During the winter months, no one really thinks about spending time out in their yard. The weather is too cold to really enjoy any time lounging and playing outside of the house.
While there is the occasional day of play in the snow, for the most part, we tend to hibernate during the cold weather months. Staying warm and cozy inside is a much better way to enjoy the cold weather than to try and barbeque in the backyard!
But, now that the cold weather will be coming to a close, it is time to start thinking about all of those warm weather activities again, and each one will be made much safer with the proper outdoor lighting.
Here are some tips for installing outdoor lighting around your home:
- The first step is to decide which fixtures you will be installing and where. You want to make sure that the fixtures that you purchase are rated for the use that you are planning. You don’t want to purchase a really beautiful light fixture for the front side of your garage that isn’t rated for getting wet – it will get rained on at least some of the months of the year. Protect your investment by making sure that the fixtures that you choose are designed to withstand the uses.
- The next step is to make sure that you are purchasing the right type of light bulb for your newly installed light fixture. Don’t use an indoor light bulb for an outdoor light fixture. The indoor light bulbs are not rated to withstand the cold weather, and will burn out a lot or they will cause problems with your fixture. Check the packaging of your chosen light bulb to make sure it is intended for outdoor use.
- In addition to making sure that your light bulbs are rated for outdoor use, you need to make sure that they are the right size wattage for your outdoor fixture. If you have a light bulb that is too big for your fixture, you could cause the light bulb to burst because it is trying to manage too much wattage at once.
Installing outdoor lighting around the landscaping of your home is a great way to keep barbeques, bonfires, and star gazing much safer and with better ambience. But, there are proper ways to install outdoor lighting and ways that could really get you hurt.