Landscape lighting does more than just enhance your curb appeal, it also has the unexpected advantage of offering entertainment throughout the many seasons. It can enhance the enchantment of the cold winter nights, as much as it brings out the warmth of summer. As winter draws near and the days become shorter, it’s time to get your landscape lighting ready.
Benefits of Landscape Lighting
Throughout the year, outdoor lighting plays a significant function, but more so during the darker and colder months. Here are a few reasons why is landscape lighting important this winter.
- Light in the Dark
The days become shorter in winter. Most of the time, you could be returning home from your daily activity when it is already dark outside. One of the biggest advantages of winter landscape lighting is that you won’t arrive at your house in darkness. Your driveway and entry may be lit up with landscape lights to provide a stunning, well-lit, and secure journey home.
When you go home at night, the lighting of your house, garden, walkways, and entrances will make you feel protected. Landscape lighting gives a homey, welcoming sense when you arrive, especially on a chilly night.
- Avoid Accidents
Winter is a lovely season, but it may also bring hazards during the chilly evenings that you may not be prepared for. Steps and walkways may become slippery with ice, endangering you and your visitors. The easiest way to prevent falling is to install path lights next to the steps and along sidewalks.
This enables safe nighttime walking in and out of your house for both you and your visitors. No more slipping on ice and getting cuts and bruises!
- Deter Unwanted Guests
Installing external lighting is common practice to illuminate stairs, walkways, and busy spaces like patios and pool decks. Your home will be safer for your loved ones, and visitors due to strategically positioned lighting.
Landscape lighting provides advantages for your home’s safety and security in addition to being aesthetically beautiful. Outdoor lights immediately drive away pests and burglars, avoiding break-ins. Trespassing and theft are also less likely to happen if a residence is well-maintained and well-illuminated.
- Get Cozy from Inside
Most of the time, even during the summer, people appreciate lighting systems from inside their houses. The thought of it becoming dark earlier than usual won’t disturb you as much when you are inside and staring out into your magically lit backyard. You and your family feel at ease and comfortable as a result. - Enjoy the Outdoors
Another advantage of outdoor lighting is that you may begin enjoying the outdoors even before the weather warms up. You may already use your outdoor space if it has a lighting system, whether they are bistros, fire pit lighting, or landscape lights. After hibernating all winter, nothing can make people happier than a cozy evening by the fire for a delicious dinner. - Highlight Winter’s Best Features
Outdoor lighting is mostly installed by homeowners for aesthetic reasons. Landscape lighting can transform your outdoor space into a calming and pleasant environment.
During winter, your surroundings might feel especially dreary, dull, and gloomy. Installing landscape lighting in the winter can turn your house into a winter wonderland, complete with dazzling lights and the breathtaking beauty of snowfall. Additionally, you may easily alter the colour of your lights by adding lenses to your outdoor lighting.
Quick Tips for Winter Landscape Lighting
As you get your landscape lighting ready, remember these landscape lighting ideas and tips to get the best out of your lighting system this winter season:
- Place Wires Underground
Weather conditions during winter can make the soil regularly freeze and thaw, exposing cables. To protect everyone’s safety, you must rebury cables at least 6 inches deep. - Highlight Outdoor Living Areas
If you have a location outside for entertaining, make it more attractive with lighting. String lights, for instance, provide the ideal ambiance for warmth and conversation in gloomy weather. Spotlights can draw attention to any architectural details, such as columns. By carefully planning where to place your outdoor lights, you may showcase important features of your house regardless of the season. - Adjust Timer
The outdoor lighting timer has to be changed to adapt to the season. Most timers switch on the landscape lights at sundown and turn them off after some amount of time. To prevent family and friends from getting lost in the dark, it’s crucial to adjust your lighting and take into consideration the shorter days. - Dim the Lights
Once all the leaves have fallen and just the naked branches of the trees remain, the last thing you want is to draw attention to them since that would make your landscape seem eerie. Although it could work for Halloween, it’s preferable to reduce the intensity of your lights and incorporate frosted lenses for a softer appearance. You may also adjust the angle of the light so that the tree trunk is illuminated instead of the branches. - Clean Outdoor Lights
The lights might look dim even while they are on if the dirt and bugs obscure the fixture. Be sure to turn off the electricity and look for any wasps or other insect nests before cleaning your outdoor lighting. Clean the lights with glass cleaner, and wipe the metal around them with a moist cloth. - Switch to LED Bulbs
The lifespan of a bulb can be reduced by a sharp change in the climate and temperature. If one bulb burns out, replace them immediately to prevent adjacent bulbs from receiving excess voltage and possibly blowing out. Switch to LED landscape lighting fixtures instead, as they are more energy efficient and function better in the cold. - Prevent Moisture
Moisture-related damage is more likely to occur in the winter. Clear snow from your lighting fixtures to ensure that no water reaches the inner workings of the lights. You may also choose high-quality fixtures. They often carry lifetime warranties to cover any damage. Check all globes and casings constantly to ensure that they are properly sealed and secured. Replace damaged ones immediately.
Are landscape lights worth it? Yes, especially in winter! Winter landscape lighting not only protects you and others during the darker months, but it also artistically showcases your home’s best features. After all, you don’t want your surroundings to be dull in an already cold and gloomy season.
If you want to benefit from installing landscape lighting in Toronto this winter, visit Augusta Green Sprinklers or give us a call at (416) 227-1666 today.