Protect and Get the Most Out of Your Landscape Lighting Investment

A landscape lighting system can add security and showcase your property and landscaping for many years when properly maintained. Due to the fact that landscape lighting fixtures are generally blended into the landscaping for a seamless appearance during the day, they are prone to being obstructed by new plant growth and maturing vegetation.

A good example of plant obstruction is the address for the property. Most well-planned landscape lighting systems have an up-light strategically placed to illuminate the address of the house at night. When we perform system maintenance, these are up-lights are obstructed almost every time. It doesn’t take much growing time for the whole effect and safety of a fixture to be lost.

Path lights are an excellent way to illuminate steps and walks for safety and showcase your landscaping at night; however, when plants, bushes, etc. grow tall around them, it significantly reduces the spread (area illuminated) and performance of the fixture.

Up-lights are one of the most used fixtures in a landscape lighting system and are placed in the ground, typically with a stake, and are directed upwards onto a tree, wall, decoration, etc. It is common for these fixtures to get mulch, leaves, grass clippings, etc. on the top of the lens causing the light emitted from them to be dim or completely obstructed. These fixtures are also prone to building a hazy film or coating on the lens from the treated water used in the sprinkler system landing on them. This also reduces the effect of the light significantly. A chemical solution like CLR will usually clean the lens to look as good as new, making the light almost twice as bright in most cases.

Lastly, landscape lighting installed in the trees is a great effect but requires the most attention and cost to maintain. The lighting cable is usually stapled or secured to the tree trunk and limbs. As the tree grows, it will pull and stretch these cables, literally pulling them apart and out of the fixture. This can be solved and prevented by an annual check of your landscape lighting system.

After spending the money on a landscape lighting system, it is worth taking the little extra time here and there to make sure that you are getting the most out of your fixtures. You’d be surprised how a little pruning and cleaning here and there can rejuvenate the effectiveness of your system.