Preparing your lighting for winter is essential for improved functionality, reduced costs, and safety. Following a few important tips will help you get the most from your lighting system this winter and have reassurance of everyone’s safety.
Adjust Your Transformer Settings
If your outdoor lights have programmable transformers, it’s essential to adjust the timer settings to account for the shorter days. Ideally, activation and deactivation times should be programmed to match dusk and dawn. If any of your transformers have photocell sensors, no adjustment is necessary because they adapt according to ambient light levels.
Give Your Fixtures a Good Cleaning
Giving your light fixtures a good polish before winter’s arrival can help them maintain a shiny appearance. If your fixtures have hard water stains, water and dish soap can remove them. You can scrub the mineral content away with a soft cloth. Rinse after one or two minutes, and repeat as needed.
You can remove patina and polish your fixtures using a soft cloth to apply a metal polish like Brasso. Rubbing polish into the fixtures in small amounts and buffing them gently provides a deep clean. It’s important to avoid over-polishing because of the damage it may cause. Finding the right balance will keep your fixtures looking as good as new.
Switch to Using LED Bulbs
LED bulbs can give you decades of usage before you need to change them. These bulbs also consume less energy than incandescent bulbs. Using LED bulbs can save you hundreds of dollars over using their incandescent counterparts, leaving you with more money to use for holiday entertaining.
Add Driveway and Pathway Lights
Driveway border lights can define the boundaries of your driving when visibility is poor. Although slim path lights can do the job well, flood lights or spotlights are great for longer driveways. Flood lights can also be helpful for larger parking areas.
Path lights provide essential illumination along pathways and stairs. These lights can illuminate areas where ice and snow might accumulate unseen. Placing pathway lights near areas where people park makes their surroundings safer.
Use Flood Lights at Entry Areas
Icy conditions and entryways with heavy foot traffic are a bad combination. However, placing flood lights at decks, exterior landings, porches, and stairs creates a safer environment with better visibility. A big advantage of flood lights is their ability to illuminate wide areas without a harsh glare.
When you need outdoor lighting services in Ann Arbor, MI, contact our team at Current Electrical Systems.
