Landscape lighting has some undeniable benefits. It’s beautiful, practical, and can transform regular properties into resort-like spaces. For this reason, it’s a popular home improvement upgrade. When done right, it provides a warm inviting atmosphere for guests, boosts a home’s value by thousands of dollars, and increases the safety & security of the home.
Unfortunately, there are some major problems with many outdoor lighting systems
installed today — ones that costs homeowners thousands of dollars each year.
Here are 3 things you should know about landscape lighting before you make the decision to invest in lighting or continue trying to maintain your existing lighting system.
1. Most Landscape Lighting Systems are Using New (and Poorly Regulated) Technology
It wasn’t too long ago that all landscape and outdoor lighting was 100% high-voltage. These high-voltage systems were heavily regulated, and installations could only be done by professional electricians. Installing these systems were labor intensive as wire had to be trenched deep underground or ran securely through conduit systems. Not only was it expensive to initially install, but it was also expensive to have on at night as the halogen bulbs used a lot of electricity and generated costly electric bills.
For this reason, outdoor lighting became an expensive, luxury feature that was typically reserved for the properties of only the very wealthy.
As of recent years, low-voltage landscape lighting has established itself as being a cheaper, easier, and more efficient version of outdoor lighting. New LED lights only cost pennies to run, and installing low-voltage wiring is significantly safer and less regulated.
Unfortunately, the decrease in regulations also caused the quality of installations to quickly decrease as well. Lighting systems can now be installed by less qualified individuals, such as DIY homeowners, landscapers, etc, and manufacturers started offering cheap fixtures to these unsuspecting buyers. Poor installation methods and low quality hardware have become a huge issue in the industry. Countless homeowners installed these new low-voltage lighting systems and expected similar performance compared to the high-voltage systems in terms of quality and longevity. Unfortunately, for much of this new technology, that simply isn’t the case. Neighborhoods have now become riddled with landscape lighting systems that at first looked nice but are quickly becoming maintenance headaches and money-pits.
2. The Majority of Outdoor Lighting Fixtures are Junk
One reason many of these new low-voltage lighting systems aren’t lasting is due to the lighting fixtures. Countless options are now available, but most are inexpensive and low quality. These fixtures are catered towards DIY homeowners and landscapers that are looking for an affordable solution that’s easy to install. They’re often readily available online or at local, big-box stores for cheap and even conveniently offered in “kits” complete with wire, transformers, and other accessories.
These consumer-grade lights mimic many of the higher-end offerings on the market in appearance, but their sub-par construction causes them to fail much sooner. Many cheap fixtures are constructed of plastic or poorly coated aluminum that quickly starts cracking, fading and breaking. Some are made with better materials (such as brass) but are mass produced overseas with extremely poor quality-control, resulting in inconsistent light output, mismatching finishes, and construction flaws. High-quality fixtures cost more upfront, but are designed to last 20+ years, rather than 5 – 10 years. These lights are usually available at commercial supply houses or directly from the manufacturer.
3. Many Lighting Systems Fail Due to Corroded Underground Connections
Another reason many lighting systems fail is due to poor, and insufficient lighting
terminations. When wires are connected underground, it is vital that a strong connection is maintained. Failing connections can cause lights to dim or stop working and sometimes can even create excessive heat that can result in fires.
Amazingly, many lighting manufacturers supply their lights with wire connectors
already attached, but that are terrible quality that offer no corrosion protection. These connections will work fine at first, but as the wire is exposed to water it’ll start corroding and eventually cause the light to fail. Even if high-quality light fixtures are installed, they are often unknowingly installed with poor wire termination methods, causing the lighting system to fail. Unfortunately, many of the wire connection hardware commonly sold, such as clamps and wire nuts, will work ok initially, but fail with time. Like a good lighting fixture, a proper wire connection should last 20+ years. Sadly, this is rarely seen in many lighting systems installed today.
Is Landscape Lighting Worth it?
With so many cheap options out there, some homeowners may feel like landscape lighting isn’t even worth it, but they’d be wrong. A quality landscape lighting system is certainly a worthwhile investment. Outdoor lighting provides unmatched beauty and elegance, and many homeowners list it as being one of their favorite additions to their homes. It also has been shown to increase a home’s value by thousands of dollars (often more than the installation cost), truly making it an investment rather than a headache if done right.
It is important to find out what warranties are offered by both the manufacturer and/or installer and make sure it will last for the length of time that you’d expect. It’s also important to distinguish warranty differences between the lighting fixture itself and the bulb (if it has one). Sometimes fixtures will carry decent warranties but use bulbs that frequently burn out, require continued maintenance, and are not covered under the fixture warranty.
Are You a Homeowner in the Lehigh Valley?
If you’re a homeowner in the Lehigh Valley, consider scheduling a free consultation and lighting demo with a HomeBeam outdoor lighting professional. HomeBeam offers complete outdoor and landscape lighting design, installation, and maintenance services. Unlike many others, their lighting systems are available with 20-year warranties and will ensure any landscape lighting you get is a long-term investment, not a long-term headache.
