Getting a Pool? Redesigning Your Hardscaping or Landscaping? We Can Help With Your Outdoor Lighting Needs!
The popularity of outdoor lighting has been growing by leaps and bounds, and it’s no wonder: A well-designed outdoor lighting plan can increase security, enhance the appearance of a property, and even expand the amount of time a property can be used and enjoyed. While outdoor lighting is frequently overlooked by homeowners making upgrades to their properties, those who do add it are typically amazed by the improvements even a few well-placed lights can make.
Just as indoor lighting comes in lots of shapes and sizes for different tasks, outdoor fixtures are available to suit a broad range of varying needs in just about every style and finish imaginable. And, just as using multiple types of lighting indoors can improve functionality and appearance, “mixing it up” outdoors can achieve the same advantages.
Types of Outdoor Lighting
When it comes to outdoor lighting, many people think of lighting the area around their entryways – and that’s it. However, by extending lighting to other areas of your yard, you can increase the “wow” factor substantially.
One of the most effective uses of outdoor lighting is garden enhancement. Face it: You spend a lot of money keeping your plants, shrubs and trees looking great, yet they’re only really visible during daylight hours. Adding lighting puts the focus on your plants and adds considerable drama to your landscape. Garden lighting can include floodlights or “up lights” for trees and taller shrubs, a focal spot on a water feature or ambient lighting around the edges of flower beds. Lighting can also play an important role in nighttime gardens that feature all-white plants or night-blooming varieties that attract colorful pollinating moths. And of course, they’re ideal for providing soft light for a bench or arbor that provides an ideal perch for enjoying your garden long after the sun has set.
Patios and Pools
Lighting up hardscape areas like patios and pools has become especially popular in recent years as more and more homeowners have embraced the concept of the “outdoor living room.” By creating functional spaces for living outside your home, you essentially multiply your home’s square footage, in addition to multiplying your enjoyment of your yard. Plus, a few lights around a pool, patio or other outdoor living space helps provide the perfect spot for entertaining family or friends. If you enjoy using a grill, adding task lighting in addition to ambient lighting transforms a small, darkened patio to an open-air dining room that can quickly become the focal point for any gathering.
In addition to beauty, there are practical considerations when it comes to outdoor lighting. Lining a pathway with subtle down-facing fixtures prevents trips and falls, and makes an evening stroll much more pleasant. And lighting of just about any type can help deter would-be burglars who prefer to lurk under the cover of total darkness.
This season when you plan your yard and garden updates, consider outdoor lighting. If you’re not sure how much lighting you want to add, it’s okay to start small and add on over time. And most importantly, get some advice in planning your lighting project from experienced experts who can help you make the best selection!
Why Spring is the Perfect Time to Get a Generator
Thinking about buying a generator? Now is the right time to make the leap! Spring is just about here, and statistics show the best time to buy a generator is before the storm hits – literally. In New Jersey, storm season typically kicks in once humid summer weather arrives, when shifts in the Gulf Stream that tend to kick storms and hurricanes right up the coast and into the heart of the Garden State. If you wait until those stormy forecasts start hitting the airwaves, you can expect to pay significantly more for a generator. In fact, buying a generator outside of the typical storm season can save you plenty in upfront costs, and because you’re buying before you need it, you have plenty of time to learn how to use it – and that can save you a lot of headaches.
Learning how to use a generator isn’t rocket science, but it’s not just a matter of flipping a switch and having all your power restored, either. It begins with choosing the right generator for your needs, and that depends primarily on how you want to use it. Most people choose generators that are powerful enough to keep appliances like their refrigerator and freezer up and running, as well as their air conditioning units so they can stay comfortable during those hot summer nights until the power is restored. Many people also choose to make sure they have enough power for electronics like computers and television, as well as chargers for tablets and cellphones. And still others have medical equipment to consider, like nebulizers that help them or their loved ones breathe.
What it boils down to is that each person’s needs are unique, and choosing a generator that meets those needs means you have to know how much power you need to draw and which generators are built to supply that power. Again, it’s not rocket science, but it’s not always an easy task either.
Once you buy your generator, you have to know how to use it – and how to use it safely. Like any other piece of equipment that uses fuel combustion, a generator can cause a deadly buildup of carbon monoxide if it’s not situated and used properly. Taking the time to make sure you know how to use your generator will ensure your safety and the safety of your family when the power goes out.
At Corbin Electric, we’ve been providing New Jersey homeowners with generators for years, and we know how to make sure the generator you choose suits both your energy needs and your budget. We can help you consider all your options so you feel confident about the generator you choose. Plus, we have the expertise – and the time – to set up your generator and explain how to operate it so you feel confident about using it.
If you’ve been thinking about buying a generator, now is the ideal time. Give us a call at 732-536-0444 or use our contact form and learn how we can help you keep the lights on when the power goes out!
Recent Comments