Home & Outdoor Lighting » Solar Lighting

Solar Lighting Works for Home Security

Perry Latham — Sat, 06 Mar 2010 03:47:20 +0000

Solar lighting technology has come a long way in recent years, making it more versatile than ever before. For those homeowners that are safety conscious and want to use additional security methods to secure their home may use solar lighting for this purpose. Just as with any other security lighting system, solar powered lights can provide the same function with added benefits.

The benefits of having security lighting around your home are that when the outside of your home is dark, it will make it easier and more convenient for a burglar to gain entrance to your property without anyone in the surrounding areas taking notice. Illuminating the surrounding areas of your home will significantly deter burglars from your home. The security light is attached to a motion detector and once this detect0r is triggered the lights will automatically come on, flooding the area with light and alerting those that are in your home that there is someone outside. It will also make the person outside of your home visible to those around your home.

The issues with other security lighting systems is that they require wires running from inside of your home to power them or they need a batter source and that will continually need to be replaced. Wires can be an eyesore as well as frustrating to install, and batteries frequently need to be replaced and if the light is too hard to reach it makes it even more difficult.

A solar security light faces none of these issues at all. It is self powered by sunlight and so that eliminates the need for wires or batteries and it can easily be installed and used without any structural alterations. You easily put it up, set it up and it will continue to run day after day, charging during the day and running all throughout the night. The power and range of these lights will differ from model to model, so do a little online research to find the best solar light to suit your needs.

Solar Lights: A Green Investment

Perry Latham — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 07:38:08 +0000

Going green could be thought of as putting money into green investments. The good news is that renewable energy sources will never be depleted. For example, solar energy comes from the sun, while geothermal energy actually taps into the Earth’s internal heat for a variety of uses such as heating and cooling of buildings and electrical power production.

There are many benefits of renewable energy. The more renewable energy we utilize, the less fossil fuels we need. Choosing renewable sources of energy can save you money, but, better yet, it can save the environment.

Solar lights are a good first step to going green. Solar lighting can be used along driveways, sidewalks, patios and gardens. You can select motion activated lights or floodlights for outside security. All they require is direct sunlight for power. Although they are initially more expense then traditional lighting, the expense can be recouped by the fact that you are not required to install underground wiring. Since there is no wiring required, they are very easy to install. Also, since they are powered by the sun, they won’t drive up your electric bill.

Often thought of as outdoor lighting only, there are also ways to utilize solar lights inside your home. Solar tubes channel light through the roof directly into your home. They can light up any room with natural daylight. The light is captured by a small dome on your roof and channeled down a tube through your attic and into the room. This reduces the need for lighting during the day thereby saving power and reducing your electric bill. They work great in bathrooms and hallways.

So if you have decided to save the environment, choose solar lights. Solar light fixtures are easy to install, maintenance free, stay cool so they are safe for children, and there is not an electrical shock hazard.

Decorate Your Home and Landscape with Solar String Lights

Perry Latham — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 03:20:01 +0000

You can decorate with solar string lights any time of the year. The availability of red, blue, green, and clear make them a very popular choice for outdoor Christmas decorations. By using solar string lights, you are able to decorate areas that would normally be difficult or impossible to decorate if your lights required you to connect to an electrical outlet. You can use solar string lights across the top of your house or draped over bushes in your yard. You can even decorate your dog’s house for Christmas with solar lighting. If you have a garden trellis that is typically filled with flowers but is otherwise empty in the winter, you can easily decorate that as well. Put the lights on a small tree in your yard. Wrap the lights around your porch post if you have some. Outline the front door with a string of solar lights to draw attention to a beautiful wreath hanging on the door.

You can extend the use of solar powered lights throughout the winter in different ways. Instead of using the multicolored lights that give your home a holiday look, use solar string lights that are clear or possibly blue. Snowflake, icicle, and star designs can be used during the winter months to add a soft illumination to your home, patio, or garden area.

Instead of retiring your red solar light fixtures after Christmas, you could use them to decorate your yard for Valentine’s Day. If you have a garden bench, or possibly two chairs and a table, as a seating arrangement in your yard, wrap red solar string lights around them. The red illumination of the sitting area adds a romantic touch to your outdoor space. Placing string lighting around a topiary or a metal heart sculpture is also a good decorating tactic for the month of February.

Creatively use the green solar string lights for St. Patrick’s Day decorations. Perhaps you could light up some shamrock yard art with a string of clear solar lights. As you can see, the opportunities for being creative with solar powered lights are endless!

Installing Solar Lights in Your Deck or Patio Area

Perry Latham — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 02:25:13 +0000

Solar lights can be used in just about every outdoor living space including decks and patios. Solar lighting fixtures come in various styles and installations that can work perfectly for your outer walls, deck posts, stairs, walkways, and even umbrellas. Accurate outdoor lighting can only be accomplished with a small mix of different styles of fixtures and installations. For example, solar bamboo torch lights can be used but only if the area receives ample sunlight during the day. The same can be said for most of the solar light fixtures on the market because their only source of energy comes from the sun which is then transferred to batteries which help the fixtures operate during the night time hours. Some of the most popular types of outdoor solar lights on the market today include fence post cap, all purpose, string, umbrella, covered pathway, and step lights.

Post cap solar power lights are probably the most versatile because they can be installed on top of fence posts, deck posts, and other solid surfaces in low or high locations. Unlike all purpose lights which are also highly versatile, post cap lights illuminate 360 degrees. All purpose lights typically illuminate upward so they need to be installed on the ground within the landscape, on walkways, and on steps leading to and from your deck or patio. Covered pathway and step lights have a similar installation but they are a little larger. When installing lighting outdoors it is highly important to properly illuminate the areas in which people are going to maneuver in as well as the areas leading to and from the outdoor living space. Overhead lighting can be accomplished with solar string lights which create a wonderful effect. Solar patio umbrella lights are also very effective at illumination from above but only if you have an umbrella in your outdoor area.

Shopping for solar outdoor lighting is fairly simple with the help of the internet. Prior to making a purchase make sure you plan out the space and focus mostly on function lighting rather than decorative when it comes to creating a safe and well lit area for your family and friends to enjoy.

Solar Lights Offer Multifunctional Lighting Options

Perry Latham — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 19:31:42 +0000

Each solar light manufacturer uses different materials, technology, and manufacturing techniques in order to create solar lighting products. No two products or manufacturers are the same so you will have to shop wisely and patiently in order to get the best product, benefits, and value for your money. It is difficult to determine the quality and durability of a product simply by looking or touching it. Use the internet to find available products that meet the utility you need then look for positive feedback by previous customers and only shop from trusted and large online stores. Most large retailers also have a decent return policy just in case you decide that the product is lacking in any way. Solar powered lights need specific components in order to function. The components must be made with good materials that can last a long time under even most extreme outdoor weather conditions.

There are many types and sizes of solar lights to choose from including ground stake, hanging, and spotlights. Ground state lights are by far the most popular type of outdoor solar lights on the market today. Each fixture is very easy to install and simply needs to be pushed into the ground in a location where it can be most beneficial. Most homeowners install stake lights along pathways, driveways, and within flower beds to enhance the nightly landscape of their property. Night time illumination is also very beneficial in promoting safe access for pedestrians and vehicles to and from parts of your property. Direct sunlight is the only requirement for installation. Most fixtures are made of durable materials like copper, stainless steel, wood, or brass. Plastic fixtures are available but not intended for high traffic areas.

Hanging lights are used mostly for their decorative benefits during the daylight hours. Decorative examples include lanterns, candles, sconces, and post lamps. Most hanging solar garden lights offer decorative benefits during the day while still providing very effective illumination at night. As with all other types of light fixtures, proper installation and positioning is highly essential to getting the maximum benefit from each fixture. Hanging lights work well in areas of entertainment and in the areas of your landscape that are most attractive. Fountains, benches, and even trellis can be lit from above to create a night time focal point in your landscape.

Spotlights are also quite useful and can also be quite decorative when positioned properly. Small spotlights can be used to pinpoint light beams in the direction of the most attractive or interesting parts of your night time landscape. Water features, statues, and even exotic greenery can be illuminated and enhanced to show its beauty even when it is dark outside. There really is no limit as to the ways in which you can use outdoor solar lights for both their nighttime and daytime benefits. Each fixture must however, be exposed to direct sunlight for at least part of the day in order to provide reliable and automatic illumination at night.