Low Voltage Landscape Lighting: Options and Benefits

Here is the bottom line: low voltage landscape lighting is the next step after your gardening and planting.

Spring has officially sprung, and now is the time when you are thinking about cleaning out the flower beds to plant new, beautiful flowers. Or maybe some of you want to go a step further and plant a few trees and bushes around your property. Whether it is flowers, trees, or a mixture of both, picture yourself admiring those new plants with the sun glistening overtop of everything you worked so hard on! Don’t forget though: the beauty of your hard work doesn’t end during the day. Once you have completed that intense gardening, it’s time to shine some light on Mother Nature’s beauty when the sun goes down with low voltage landscape lighting!

When it’s dark out, you still want the neighbors to see your lovely garden and luscious trees flowing in the fresh night air. And with numerous options for the taking, a licensed electrician at KB Electric LLC is only a phone call away to get your landscape lit up at night! Let’s explore some options and benefits of low voltage landscape lighting to add curb appeal to your home, and make the neighbors jealous!

What is Low Voltage Landscape Lighting?

Low voltage landscape lighting is a system of outdoor lighting that uses a transformer to produce 12 volts of electricity. Compared to line voltage lighting which uses 120 volts coming in through your house, low voltage lighting is less expensive for an electrician to install, uses less energy, and is safer to use because it is using 12 volts as opposed to 120 volts of electricity.

Pathway Lights

What Are My Options For Low Voltage Landscape Lighting?

Halogen low voltage outdoor lights or LED low voltage outdoor lights give you energy efficiency and savings on your electricity bill. Halogen low voltage bulbs last 3,000 to 5,000 hours (about 3 years) and use a 20 watt bulb. LED low voltage bulbs can last 35,000 to 50,000 hours (about 30 years), and they use 75% less power than the halogen bulbs because they use a 5 watt bulb. With the upfront cost of the LED low voltage landscape fixtures being more than the halogen, it still pays off to go with LED for longterm cost savings and better energy efficiency. But it’s all about your preference and how you want to save (initially or for the long term).

While it is about preference when it comes to halogen vs. LED, it’s worth mentioning that LED bulbs and light fixtures have come down in cost dramatically within the past five to ten years. So, the initial upfront cost isn’t going to break your bank. For example, at Home Depot, the cost of a LED Hampton Bay black flood light (an equivalent 20w halogen Hampton Bay black flood light) is only $10 more than the halogen, with a price point of $19.97. And like mentioned earlier, if you are saving more energy with the LED bulb, you will be saving more money in the longterm.

Well Lights – Uplighting Trees

What Types of Low Voltage Outdoor Fixtures Should I Use?

There are numerous low voltage landscape lighting fixtures on the market that do a variety of things. It all comes down to how and where you want to illuminate your landscape. All of these fixtures listed are capable of operating with different light sources like the energy-efficient halogen and LED mentioned earlier, as well as fluorescent, incandescent, high pressure sodium, and a few others:

• Pathway Lights

Pathway lights are the most commonly used forms of low voltage landscape lighting. Pathway lighting can provide light for areas like walkways and flower beds.

• Well Lights

Well lights can be used in flower beds to highlight plants and other shrubbery, as well as uplighting trees and other architectural components. These light fixtures are pretty much buried underground except for the light itself, and are favored by someone who doesn’t want any fixtures showing at night.

• Floodlights/Spotlights

Floodlights and spotlights are a type of low voltage landscape lighting that can work well for accenting trees, bushes, plants, and other items in the garden.

• Deck Lights

Deck lighting is also popular for low voltage outdoor lighting. Different types of fixtures are made for stairs, railings, and posts to illuminate all areas of your deck.

Show off your hard work by illuminating your landscape at night. Call KB Electric LLC today, and we can take a walkthrough of your property to better assist you in choosing the option that works the best for your home’s landscape. Don’t do it yourself! A licensed electrician knows the ins and outs of electricity and how to install several types of low voltage landscape lighting. Trust a professional, don’t trust an amateur.