Having adequate yard lighting is important to both enjoying your yard and your home’s exterior as well as to increasing the curb appeal. Solar Lighting is an extremely popular option for many homeowners. This is because of the cost benefits as well as the lower ecological effect.

Installing solar lighting in Lakeland takes more than picking up a few stick lights at your local hardware store if done correctly. What is the best system, for your yard, and what kinds of lights should you use? Check out the following to start your creating juices flowing.

Power Options

There are two primary power options to choose from when it comes to installing solar yard lighting, both with their benefits and challenges.

Individual Powered Solar Light

The most popular is are the individually powered lights. This style is what most people see at the big box stores when looking at adding some solar lights outside. The benefit is that these are extremely easy to install you can simply replace one entire unit when there is a problem. The challenge to these is that there is reduced power and capacity. They are also not integrated, so some lights may turn on at different times, and they will turn off at different times as well.

Integrated System

An integrated system usually uses a single, larger solar array, and an individual battery pack that runs the entire system. That also means that it will usually be timed together, so everything turns on and off together. This also means higher power capacity for more powerful lights, if needed. The challenge is that you will have to run wiring to each of your lights.

Types Of Solar Lights

Once you decide which power system you want, the next thing to determine is what lights you want in your system. There are a lot of options to choose from to meet all of your yard lighting needs. Keep in mind that not all of these come in individually powered options.

Spot Lights

Spotlights are commonly used to provide light on flags, as well as the wall of your home. They are especially helpful for defining the corners of the building. You can also use these to illuminate a focal point of your landscaping.

String Lights

String lights are exceptionally popular for adding ambient lighting to decks, patios, even under umbrellas. These are perfect for providing some light to enjoy the evening without lighting up the entire yard.

Flood Lights

Floodlights are most commonly used in safety and security settings. These are perfect for adding to your front door, your garage, or anywhere that could pose a safety risk if not properly lit. For these, you may look at adding a solar option with a motion detector to automatically turn on when someone approaches.

Deck & Patio Lights

Deck & patio lights help to illuminate the walkway. There are a number of different styles available, from recessed lights that are flush with the ground to lights that mount under the stairs. There are also lights that you can mount to the deck railing to illuminate the deck floor.

Post Lights

Post lights are more of a decorative accent than just a simple light. These usually set atop a post, which you will want to permanently mount into the ground. The lights can take on any number of various designs to match your decor type.

Fence Lights

Fence lights are also known as garden fence lights and can be used to illuminate the area enclosed by a fence. Some styles go on top of the fence posts, others mount the posts and illuminate the ground.

Lanterns

Lanterns are usually independent units that you can hang on a small post, similar to a hanging flower pot. These are also great because of the versatility of use, allowing you to move them where you may want a little extra light.

Wall Lights

These do exactly what they sound like, mount to a wall. These are usually low profile in nature, mounting nearly flat against the wall. These are usually a type of floodlight that illuminates the path along a wall or illuminates up and down the wall itself.

Perimeter Lights

There are many types of perimeter lights. These are generically any series of lights that outline the perimeter of someone on your property. Some common uses include walkways, driveways, porches, and even ponds.

Installing Solar Lights

If you want to ensure that your solar lighting system works well together, consider working with a licensed electrician in Lakeland. Doing so will help ensure your system will be powered properly, will work seamlessly together, and provide the lighting you want.

Your Next Move

You should always contact a licensed electrician whenever you consider upgrading or repairing anything electrical. Electricity is nothing to play with, and attempting to fix a problem on your own could worsen your issue or create a bigger problem than you know how to fix. When it comes to installing dedicated circuits, you want to make sure the process goes smoothly and causes no issues.

At D.O.C. Electric Inc., we have the know-how to assist you. We’ll send out a professional electrician to help you figure out which appliances deserve dedicated circuits so that you can configure the electricity of your home more efficiently and logically. To get in contact with an electrician today, contact us, and we’ll help you get your circuits sorted out.