Tag Archives: outdoor lighting

Outdoor Lighting Services

The Top 3 Benefits of Exterior Lighting During the Summer

Summer is here and it’s finally time to enjoy the great outdoors. At Schaffhouser Electric we strive to ensure that our clients can savor the beautiful weather even long after the sun goes down.

Properly installed outdoor lighting provides numerous benefits for the summer season, and the cooler months that are to come. Here are a few reasons to consider outdoor lighting:

1. Practicality:
Tennessee summers can get hot, so most of us find ourselves yearning to be outside as the sun sets, but that’s not so pleasant when you find yourself sitting in the dark. Outdoor lighting gives you the opportunity to enjoy the summer weather from early in the morning to late at night.

2. Space Maximization:
Patio and porch lights are great for entertaining, but what about the rest of your outdoor space? By adding lights throughout the yard you will maximize the usage of your outdoor space and reduce the have more room and eliminate the restrictions of being confined to one area when it begins to get dark. This means more room for grilling, games and outdoor seating.

3. Safety and Security:
Keeping outdoor spaces illuminated at night helps to eliminate safety hazards such as missing a porch step or not being able to see a wild animal in the yard, and it also allows children the opportunity to safely play outside and remain in clear vision for parents. Exterior lighting additionally provides outdoor security by preventing robberies, as burglars are not likely to gravitate towards homes where they run the risk of being easily seen.

Exterior lighting should always be done by a professional to ensure safe and proper installation. If you’re ready to make the most of your summer months, give Schaffhouser Electric a call about our outdoor lighting so that we can help determine the best solution for your property.

Outdoor Lighting

How to Create Perfect Outdoor Lighting

Summer may be winding down, but here in middle Tennessee that doesn’t mean we stop grilling out and being outdoors. As the temperatures cool a little, it can be the perfect time to get your outdoor lighting just right for fall evenings.

Keeping the outside of your home well-lit will also contribute to the safety and security of your house and family.

There are many different areas to consider for lighting outside your home, and each one has unique challenges. Here are some of our favorite solutions for outdoor lighting.

Front Entrance

A well-lit front entrance is the the best way to greet your guests. Lights on either side of the door will illuminate the entrance area, giving your home a welcoming look.

If you have a porch, you can also consider hanging a few fixtures close the the ceiling. Recessed or chain-hung is best so the lights won’t hang too close to arriving guests.

Garage

If you have the space, hang a lantern or other fixture on either side of the garage door. Otherwise, place one fixture over the center.

Consider installing motion sensors with these lights. You can set them to turn on at dusk and off at dawn or to stay off unless they sense motion. This will conserve energy, while still giving you the security and light you need.

Paths and Driveways

Everyone loves well-lit paths and driveways.

Low level path lights, set along the perimeter of the driveway or path, will guarantee everyone’s safety as well as provide a warm welcome to guests. Many of these are solar powered and programmed to turn on at night and off during the day.

Decks, Porches, and Patios

These areas are perhaps the most used part of your outdoor living space, and there are several lighting options. Like the front door, place a lantern on each side of the door leading into the house. Then use any combination of mini-lights, path lights, and lanterns to create the perfect vibe for your outdoor living room.

Don’t forget the citronella candles to chase away those pesky mosquitoes!

Pools and Fountains

Lastly, don’t forget the pool.

Low-voltage or LED lights are popular for pools, but you can also install fiber-optic lighting in the pool itself. Floating and solar-powered lights are also nice options.

As with any electrical project, there are always building codes and regulations to think about. Contact us at Schaffhouser Electric, and we’ll walk you through everything you need to know about outdoor lighting.

 

 

Nashville Outdoor Lighting Services

Light It Up!

Illuminate Your Holidays

It’s time to open up those rusty boxes and decorate the house one more time for the most beautiful time of the year. Say goodbye to your bikinis and board shorts and say hello to thick furry clothes and blankets. Yes, its Christmas once again; the last minute buying of gifts and the month long preparation of setting up your Christmas tree; getting your ice skates shiny and new and getting your ham to perfection.  Preparing dinner for all your family and relatives singing holiday cheers – it is a wonderful time of year.

Don’t Be Clark Griswold 

Decorating houses with Christmas lights and other beautiful ornaments has become a well-loved tradition.  Before, families used to decorate the interiors of their home. Like the furnace, the tables, the Christmas tree, the windows, and other areas and furniture. But nowadays, people decorate even the outside exteriors of the house where beautiful LED lights sparkle their way into the night. This is called Holiday Lighting and it’s not as easy as it looks. Remember this classic scene?

There are certain electrical wirings needed for this especially if you plan on decorating the roof and the four corners of your home. But like any other electrical equipment, certain precautionary measures should be taken. This complicated work of art needs certified electricians to set up the place and make sure that all electric circuits and plugs are managed and organized in such a way so as not to cause any short-circuits or power outages or even worse, unexpected fires.

We Can Help

Christmas lights are always breath taking to look at. Those lights have this impact on people to truly feel the holiday spirit. It brings warmth and brightness to your home. Schaffhouser Electric Company, LLC is more than willing to help you with your Christmas lights and decors both indoor and outdoor. They have the finest equipment, knowledge and skill to put up the lights best suited for your home. They offer the best of their services to residential and commercial homes and buildings in Tennessee, Kentucky, Georgia, and Alabama since 2010. John Schaffhouser has signed up for billion dollar projects with enormous companies such as FedEx and Tyson. This only show how efficient his electricians and staff are. His company not only strives for perfection in the task but to always make sure it is accomplished on time and as promised. They guarantee 100% customer satisfaction. With them, it’s the perfect way to end yet another fruitful year.

 

Lighthouse Outdoor Lighting

Outdoor Lighting Adds That Special Touch

Who among us has not gotten into the car and driven around another neighborhood just to admire the holiday lights and decorations? All of us love the glow of icicle lights hanging from deck rails, the romantic warmth that comes with festive lighting. Yet, inexplicably, most of us limit outdoor lighting to the holiday season, fully enjoying our decks and yards for just a few hours every day.

Let There Be Light

Increasingly, however, people are choosing to light up the great outdoors year round, appreciating not only the look but also the safety that comes with it. Illuminating walkways helps to prevent slips and trips, safeguarding the family from harm and protecting the homeowner from legal liability should someone else fall. Light at entrances not only keeps the wrong people from approaching them but also lets homeowners see who is out there before opening the door.

The added security offered by outdoor lighting makes a great argument for doing something that homeowners want to do for other reasons. Wanting either to show off beautiful landscaping or make the deck more functional, homeowners are right to justify the project with its safety benefits. Still, it is more than likely the romantic dinners and summer parties on the deck that spill into the backyard that motivate the change.

Leave It to a Pro

There is no denying the special ambiance that comes with the right outdoor lighting, and a wide range of options exists. Downlights for paths, up-lighting for decks, colored fluorescents…all are available, and a professional electrician can help the homeowner to determine the best choices. As important to landscaping as the right choice of grasses and flowers, outdoor lighting systems should be well planned and properly installed.

Not exactly like stringing Christmas lights from the roof, permanent outdoor lighting needs to be handled by an electrician. The rewards, however, are numerous, starting with the extended usefulness of decks and yards, illuminating them for night-time enjoyment. The charm of light softly glowing here and there throughout the yard adds a special touch to the beauty of the home year round.

 

Outdoor Lighting Installation Services

Outdoor Lighting: DIY vs. A Licensed Electrician

Most homeowners would not consider installing their own indoor electrical systems, recognizing the importance of having a professional handle the task. Yet, strangely, many homeowners attempt to install outdoor lighting themselves, as if electricity weren’t involved. While that may be the case for low budget, low performance, solar powered decorative lamps, it is not so for a comprehensive outdoor lighting system.

Gaining in popularity, outdoor lighting is becoming a feature sought by homeowners and prospective home buyers alike. Extending the usefulness of decks and yards well into the evening, pretty outdoor lights beautify the home’s exterior and make garden parties possible after dark. Outdoor lighting, however, not only adds charm to the home and illuminates attractive landscaping, but also significantly improves home security.

Indeed, enhanced security is one of the primary benefits of outdoor lighting, sharply reducing the likelihood that a home will be burglarized. Lighting at windows and doors as well as the illumination of potential hiding spots behind bushes and hedges discourages would-be intruders. This practical reason for having a licensed electrician install an outdoor lighting system allows homeowners to indulge their simple desire for the beauty it brings.

It is important to involve a professional electrician in the installation of any outdoor lighting system for several reasons. Cables need to be buried, not only because they are unsightly but because if they can be seen, they can be cut by intruders. Transformers have to be appropriate to the total wattage provided, and distances to fixtures have to be properly calculated. Timers and photosensitive cells that activate lights with darkness have to be properly wired, as do motion activated security lights.

Nonetheless, the safety and security it adds to the home is well worth it, especially given the beauty it brings to decks and yards. Well-lit paths and steps reduce the chances for slips and falls, both by family members and strangers. With so many benefits, the popularity of outdoor lighting is easy to understand, even if trying to do it yourself makes no sense at all.

 

 

Schaffhouser Electric Christmas Lighting

Being Careful with Your Outdoor Holiday Lighting

Is there anything more spectacular than walking around the neighborhood during Christmas and seeing all of the homes decorated with holiday lights? Some neighborhoods make a competition out of it, with one neighbor trying to outdo the next. Every one of them tries to create a more spectacular display than the year before so they can be “the house.”

While we all love creating and seeing these displays, we also want everyone’s home to be safe. There are some basic outdoor holiday lighting safety tips that should be followed in order to make sure you do not inadvertently put your home and family at risk.

  • Use only UL approved lights for your outdoor displays
  • Check all lighting for damaged sockets and frayed wiring
  • Check all bulbs and replace any broken bulbs as well as any bulbs that are not working properly
  • Do not loosely hang lights over branches our other outdoor areas. Instead, secure the lighting to thicker branches, tree trunks, boards, mailboxes, etc…
  • Use only outdoor, heavy extension cords
  • Lights should not be placed near water supplies, such as a downspout
  • Avoid dangerous areas, such as feeds from your utility pole
  • Only use GFCI outlets for lighting
  • If plugs or outlets get warm when in use, discontinue use as the circuit could be getting overloaded
  • You should use no more than three sets of lights for each extension cord
  • All lighting should be turned off when leaving the home or before going to bed

In addition to these tips, you should enlist at least one addition helper when stringing the lights. If climbing on a ladder, be sure to have someone holding the ladder for support the entire time you are using it.  Avoid trying to untangle lighting while on the ladder, as this could cause you to lose your footing and fall.

 

 

Add Electrical Lighting To Your Outdoor Space

Add Electrical Lighting To Your Outdoor Space

Spring and summer are wonderful times of the year to enjoy your outdoor seating areas. However, the use of these areas may be restricted unless you have outdoor lighting installed. There are several options to consider before undertaking a project such as this. Some, you can do yourself, while others will more than likely require a licensed electrician.

Solar lighting is always an option, but the fixtures can be extremely expensive and are not always reliable. The cells charge via sunlight during the day and will automatically go on as it gets darker. The batteries on these devices do not always hold the charge and you may find yourself replacing them regularly or buying new fixtures.

Homeowners can make a DIY project and install low voltage lighting around their home. Most home improvement stores will sell kits for this purpose. This type of outdoor lighting only requires 12 volts of power and is easily moved. This is something that can be used for simple lighting projects, but if you wanted the electrical work for more power demanding items, like an outdoor refrigerator or appliances, this will not suffice.

If the home requires more significant lighting, you will want to install line voltage lighting. This requires the same type of line work you have inside of your home. This is perfect for outdoor areas using electric grills and significant lighting. Homes that have significant or complex landscaping features may also choose to have this type of lighting installed.

Because line voltage lighting requires an electrical junction box and a conduit, it is best to use a licensed electrician for this type of work, especially because it is going to be outside and subject to weather conditions. Using an electrician offers a bit more peace of mind than attempting to do this yourself with little or no experience in outdoor wiring.