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Get Turned on to Landscape Lighting

by Michele Dawson

As you trim your hedges, plant colorful annuals, stain the deck and break out the grill, there's an element you may be missing out on - lighting.

Landscape lighting will improve the look of your backyard landscape, and will be especially attractive for those outdoor get-togethers that last until after dark. And lighting up your front landscape not only illuminates your greenery, but also makes your home safer by staving off would-be burglars.

Many local law enforcement agencies across the country urge residents to install some sort of exterior lighting to thwart criminals.

"Dollar for dollar, exterior lighting is the best investment for burglary prevention," the Bellaire Police Department in Texas tells web site visitors. "Dusk-to-dawn lighting illuminating the entire exterior of the home will reduce the probability of a criminal victimizing your home."

And lighting professionals say the bright ideas are endless.

"The challenge with landscape lighting is that most people don't immediately see all the possibilities," says Joe Rey-Barreau, the director of the Lighting and Design Center at the University of Kentucky and the consulting director of education of the American Lighting Association, a trade group of lighting manufacturers and representatives.

He says outdoor lighting can be functional and look good.

"It's an art to understand how much light to place on a house or determine where the focal points are," he said.

New plastic lighting products on the market are weather-resistant. In addition, bulbs have improved. Newer 65- and 120-watt incandescent bulbs provide up to 25 percent more light. Compact fluorescent bulbs produce soft lighting, last up to 10,000 hours and provide the highest energy savings.

Another option is mercury-vapor bulbs, which supply a strong, economical light in a cool color. They last up to 24,000 hours - the equivalent of six years of burning from dusk to dawn.

If you're unsure what else you should know before you get started, the ALA offers these tips:

Key in on architectural features.

If you're looking for a dramatic effect, try uplighting an arbor, archway or façade.

Install a focused beam to graze a textured fence or wall.

Create a silhouette effect behind a tree or bush by placing lights below and behind it.

If you entertain outdoors frequently, consider low-voltage lights under handrails, stairs and bench seating.

For outdoor activity areas, consider a strong-beam light to illuminate over the area.

Conceal the light behind the feature you're illuminating, whether it's a tree, shrub, or fountain. One exception is if the fixture is decorative.

Illuminate steps, paths, and driveways to increase foot traffic safety in the dark.

Remember that less is more. Light should be soft, like moonlight.

If you're using colored lights, be careful. If not placed properly, they can look too garish or unnatural for some tastes.

And what's the price tag? The ALA says it varies, depending on your landscape design. But the association estimates that highlighting a couple trees in a typical suburban front lawn could run about $1,000.

But others say that lighting doesn't have to be so expensive or such a design issue, especially if you're selling your house and are looking for those extra touches as you show your home.

"Remember, many buyers will probably come back at night for another look at your property. Therefore, relighting the back yard can be considered a necessity," says Robert Irwin, author of Improve the Value of Your Home Up to $100,000: 50 Surefire Techniques and Strategies (John Wiley and Sons, Inc., 2003).

Irwin says it doesn't have to cost a lot of money.

"For example, in my current house, wiring leading off the existing backyard light goes to three different locations with spotlights. When I flip the existing wall switch, the entire back yard is illuminated, something that will make any buyer appreciative."

Irwin says that regardless of the size of your lighting project, you should consult an electrician because outdoor lighting must be properly installed and grounded and carried in waterproof metal piping, which is difficult to bend and fit correctly.

He also points out that local building departments usually require a ground wire be run within the electrical piping and that a ground fault interrupter breaker be used so if there's a fault in the circuit nobody is electrocuted.

Published: May 26, 2003

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