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Tips For Hanging Outdoor Christmas Lighting – Outdoor Trees!

21Nov
by Winters Electric  
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21908177_sThere’s no doubt about it, having one or more of your large outdoor trees wrapped in lights is one of the most stunning and beautiful Christmas lighting effects you can have. But wrapping a 20’ tree can look like a daunting process. Here’s where to start:

  • Calculating Number of Lights Needed: Sorry, but there really is no exact formula for calculating how many lights are required to light outdoor trees. Slender and deciduous trees require the least amount of lights; evergreen trees like spruce, pines, and firs retain all of their foliage and may require up to 25% more lights than the recommended count. Here’s a ballpark rule of thumb: when using mini lights, figure on 100 lights per vertical foot of the tree for medium lighting, if you want heavy lighting, figure on 200 mini lights per vertical foot. Remember to figure in the trunk if you’re going to wrap it, as well as the distance to your power source!
  • What kind of lights: Use outdoor lighting only! Bulbs that are spaced 6” to 8” apart are best. Invest in LED’s as soon as possible!
  • Begin at the very beginning: Yes, in this case that means – start at the top. To do this you should lay out – and connect – a number of light sets, using splitters every three strands. If you’ve got a tall tree, you need an equally tall ladder. (this is why you need to do this with a friend!) Once you’ve lodged the top of the light in the top of the tree, you will need to move the ladder around the tree several times in order to place the lights, but then it should become easier, as you will be able to start winding them onto the tree from the ground. Periodically plug everything in to see how it’s going, and adjust the lights if necessary!

 

Tips For Hanging Outdoor Christmas Lighting – Work Safely – Work Fast – Work With a Friend or Family!

12Nov
by Winters Electric  
0

8112054_sIf we only had one piece of advice to offer about hanging your holiday lights, it would be to do all of your outdoor lighting projects with a friend or a member of your family! There’s simply no question – it’s easier, faster, and far safer. Other than that, here are our next best tips:

  • Hang the lights during the day, but not while it’s raining or snowing.
  • Make sure that you unwrap, untangle, and lay out every cord of lights before you start. Then be sure to test each strand. Either replace burned out or missing bulbs – or throw out the strand if it’s showing wear. (this is a good opportunity to replace it with an LED substitute!)
  • Use extension cords to get power to your starting points, the thick heavy ones.
  • In general – start high and then work your way down.
  • Never connect more than three strands, or 300 lights together end to end. After you’ve finished hanging the third strand, insert a “splitter” to conduct power safely. (looks like the end of an extension cords, always available around holiday time)
  • Use clips, clamps, or hooks to attach lights whenever possible. Working outdoors, there will be times when you will need to use a hammer and a nail, but avoid using it to attach any kind of cord.

Tips For Hanging Outdoor Christmas Lighting – Gather Everything You Need Together!

06Nov
by Winters Electric  
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9673598_sHanging outdoor holiday lights is no small chore, even when you’re going for a minimalist design. It’s best to go through the following checklist and make sure you’ve got everything you need before you start:

  • Outdoor extension cords, the thick, heavy ones
  • Timers
  • Holiday Power Stakes (you can often find these with timers as well)
  • Strong, stable ladder of correct height
  • Specialty lighting hooks, clips, and clamps to attach strings of lights to gutters, window trim, and door frames. If anything is adhesive-backed, make sure it’s appropriate for outdoor use
  • Basic tools and supplies, screwdrivers, hammer, pliers and various sizes of nails
  • Work gloves, thin and flexible
  • The number of light sets of different types that you’ll need.

There’s no longer any argument – LED lights are so superior to the “regular” Christmas lights we’ve used for years that no question exists any longer. There is, however, the question of cost, and if you’ve invested money in a complete set of holiday lights for your home over the years, switching over to LED all at once can be a large chunk of your holiday budget. Try switching to LED’s two or three strands at a time, so you don’t have to take the initial hit all at once. And then remember – you will be saving money on the whole thing very shortly!

OUTDOOR LIGHTING – THE BASICS, PART III – Placement of Outdoor Landscape Lighting

23Aug
by Winters Electric  
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12993319_sIt doesn’t matter how large or small your outdoor lighting project is, Winter’s Electric is proud to offer the finest design and installation of outdoor lighting for your home and property. We’re always happy to review and advise you on any outdoor lighting plans! This month we’re giving you some of our favorite tips for choosing your outdoor lighting system!

Outdoor lighting can be placed virtually anywhere, you’re only limited by your imagination. There are spots where lighting can add a stunning element to your home and landscaping, and there are times when lighting must be used for practicality and safety issues:

1. Pathways: A well-lit path adds a welcoming feel to a home, but more importantly, ensures the safety of all visitors after dusk. This is particularly true if your home is in a more rural area where there are no streetlights or homes in close proximity. High illumination isn’t necessary, however, and there are many creative and attractive ways to light the path to your home.
2. Doorways: Anyplace where you enter your home needs lighting after dusk, both to enable people to find keys and unlock doors, as well as to see who is outside if there’s an unknown knock at the door. You can put down lights either to each side of a door or overhead at the front, back, and side entry doors.
3. Driveway: Low-voltage lights placed low to the ground so they don’t glare into a driver’s eyes are a good idea along a driveway. Again, this is particularly important to guide visitors if the driveway is especially long, or if it’s a deeply shaded or rural home.
4. Steps: Any step or series of steps anywhere around the outside of your home must be lighted for safety; again low or ground level low-voltage lights can illuminate either the risers or the treads.
5. Decks or Patios: Lighting can be used to illuminate specific task areas on a deck or patio, such as a kitchen or cooking spot, as well as railings and seating areas. If the patio or deck isn’t too large, an overall lighting wash can be used to illuminate the entire patio or deck.
6. Gazebos, Pergolas, Trellises: Lighting is a good way to highlight an interesting or unusual constructed element in the outdoor landscape.
7. Architectural Features and Greenery or Trees: Outdoor landscape lighting, especially up lighting, can be used to highlight a wall. When a wide beam of light is aimed at a wall from a few feet away, it creates a wall wash that has interesting highlights and shadows. It will also provide accent to nearby plants. If an up light is placed at the base of a particularly beautiful tree close to the home, it illuminates the outlines of the tree as well as its shadow against the home for a lovely effect.
8.
In addition to considering all of these areas where lighting can and/or should go, there is also a huge range of shapes, sizes, and kinds of fixtures that are available for nearly every outdoor landscape lighting need, whether it’s high, low, or in-between. It’s important to remember, however, that any fixture used outdoors should be rated for “UL wet location” use.

OUTDOOR LIGHTING – THE BASICS, PART II – Outdoor Light Bulbs – What Kind to Use?

14Aug
by Winters Electric  
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12004342_sWinter’s Electric is proud to offer the finest design and installation of outdoor lighting for your home and property. Continued from last week, here are some of our favorite tips for choosing your outdoor lighting system!

There is now considerable confusion about indoor light bulbs and what kind we should be using, how long they should last, and how we should dispose of them. This is doubly true for outdoor lighting, particularly as the lighting will need to be brighter in general, last longer (because lighting is often programmed to come on at sunset and go off at dawn), and you whether or not you need a bulb that can withstand certain kinds of weather.There are a wide variety of bulbs that are suitable for outdoor use. For starters, consider intensity, color, and lifespan; what should you know about incandescents, halogens, fluorescents, LED’s, and also – lumens and Kelvins?

1. Incandescent bulbs have long been the standard both indoors and out; they have a pleasing glow and are the least expensive, but they are being phased out because they consume so much electricity and have a short lifespan.
2. Halogen bulbs are a more efficient version of incandescent bulbs, they consume less energy and have a somewhat longer lifespan.
3. Fluorescent bulbs can be somewhat harsh, although now there are certain kinds that do have a more pleasing light. They consume less energy than halogen bulbs, and last much longer.
4. LED bulbs are very expensive, but they have an extraordinarily long life and extremely low energy consumption. Also, their price continues to come down.
5. Finally, “lumens” is the term for how bright the light is, and “Kelvins” refers to whether a light is cool (a bluish, very white light) or warm, (a more golden, reddish light). Differing color qualities in lighting can create subtle and interesting effects.

Outdoor lighting can be intimidating, but you should know that not all outdoor lighting requires specialized light bulbs that can take direct moisture. In fact, many covered lighting fixtures allow the use of regular halogen and incandescent light bulbs. If you do need light bulbs that can withstand weather, incandescent, halogen or compact fluorescent bulbs also come in PAR (parabolic aluminized reflector) versions. A PAR version of a bulb can be used in an area that gets direct rain or snow. Our outdoor lighting specialists at Winter’s Electric can help you make the right decisions for the outdoor lighting look you want to achieve on the budget you’d like to spend. We know the Rogue Valley and it’s weather, and we know how to give your home the beautiful outdoor lighting it deserves!

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