Our Melbourne electricians share 7 little-known outdoor lighting tips

“Let there be light!”

Whether you’re renovating an older home, building a new one or simply looking to brighten the place up, a good lighting solution does more than just help you see things clearly.

When done correctly, your lighting can also be the key to ensuring that the property is well-lit, inviting, and importantly, safe!

The thing is, designing a lighting solution is a lot harder than simply saying “I’d like my home to be bright”.

Like a lot of other electrical jobs, it requires considerable planning to ensure that the result is:

• Energy-efficient
• Safe
• Aesthetically pleasing
• Sufficiently bright

This is especially important when it comes to outdoor lighting.

Not only does outdoor lighting installation pose additional challenges from an electrical safety and installation standpoint, but it also requires additional considerations.

There’s a lot that goes into planning outdoor lighting installation – today, our electricians in Melbourne are shining a light (no pun intended) on some of the lesser-known details!

A Melbourne electrician shares 7 lesser-known outdoor lighting tips

Tip #1: don’t overdo it

You want the place to be bright, sure – but at the same time, you don’t want to go overboard.

Not only does taking your outdoor lighting waste power, but it also drives up the cost of your project as well.

And finally, it can ruin the ambience and feel of your garden!

Obviously, this one comes down to personal preference – however, with the number of homeowners that go way too far, it’s something you’ll want to remember.

Tip #2: think about wiring

Before purchasing any lights, you need to think about how much wiring you’re going to need to support all of them.

While most use solar-powered lights for their outdoor lighting needs, not everyone does – in fact, many choose lights connected by a hard wire, as this allows them to control the light from indoors.

Of course, this requires putting wires into your backyard and running them to your outdoor lights.

And that in turn brings in a host of other issues – specifically, the fact that you can’t do it on your own, instead handing it off to an electrical service in Melbourne!

Tip #3: choose LED lighting

More and more homes are choosing LED lights – and that includes for outdoor purposes as well.

LED (Light Emitting Diode) lights are way brighter, more durable and more energy-efficient than old incandescent bulbs. It’s these qualities that make them the perfect choice for outdoor lighting!

Of note is the fact that LED lights come in a much wider variety of shapes and sizes, allowing you to choose a lighting setup for your garden and outdoor areas.

There’s a lot to say about LED lights – click here to learn about the other advantages of choosing energy-efficient LED lighting for your outdoor lighting.

Tip #4: start with footpaths and trails

Dark gardens are pretty much inviting trips and falls – that’s why outdoor lighting is so important.

When devising outdoor lighting setups, we recommend starting with the areas around footpaths. Focusing here allows you to illuminate the way forward, reducing the likelihood of accidents when you go out at night.

Of course, that isn’t the only way you can focus on to make your garden safer at night…

Tip #5: think about safety lighting

Marking paths isn’t the only way that outdoor lighting can keep you safe – a well-lit garden can also keep ne’er-do-wells at bay as well.

Sensor-activated outdoor lighting ensures that approaches to your home are well-lit, and that you and your neighbours are able to see anyone attempting to make their way in uninvited.

Combined with CCTV installation, it can help protect your property and scare off anyone who might think about trying to get in undetected.

Tip #6: check how it looks from the inside

It looks great from the outside – but can you say the same for the inside?

A lot of us are very sensitive to light, with even a little bit of ambient light affecting our ability to fall asleep.

In other cases, it could be that you have a home theatre room, and outdoor lighting is spilling in, affecting your movie-watching experience.

These are just two ways outdoor lighting affects indoor comfort.

It’s because of things like this that you need to think about how your outdoor lighting setup is going to look from indoors. Doing so can save you from a major headache further down the line!

Tip #6: think about the various types of lighting

There are lots of different types of lighting out there. When designing your outdoor lighting setup, you’ll want to think about which types of lighting to include.

When it comes to outdoor lighting in particular, there are 4 basic light types:

• Ambient lighting
• Accent lighting
• Task lighting
• Navigational lighting

When devising your outdoor lighting system it’s important that you look at each of these different types of lighting, as well as which ones your outdoor sections and garden needs.

For example, if you’re going to be entertaining outdoors, your plan might involve more ambient lighting, while people with large gardens might need more navigational lighting to help light the path.

Tip #7: seek the help of a certified electrician in Melbourne

Certain types of outdoor lighting are easy to set up, with installation effectively consisting of digging a small hole, sticking in a solar-powered light and calling it a day.

But what about other types of outdoor lighting?

Things like garage lights, patio lights and gazebo lighting don’t just require more powerful bulbs – they also require a connection, something only a professional electrician can set up for you.

On top of carrying out parts of the installation that you aren’t qualified to do on your own, our Melbourne electricians can also help you design your lighting setup.

We’ll ensure that outdoor wiring is safe, that it avoids challenges posed by your backyard like roots, and that your outdoor areas are safe and well-lit.

Our certified electricians in Melbourne help you:

• Choose the right amount of lumens
• Figure out light placement
• Devise a wiring arrangement

Providing Melbourne with electrical services both inside and out

Briggs Electrical is committed to providing you with a safe, functional and comfortable home – and outdoor lighting plays an important part of this.

Of course, our services don’t end there – our team provides a huge range of electrical services for homeowners and businesses all over the city.

And our work doesn’t end once we’ve finished wiring up your outdoor lighting.

Run into an electrical problem? Give our emergency electricians in Melbourne a call, and we’ll come running any time of day with a fix, no matter the issue.

Contact us on 1300 300 222 or fill in the form to book a job with us today.