Exterior Lighting

Add safety, security and decorative lighting to the outside of your home

Lighting up the exterior of your home increases safety, welcomes visitors, enhances the appearance of landscaping and makes it easy to enjoy a beautiful night in the comfort of your porch or patio. Timers activate lights when you’re not home to boost security and provide a pleasant, lighted environment to come home to. Installing exterior lights can be done in a relatively short period of time and with minimum fuss, making for a fulfilling home improvement project. You’ll need to make a few decisions about placement and the types of lighting and fixtures you want to use before you begin installation, so keep the following questions in mind as you shop:

* What is the primary purpose of the lighting?
* Where will you place lights? How frequently will they be used?
* Do you want to add sensors or timers?
* Which styles best suit the areas where they will be installed?
* What type of lighting is best suited to the area?

When installing exterior lights, consider your objectives. What type of lighting you choose will help you create different effects. For example, floodlights can be used as a deterrent to prowlers and as a safety feature to prevent accidental tripping on stairs or uneven pavement. If you want to subtly accent your landscaping or highlight an architectural feature on your front porch, you’ll want to choose a different solution. Once you’ve determined which types of lights will work best, you’ll need to look at a few key considerations before you get started.

Don’t Forget

Purchase a transformer to power all your exterior lights. Make sure the wattage exceeds the total wattage of the lights it will power.