Three Common Outdoor Lighting Mistakes

Take a look around Tampa Bay and you’ll see many homes and businesses with gorgeous and elaborate outdoor lighting setups. Seeing all that beauty may leave you itching to set something similar up at your own home, and we don’t blame you! Outdoor lighting is not only aesthetically pleasing but it also increases your property’s safety and security. However, setting up a well-designed outdoor lighting display isn’t as easy as it may seem. We’ve seen lots of different DIY setups over the years, some good and some very, very bad. In this post, we’ll go over the three most common outdoor lighting mistakes we see people make, along with ways you can avoid doing the same.

Not Hiring a Professional

We’ll go ahead and start off with the biggest mistake most people make when setting up their outdoor lighting – not hiring a professional. There’s a lot more to designing and installing outdoor lighting than just plugging in the string and draping it across the yard, but unfortunately we see a lot of DIYers do just that. Not only is having a bunch of cords lying around or cascading down the side of your home or porch unsightly, but it’s also dangerous. It would only take one pass with a lawnmower to completely destroy that power cord, and hopefully that’s the worst that happens. Do yourself a huge favor, skip the headache of doing it yourself, and leave outdoor lighting installation to the professionals. If you’re in Tampa Bay, you’ve got one of the best outdoor lighting installation companies in the country right at your doorstep…Decorating Elves. We’ve been lighting up Tampa Bay for over 20 years with jaw-dropping outdoor lighting displays, and we can turn your home or business into a little slice of twinkling paradise too!

Using Outdated Lights or Fixtures

Lighting mistake #2: So you found some outdoor lighting fixtures or bulbs for a great deal in the clearance section and think you’ve just scored big, huh? Think again. What you’ve probably found instead is an old model from years ago, far behind on power consumption, lacking in features, and ready to cause you some major problems. By spending a few extra dollars on the most updated equipment you can enjoy less energy usage, many more custom color and style options, and many more years of life.

Not Installing Timers

You’re going to get tired of turning your outdoor lighting on and off twice each day pretty quickly, so go ahead and save yourself from lighting mistake #3 and install automatic timers from the beginning. Once installed, all you’ll need to do is enjoy your beautiful lights when they spring to life every evening! Timers need to be monitored for issues and included in your yearly inspection by a professional (check out our Preventative Maintenance Program for everything you’ll need to keep your outdoor lighting running at peak performance), but it’s pretty easy to tell if they’re working correctly or not…do the lights turn on and off at the correct times? If you live in an area with Daylight Savings Time, you’ll also need to adjust the timers when the time changes.

Outdoor Lighting Done Right in Tampa Bay

If you want a dazzling outdoor lighting display but aren’t really a Weekend Warrior, we’ve got you covered. Decorating Elves in Tampa Bay has done hundreds of stunning lighting displays all over the Gulf Coast and even across the country, so we know a thing or two about great outdoor lighting design and installation. For a free estimate on your outdoor lighting, outdoor audio, or holiday lighting needs, just give us a call at 727-474-2628 or contact us online to get scheduled.