How Does Outdoor Lighting Withstand Weather?
How Does Outdoor Lighting Withstand Weather? We vacation or live in Florida because of the weather. Basically 365 days of sunshine and amazing sunsets here on the west coast. Since we also live in the tropics, we get our share of harsh weather. Torrential downpours in the afternoons, scorching sun and of course occasional hurricanes and floods.
Stopping at your local big box hardware store you will find a wide range of outdoor lighting for your landscaping. The question is, will it last and for how long. Let’s look at a few features and guidelines that can help you make a wise purchase for your landscape lighting.
How To Choose Outdoor Lighting Withstand Weather
The primary elements of the weather you need to protect your lights from is the sun, wind, rain and moisture. When a manufacturer produces lights sold for outdoor use you might want to check out the ingress protection (IP) level. This is the level or ability to keep solids (dirt) and moisture (rain) from coming into contact with the bulbs and electric.
If you review that chart and info on the IP Codes you will see what products need to do to reach different ratings. If you don’t want to read all the technicals, we will help you out. Outdoor lighting should always be IP65 or IP66. If the lighting is to be used underwater like a fountain, then it should be IP68.
Plastic, Aluminum, Copper or Brass?
The material the lighting fixture is made of greatly determines its ability to last in Florida’s harsh conditions. This is a key factor to outdoor lighting withstand weather for years. Plastic will fade, warp, dry out and crack leading to failure. On the other hand copper and brass can handle the elements and can last much longer. There is also the choice in bulb.
LED lighting is more forgiving with moisture and bulbs never need replaced. Fixtures are designed to be opened and repaired or serviced. So there are rubber seals to seal out dust dirt and rain. Over time, seals may dry out and cause problems with lights reliably turning on as they should.
What Lightscapes Installs
Any professional outdoor landscaping company running a successful business will only use the best materials. This doesn’t mean the most expensive. Understanding the uses and exposures for each light allows for a fully custom plan. At Lightscapes, we will carefully review your goals and suggest the right lights for each application. Lighting installed on a dock next to saltwater, may be different from lights installed around your pool perhaps even protected by an overhang.
If there are options available for certain locations, we will explain this to you and the pros and cons of your choices. We guarantee our work, and have been wowing customers for decades. Every time your lights come on we want you to love your lights! Give us a call or complete the online free request. We can help your house look amazing while adding safety for your family and visitors. We hope this article helped answer the question, how does outdoor lighting withstand weather.
