Outdoor light serves two important purposes: to highlight architectural details and landscaping after dark, and to add safety and security. The best outdoor lighting fixtures do both jobs well. Decorative lights can help define the architecture of your house and yard, while landscape lights provide a warm welcome for guests when you host an evening gathering.
Some of a family’s most cherished memories are made outside after the sun goes down, from backyard birthday parties to relaxing after dinner on the porch. Having enough light outdoors ensures that you and your family can continue to enjoy these activities after the sun sets in North Carolina.
Adding lights to your home’s exterior is easy and relatively inexpensive. But before you choose a style and layout for your lighting, consider the power requirements of each fixture. Make sure that you have a 20-amp, GFCI-protected outdoor receptacle available to power each fixture, or plan on having a licensed electrician install one for you.
The brightness of an outdoor light fixture depends on the lightbulb it uses. Traditional incandescent bulbs offer pleasing, warm light but have a short life and consume more electricity than more modern types like halogen bulbs. LED lights have become the standard for landscape lighting because they are very bright, use less energy and have an extremely long life.
The ability to control a light fixture is another important factor to consider, especially if you want the lights to operate automatically. Look for a device that offers dusk-to-dawn operation and dimming options, as well as smart home configuration capability.