Outside Lighting
Outside lighting or outdoor lighting principally serves the purpose of illuminating our homes and premises at night or in times of darkness, but aside from this, it also has plenty of uses.
In residential homes, outside lighting can give a degree of security at night, as intruders are wont to attempt break-ins in homes that have a lighted and visible perimeter. Outside, lighting your home will give it a certain glow and lights can be installed in such a way that it can be visually appealing, like for instance positioning lights in the garden to accentuate a gardens landscape details like ceramic or clay figurines, or highlight a beautiful plant or bonsai collection. Most gardens, particularly Japanese and Zen style gardens, make use of pagoda lanterns which are free standing, and can be placed in any corner of the garden.
There are many styles of outside lighting. The most usual in residences is the ceiling type which is installed in patios and lanais, and the lightsdesigns and color can be chosen to match the overall interior of the house. Outside walls and entrances are lighted using wall lights in sconces, and most come in beautiful designs made of metal material for minimum maintenance, and can withstand all the elements.
Lighting your garage is also important so you can easily navigate at night without bumping into anything. In some homes, flood lights are used for both garage and gates or entrances, as these offer maximum illumination and as such can discourage intruders into your home.
Another method of outside lighting is to use snake lights, or what is commonly referred to as rope lights, by lining your home canopy, roof awnings or windows. This kind of lights offers the most flexibility. The ropes lights can also be installed within the home perimeter, on top or on the side of fences, hung on trees, or outline your gates. These lights can also withstand exposure to the elements as the bulbs are not exposed, and are encased in hose made of heat resistant materials. These are also very economical, as they are led lights, and can outlast by as much as ten times the traditional incandescent bulbs.
Outside Lighting as Used in Outdoor Advertising
Outdoor advertising catch attention not only by its visual concepts but also by the kind of outside lighting used. Depending upon the budget, a sufficiently lighted billboard with enhanced visual effects will surely catch the eye of a passer-by than one which is dimly lit and poorly conceptualized. Many ways and means are devised to make a billboard dazzling and attractive: some contain computer generated screens as add-ons, but principally, the play of lights is a major factor. Lights used can vary in size, it can range from the biggest flood lights to the more versatile rope lights. Rope lights, being a product of led technology, can give static illumination or the fancier running light bedazzlement. Options on illuminating are endless, and limited only by the advertisers budget.
Outside Lighting During Peak Seasons
Demand for lighting is not constant, there are certain periods of the year when lighting demands are at its highest. This is especially true during the Christmas holidays, when private residences and offices decorate for the yuletide season. This is the point when outside lighting is almost everywhere, adding joys and cheers to the season. Some companies put up nativity scenes and Christmas trees in their company canopies, and make use of extensive, unique outside lighting, utilizing lights from the simplest static ones to the multi-colored dazzling ones. This is also snake lights season, the time when snake lights or rope lights are everywhere: outlined in greeting slogans, hung on residential and company facades, on Christmas trees or even ordinary trees. The joy of the season is achieved principally by the interplay of lights. Just imagine Christmas without lights, or outside lighting. When you travel along the streets, without them, it is such a sleepy ride.