How To Conserve Energy With Landscape Lighting

When designed and installed properly, landscape lighting can be absolutely breathtaking, but might also result in an electric bill that is higher than you want. Below are some tips for conserving energy.

Design The Landscape Lighting System Based On Your Climate

Summers in places like New England tend to be humid and hot, but most of the residents prefer this over the winters, which can be long, bitter, and cold. The days will also be shorter which means you will use the lights more often, so it is important to make sure they are energy efficient. There is a clear connection between extreme weather and higher HVAC bills, so this is something you must consider when planning your lighting design.

Learn To Do More With Less with Landscape Lighting

Outdoor landscape lighting is all about aesthetics and safety. This means that a pathway that is adequately lit will aid guests while preventing them from falling and deterring any would be intruders. Additionally, this lighting can be used to artfully highlight any shrubbery that is nearby. However, many homeowners go overboard when it comes to outdoor lights.

A better approach is to use as few lights as possible, particularly during summer, since homeowners will want to maintain the evening ambience when daylight starts to linger around 8 pm. Placing fewer lights in strategic locations around the property, as opposed to grouping them together will help you save energy, especially if you choose LED bulbs which are much more energy efficient than the older incandescent bulbs.

Use Ceiling Fan Lights

Ceiling fans have a number of key benefits. First, they have multiple dimensions, which mean the fixtures can produce light while also cooling down a warm room. Additionally, ceiling fans use far less energy than air conditioning particularly on days which have milder temperatures. The key difference between a fan and A/C is that while the A/C will cool down the room itself, the fan will primarily cool the people that is in it, so if you or your guests are leaving for an extended period of time it is best to turn the fan off.

Create A Balanced Lighting Scheme Indoors

There are two guaranteed ways to increase your energy bill from within the home, and this is by either over lighting your rooms or not shutting off the lights each time you leave. Excessive illumination is harsh, especially at certain times of day, so it should be used sparingly. Interior designers suggest installing multiple switches that have dimmers for each of the light sources, that way you will have total control over which lights you want on and their level of brightness. It is also essential to get into the habit of shutting off your lights each time you leave the room. While this may seem obvious, you’d be surprised at the number of people who don’t do it, and over time it can quickly raise your power bill. This includes lamps, nightlights and other illumination sources.