We recently finished a project for a new client in Vienna, VA who had an existing lighting system installed by another company. The client had decided to give a young man an opportunity to install their original system. After all, he seemed like a nice guy and he worked for a company that touted itself as “one of the larger outdoor lighting companies” in America. He did not provide them with references or a nighttime demonstration, but they were eager to have lighting installed and assumed he knew what he was doing; they signed an agreement for installation, placing their trust solely on this young man.

Unfortunately, this client paid the price for the young man’s inexperience. So many of her problems with her lighting system could have been easily avoided if the installer had some basic lighting knowledge.
This system was installed in Spring 2009. By October 2009, nine service calls later, and many hours of frustration, the system was still not working right and the young man quit answering her phone calls.

The client called us to see if we could get the system working. We got out there and found the voltage readings to be all over the place. One part of the house was at 12.3 volts and another was at 9.1 volts. This may not sound like much of a difference, but that has a dramatic effect on the color of the light output. The fixtures on the trees in back were measuring at 14 volts and the deck lights were closer to 15 volts. It was no surprise that every deck light was burnt out.

We also found one transformer laying on the ground. This is a sign of someone just giving up and not caring anymore. The wires were at surface level (not at proper depth per NEC code) and the well lights did not have any cover to protect debris from getting inside.

It would be nice if stories like this were rare, but they are not. This is why it is so important to choose the right company from the beginning. This was a simple, straight forward install that should have only taken 1-2 days to complete to give the customer years of enjoyment and satisfaction.  For more tips, on what to look for in choosing a lighting contractor, please check out this post.

Well light installed less than six months ago by another company, without cover or proper wire burial.

Messy placement and installation of this transformer and wires. Poor effort on the part of the installer; he did not treat the client's property with respect.

When I first began in lighting, Day Light Savings was always a royal pain. We would have 50-100 people call to have us adjust their timers for the changing season. Today it goes by just like any other day because the astronomical timer that is standard with any lighting system.

This timing system will self adjust for the changing season and for day light savings. Our customers never have to think about their lighting systems, they just work automatically.

Outdoor Lighting Perspectives invested a lot of time and capital into designing a great outdoor timer. We are able to set the GPS coordinates of the home in the timer. The timer will then know sunrise and sunset for the exact spot. We typically set the timer to come on 15 minutes before sunset, so the lights gradually appear, rather than having the lights flash on once it gets dark. This timer is also able to link all the transformers to come on together so the entire property can now go on and off at the exact same time.

We are also able to put a switch inside the house, so the customer can manually turn the lights on and off without going near the transformer. This is a great benefit if guests stay a little late or someone hears a noise late at night.
We have even tied our systems in with ADT Custom Home Security systems. If the alarm were to ever go off, the lights would flash to draw attention to the home.

Timing systems have sure come a long way since the days of photocells, with the simple red and green push-pin timers.  If you’re still utilizing an old timing system, call Outdoor Lighting Perspectives to find out more about our Day Light Savings trouble-free timer.

After spending a couple of hours trick-or-treating with my son Benjamin, I really had an opportunity to see how many people have poorly lit stairs leading up to their door. I was also surprised to see how many people have tried the low quality solar lights on their walkways.

As I was walking up to one home I accidentally bumped a plastic path light. It of course fell over and I could not find the base. As I searched in the dark to put this light back together I was hoping no one would come by and see “the lighting guy” struggling to put together a solar light.

The home owner came out and saw me messing with her light, but fortunately I was able to get it together right then.
Someday, someone will make a fortune when they finally make a higher quality solar path light. Until then, guys like me will continue to trip and accidentally knock down these flimsy lights.

Ben as "Bob the Builder" for Halloween

Outdoor lighting is an enhancement which can make your home more welcoming, or adversely, can make it spooky.  Since Halloween is just two days away, I wanted to share the best “spookily-lit” houses on the web, which use lights for extra drama.

A string of orange pumpkin lights along the step rail and shrubbery as well as orange and purple strings of lights

One spot light shining only on the upper right corner of the home - an uneven wash and spooky look with warm light shining through all the windows

Colorful red and green up lights give this home extra drama

The contrast of color with blue and red lights give this house a menacing look

Large spot lights up light this home, making it welcoming for trick-or-treaters and party-goers. The light output has a slight tint of yellow and orange which help create a Fall/Halloween atmosphere

Purple lighting on the building and weeping willow tree make this spooky yet delightful

A green filter light makes the rafters and peak of this home eerie

And here’s a Flickr Slideshow from a talented man in Davenport, FL who created his own Haunted House display and used some colorful exterior lighting to enhance it.

Happy Halloween everyone!

There are times when a light fixture can look like a work of art. Since I work with lights everyday, I take particular notice of the quality, craftsmanship, and details of a fixture that make it stand apart from the crowd.  This particular fixture is one of those. I am sure to most customers it looks like any other commercial up light, but I have seen so many low quality fixtures that outwardly appear similar to these, but are made out of inexpensive aluminium and do not stand the test of time.

This is a solid cast brass light. It is a true heavy weight lighting fixture. It is able to use anything from a 70 watt ceramic metal halide (cmh) to a 150 watt cmh.
That may not sound like much, but the cmh bulb can put out some serious light. Most lighting designers have compared the 150 watt ceramic metal halide to the 400 watt traditional metal halide.

We recently used four 100 watt bulbs to light every inch of the large trees in a client’s backyard in Fairfax Station, VA. With the front of the home beautifully lit with our LED fixtures and the back trees creating the perfect backdrop, this home looked amazing in the evening. We also were able to save our customer over 1,700 watts of energy consumption over traditional landscape lighting.

A 12-inch ruler next to the fixture to give you an idea of its size

Brass CMH outdoor light fixture installed in landscaping bed

Halloween is one of our busiest times of year in the lighting industry. This makes sense since more strangers will walk up to your home in one evening than any other day of the year.

We all know the potential dangerous step or other obstical on our own property, but a six-year old that only has candy on his or her mind will not be looking as carefully.  A properly lit pathway and stairs will help protect you and the swarm of guests that will be invading your home.

Indirect lighting in a tree or the house can sometimes provide enough light to keep everyone safe. We also recommend solid path lights to guide everyone’s step.
This will make your home look warmer and more inviting, so be prepared to have some extra candy on hand.

Below are some general safety tips provided by the Fairfax County, VA Police Department in their October 2008 newsletter:

• Homeowners should prepare their home for trick-or-treaters by removing obstacles from the front yard, restraining dogs and other animals, and lighting the house well.
• Provide treats that are individually wrapped candy or offer kids nonfood treats, such as stickers and erasers.
• Artificial lights and candles are a safer alternative to real candles with a flame that can pose a fire hazard.

And here are some of their Trick-or-Treating safety tips as well:

• Children should be well supervised by an adult when trick-or-treating. Older children should trick-or-treat in large groups in well known neighborhoods.
• Carry a flashlight.
• Stick to well lit houses in familiar neighborhoods only.
• Follow traffic signals and rules of the road.
• Drive slowly.
• Avoid taking shortcuts across backyards or alleys. Stick to the sidewalks of well lit streets.

Prince William County, VA police also have a helpful “Crime Prevention Center” link on their website with Halloween safety tips such as:

• Wear light colors or reflective tape on costumes.
• Stay in groups, if they’re older, or with parents, if they’re younger.
• Visit only familiar homes where the outside lights are on.
• Do not eat their treats until they get home.

And lastly, a useful tip for those of us staying at home to hand out candy to trick-or-treaters:

• Outdoor lights and porch lights should be turned on to encourage trick-or-treaters.  After trick-0r-treating hours have ended or you no longer have candy to distribute, you should turn off all outdoor lights to discourage unwanted visitors.

We recently read in the Fairfax County Times that the city of Reston, VA is introducing ten new LED streetlights.  Way to go Reston on deciding to install more energy-efficient outdoor light fixtures!  Below is the article:

Community Briefs, Wednesday, October 21, 2009, Page A-2

Reston LED Streetlights in Test Phase

Ten streetlights in Reston will serve as the testing ground for more energy-efficient lighting. Fairfax County is replacing existing metal halide streetlights with those using light-emitting diodes, or LEDs.

LED lighting is considered more environmentally friendly because it uses less electricity and does not contain toxins, therefore making it easier to recycle, according to Supervisor Cathy Hudgins (D-Hunter Mill), who advocated the test project. County officials will use the pilot program to determine if the lighting also saves money.

The lights will be installed on Bluemont Way between Library Street and Reston Parkway later this month.

In case you didn’t know, October is Crime Prevention Month.

Here are some helpful tips from the Fairfax County, VA Police Department (source: The Fair Oaks District Community Connection Newsletter, edition 38, January 2009) on:

How to Reduce Your Chances of Becoming a Burglary Victim:

1. Lock all your doors. Consider installing quality locks.
2. Lock all your windows and patio doors. Consider protective window films.
3. Be sure your valuables are not visible from outside.
4. Keep shrubbery around your property trimmed and low.
5. Make your home appear occupied. Consider placing your lights and TVs on timers.
6. Get to know your neighbors and look out for each other’s property, especially when you are on vacation.
7. Light the exterior of your home or business during hours of darkness.
8. Immediately report suspicious noises, people, vehicles or incidents.
9. Be involved with your Neighborhood or Business Watch.
10. Draw your curtains or blinds after dark.
11. Illuminate the inside of your business at the end of the day.
12. Don’t clutter your doors and windows with signage or decoration that could prevent you from observing the outside.
13. If a repair person or stranger is in your home or business keep valuables out of sight.

You can see that tip #7 involves keeping a well-lit home or business as a crime deterrent.  If you are looking to install lights for the exterior of your home or business, or improve what lighting you currently have, please contact your local Outdoor Lighting Perspectives company, and they would be happy to provide you with a complimentary nighttime consultation and quote.  If you live in Northern Virginia, you can email us directly or call us at the office: 703-361-0505.

Photo Credit: stephendl

There are only 2 weeks left until Halloween.

For today’s post I wanted to share with you something that combines my husband’s love for lights with my love for crafts…make your own light bulb Halloween costumes! I had a lot of fun researching this on-line, as I realized Halloween is quickly approaching and our 3-year old son doesn’t have a costume yet.  I’m the kind of “craft-sy” parent that likes to make items rather than buy new ones, if I have the time… (just to let you know, last year our son wore an Old Navy brand firefighter costume because I didn’t have time).  So I started searching for DIY light bulb or electricity-related costumes.

Here are some fun ideas (some of these are just photos, others include instructions on how to make your own):

• Flourescent Light Bulb Costume Made out of White Balloons
• Compact Flourescent Light Bulb Made out of White Long Balloons Used for Balloon Sculpting by Clowns
• Light Bulb Hat
• Traffic Light – Stop Light Costume
• Another Traffic Light Costume
• Kid With a Lampshade
• Lampshade Over Your Head or this one
• Red Christmas Light
• LED Jellyfish Costume
• IronMan Reactor
• Adams Family – Uncle Fester with Light Bulb in Mouth
• A 1936 Photo of Women Dressed as Electrical Appliances at the Los Angeles Electrical Age Exposition
• Dress Up as Thomas Edison
• Here’s a real photo of Thomas Edison – Wear an old-style suit with vest and bow-tie, be sure to carry a light bulb!
• Dress Up As Benjamin Franklin and model an outfit like this one – Be sure to carry a kite and key for his experiments with lightning and electricity!

Anyone else have any fun costume ideas related to lights or electricity?
Be sure to post a comment to enlighten us!