Outdoor landscape lighting brings life to those long, dark winter nights. Besides the comfort created from a beautifully lit home, winter landscape lighting can boost your curb appeal, protect you and your visitors from safety hazards, and deter criminals and pests. That is why it’s important to perform a midyear winter inspection and outdoor lighting maintenance to be sure that your investment is working smoothly and properly.
Keep your landscape lights shining bright and operating smoothly this winter with these tips from our service team at Mobile Illumination.
During your winter outdoor lighting maintenance, your lighting timers need to be adjusted to turn on earlier and to turn off later. Once you locate your timer inside your transformer, you can program the timer to keep your system on schedule with the changes in seasons. If you do not want to spend time adjusting a manual timer, you might want to consider upgrading to an astronomic timer. This type of timer will calculate the times of dawn and dusk based on your location. Some other features of an astronomic timer include automatic daylight savings option, current date and time display, battery backup and low battery indicator, and multiple options to help you customize as needed.
Although Southern California does not see snow or freezing temperatures during the winter, there is a great increase in rainfall in the winter months that can lead to issues in your outdoor lighting system. It’s beneficial to do a walk-through of your property and to inspect the lighting system fixtures and outlets, looking for damage or exposed wires. Another recommendation is to be sure all sockets are fitted with bulbs. An open socket can be a way for moisture to trickle in. For light fixtures that are no longer working, don’t remove them until you have a replacement so that no opening is left exposed. Always use caution with electricity and do not attempt to make any repairs if you are not experienced with electrical systems. Safety is your number one priority.
You may discover damaged fixtures and bulbs upon inspection. We recommend you replace any bulbs that are burnt out as soon as possible. Each bulb in a low-voltage system draws a small amount of voltage. When an individual bulb burns out, the working bulbs nearby receive more voltage, which can shorten their life. When checking fixtures, you’ll want to remove any leaves, debris, and dirt that may be stuck in or around them. Use a nonabrasive cloth and CLR cleaner (Calcium, Lime, & Rust remover) to remove mineral deposits from the lenses. A buildup of debris can cause lights to not shine as clear and as bright as they should. It is also a good idea to clear your fixtures after a big rainstorm. Keep in mind that your landscape lighting system will be running longer in the winter since the days are shorter.
Over time, fixtures can move out of alignment. Before you adjust your fixtures, be sure to remove the lens caps, then blow any bugs and debris out of the lamp and socket housing with compressed air. After the lenses are thoroughly cleaned, reposition or re-aim your fixtures in order to maintain their functionality.
During outdoor lighting maintenance check, closely inspect cable and cable ties for animal damage. Clear bugs and debris from the transformer cabinet as well as tightening all screws on both sides. Check all switching mechanisms. Replace batteries as needed. It’s always a good idea to do a performance check of your landscape lighting system. Perform this check after dark when your outdoor lighting is in use. Observe all areas of your property to ensure your system is working efficiently and properly.
A well-maintained outdoor lighting system makes your home safer, while enhancing its beauty at night. You can perform a maintenance check anytime throughout the year to protect your investment. When you partner with Mobile Illumination, you will have continued support from our technicians to ensure your landscape lighting is performing at its best. Click here to speak to one of our team members today.
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