributing light. If all lighting fixtures are low to the ground, it can create an eerily dark vibe despite a good assortment of lights. In other words, you could end up paying for lots of lighting fixtures and the energy to run them without reaping the same results.

Instead, mix in-ground lights, tree ring lights and lampposts to broaden the scope of your landscaping, even after dark. This also provides a higher quality source of lighting, as opposed to just a few brightly-lit bushes.

Good landscape lighting includes low lights as well as lighting fixtures that serve as “moonlight.” Our durable lampposts and tree ring lights that can be hung high up in trees are ideal options for moonlight. Mid to lower-level lighting can be used to highlight important aspects, such as a living wall, welcome sign, vibrant texture, and so forth. 

7. Low Wattage for Outdoor Bulbs

There’s no need to waste money running ultra-bright bulbs outside. Outdoor bulbs that are too bright can blind visitors, disrupt neighbors, and even cause distractions that lead to auto accidents. That’s why low wattage is recommended for outdoor bulbs, generally somewhere around 15 watts.

Have questions about landscape lighting? We’d love to help, contact us today!

Shop from our selection of high quality lighting fixtures for commercial and residential projects