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The Right Color Temperature For Your Next Houston Lightscape Design

Posted by Robert Huff on

How To Choose The Right Color Temperature For LED Landscaping Lights

Are you stuck trying to find the best color temperature to illuminate your landscape? If so, then the information contained in the following guide may help you reach a decision. At the very least, it will help you understand the thought process that the professionals use when choosing different LED colors and temperatures.

Before you can choose the right temperature you need to understand what it is and how it is measured. When a designer talks about a particular color temperature they are referencing a characteristic of a light that affects how that light feels. The measurement is always expressed as a temperature using the Kelvin unit. A temperature that is expressed as degrees Kelvin will have the capital letter “K” following the temperature. An example would be 2,400K, which is the color temperature of standard incandescent lamps.

But what exactly does it mean when a package states that a light has a color temperature of 3,000K? The temperature lets you know how warm or cool the light’s expression is. What confuses many people is that higher temperatures are actually considered cooler colors. Remember, a standard incandescent lamp has a color temperature of 2,400K. A candle generally has a color temperature around 1,700K. This means the candle is a warmer color.

Light manufacturers will often label color temperature on their packaging. They may sometimes use labels instead of numbers. For example, the light might be defined as daylight or soft white. These are terms that refer to the color temperature. It’s much easier to learn what the different temperatures are and then find lights that have the actual color temperature listed on the package.

Interested in learning some of the basic color temperatures? Here are a few numbers that you should remember.

1700K – This is the color temperature of a lit candle.

2200K – This is the lowest point on the white light scale. Below this temperature is known as yellow light.

3500K – From this point forward, the color temperatures are considered “cool”.

4000K – This is a very cool natural light.

5000K – Around this point is considered daylight. Temperatures around 5000K are natural and very cool.

6500K – Starting at this temperature you begin moving into the blue light spectrum.

How To Choose The Best Color Temperature For Outdoor Light

It’s impossible to label any single color temperature as best for all occasions. There are a number of factors that will influence your decision. Primarily, it comes down to preference. You may even need to try several different temperatures to find the one that you like the most. However, there are two important considerations that you should keep in mind when choosing outdoor lighting.

The first consideration to remember is that less lighting is required outdoors than indoors. After all, there are already multiple sources of natural light outdoors as well as possible light pollution from neighbors, street lamps, or nearby buildings. What this means is that you can take a more subtle approach to ambient lighting.

The second consideration is that if you have an environment with low ambient lighting, then it’s generally better to stick with warmer colors. Warmer colors produce a more comfortable experience when there is very little ambient light. This is partially because warmer colors cause less strain on the eye.

If you combine these two facts, then you can draw the conclusion that creating settings with low-ambient lighting and warm colors is ideal. Think about the pleasant attraction of a campfire or the relaxing nature of candles. This is what many people try to reproduce with their landscape lighting.

The Ideal Range

It’s hard to go wrong if you stick with color temperatures between the range of 2700K and 300K. These lights are somewhat natural, calming, and warm. 2700K resembles the light produced by halogen, which is something that most of us are familiar with seeing.

You can increase the temperature to 3000K for a slightly cooler approach to lighting. 3000K is a very popular choice in situations where 2700K is just too warm of a color. Consider trying both options to see which best suits your property.

Working With Cool Colors

Warm colors aren’t necessarily mandatory. For example, there are some plants or materials that would look much better under a cooler light. A blue spruce would come to life and “pop” when situated beneath a 5000K lamp. A cactus plant would do the same if a green or silver filter was placed on the light.

Working with cool colors is a fun way to experiment and express your personal style. Remember that there is no single “best” color temperature. It’s all situational and depends on the environment. But by remember the pointers mentioned above you can understand why professionals tend to work with specific color temperatures.

 If you would like to discover more tips and tricks from Robert Huff Illuminations; visit our blog. Call or contact us today for more information!

residential and commercial led low voltage landscape lighting

Common Questions About Outdoor Lighting Design In Houston

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Three Common Questions About Outdoor Lighting Design

1. What are the most important things to consider when coming up with a landscape lighting design?

The biggest consideration that you need to take into account when planning your outdoor lighting is how you use your space.

The lighting that you put in front of your home is designed to enhance the curb appeal of your property and to improve safety. In the backyard, however, the lighting is there to make the space more enjoyable. That is why it is so important to put a lot of thought into how you plan on using the space.

Do you like the idea of holding parties or get-togethers outdoors? If entertaining is at the top of your priority list, adding outdoor lighting that creates a fun and festive setting could be the ideal solution.

Are you looking for an outdoor retreat where you can get away from the stress of everyday life? If so, choosing a more serene lighting design is probably the best option since it will help create a space that is more conducive to relaxation.

Would you like to spend time dining outdoors? Are you planning on putting in an outdoor kitchen? In either case, you should focus on functionality. Your lighting design should not only include ambient light but also task lighting that makes it easier to see what you are doing.

Do you have sidewalks, pathways, or stairs that you need to navigate after dark? In this case, extra lighting for safety is definitely warranted.

The features that you have in your outdoor space also come into play when determining what type of lighting is appropriate. Good lighting design can help you make the most of everything from a pergola to an outdoor swimming pool.

2. How can you add character to your outdoor space through lighting design?

While functionality is an important part of outdoor lighting design, it is also about creating a certain atmosphere. Instead of focusing on the design of the light fixtures themselves, landscape lighting designers usually focus on the specific lighting effects that they are trying to achieve. They then choose fixtures that make these effects possible.

When you start shopping for light fixtures, you no doubt will run across a lot of fixtures with unique or interesting designs. Even though these designs may appeal to you today, you may find that they look outdated in a few short years. When you work with a lighting designer, they can provide you with professional guidance so that you can choose fixtures with classic designs that will never go out of style. Best of all, the fixtures that they help you choose will allow you to achieve beautiful lighting effects in your outdoor space.

Some of the different styles of fixtures that may work for your yard or garden include the following:

  • Pendant Lights. These lights not only add a beautiful accent to your outdoor space but they also are more interesting to look at than many other types of lights. From a functionality standpoint, they usually fall a little bit short. However, they can be a great way to add character and charm to your outdoor space.
  • Path lighting is important from a safety standpoint. There are countless styles of path lights currently available, making it easy to find lighting that is the ideal fit for your space.

Something To Keep In Mind About Path Lights

Path lights are exposed to a lot of wear and tear. They need to be durable and rugged so that they can handle whatever abuse comes their way. Unfortunately, many of the most decorative path lights that are currently available are not strong enough to withstand regular use. If you purchase ornate fixtures, you may wind up disappointed when they don’t last as long as you would like them to. Your lighting designer can help you find lights that are both attractive and durable, helping to ensure that you make a smart investment that will last for a long time to come.

3. What is the best path light spacing for garden paths, stairs, and sidewalks?

When it comes to landscape lighting, few types of lighting are used incorrectly as often as path lights. When you drive through a neighborhood, you probably can spot path lights stuck in flower beds, tied to fences, or placed in other unusual areas. In actuality, however, these lights are designed for one specific purpose to light stairs and walkways.

To create a well-balanced lighting design, path lights should be evenly spaced.

The proper spacing for these lights varies depending on the size of the walkway that they are being used for. Path lights should be large enough to adequately light the entire path.

When it comes to placing the lights on either side of the path, there are a couple of different options. For a casual look, try alternating lights, spacing them so that they are not directly across from each other. For a more formal look, on the other hand, placing the lights in line with each other so they line up across the path can provide a beautiful effect.

In some cases, you may not even need to use path lights if you opt for different lighting solutions. The best way to figure out how to effectively light your walkways and stairs is by meeting with a qualified lighting designer.

 If you would like to discover more tips and tricks from Robert Huff Illuminations; visit our blog. Call or contact us today for more information!

Upgrades To Your Houston Outdoor Lighting

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Five Reasons To Upgrade Your Outdoor Lighting In Houston

It’s springtime in Houston and the time has come to dust off the lawnmower and tidy up your patio in preparation for the warmer days to come. As part of your preparation, you might want to upgrade the outdoor lighting setup you have at home, but may not be sure of where to begin. With more than five decades’ experience of assisting homeowners with their outdoor lighting systems, the professionals at Robert Huff Illumination are here to help you find the best outdoor lighting fixtures and answer any and all your questions you may have. Call us today to arrange a meeting with one of our outdoor lighting specialists!

Are you still uncertain about whether your exterior lighting needs some improvement? Well, upgrading your outdoor lighting offers a wide range of benefits. We have listed a few of those benefits below.

5 Benefits of Having Quality Outdoor Lighting

Functionality

If your home’s exterior features and sections are not properly lit up or illuminated, you could be missing out on a lot in terms of use and functionality of these areas after dark. Upgrading your exterior lighting can allow you to make better use of your outdoor spaces with your family members and friends even when the sun has gone down. You need to have the right lighting fixtures in the right places. Some of the best exterior lighting options for spring include post lights for your extended patio and string lights for your beautiful gazebo.

Security and Safety

When the outside areas of your home are properly lit, you and your loved ones can enjoy added security and safety from the inside of your home. Burglars will be hesitant to invade a properly that’s adequately illuminated as they will not be able to hide in the full glare of your patio or deck lights. When it comes to safety, pathway lights and functional step lights are important exterior lighting fixtures that can help you to clearly see where you are going even in the darkest of nights. Installing such lights can help to prevent injuries that originate from falling and tripping.

Extended Decor

How you decorate the inside of your house speaks volumes about your personality, tastes, and design preferences. Upgrading your outdoor lighting can be a means of extending your design sense to the outside of your home. If you still stock adorning in your entryway, replacing it with a unique decor mount can help bring some much need style to the exterior parts of your home. Homeowners who are tired of having old or conventional lights along their driveways and garages can opt for wall mounted lighting fixtures that are significantly more elegant and classy,

Enhanced Curb Appeal

Aside from offering added functionality, safety, security and a chance to extended your personal design sense to the great outdoors, upgrading your exterior lighting can also enhance your home’s curb appeal if you are looking to please prospective buyers. Some perspective may wish to view your property at night. If your house is not properly lit up, they may not be able to see everything that your property has to offer. On top of this, accent light and landscape lighting can enhance certain key features of your property making them look more beautiful and aesthetically pleasing than usual.

Enhanced Entertainment

Maybe you have recently renovated your patio and turned it into a comfortable outdoor space that can be used for dining, grilling as well as entertaining guests. If you do not have the right lighting for this space, you will find yourself ending or winding up parties way before you have had enough time to mingle with your friends and family. The right lighting fixtures can help you to adequately light up your patio and exterior sections of your house so that you can entertain guests for as long as you would like.

 If you would like to discover more tips and tricks from Robert Huff Illuminations; visit our blog. Call or contact us today for more information!

Outdoor Lighting Experts Tell You How To Light Trees

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Would you like to enjoy your trees and property at night?

When thinking about outdoor lighting, you often are wanting to highlight your home’s features. Trees tend to be a lower priority, however, tree lighting can often make a very dramatic difference. Your tree can be transformed into a piece of art with just one light.

There are two major kinds of tree lighting; down lighting and up lighting. Uplighting involves lighting fixtures being placed at ground level so that the light shines up to the tree. This type of lighting is used for showing off the tree’s canopy and interesting branch structures. Downlighting is a type of fixture that is strategically placed in the tree’s canopy that creates a very beautiful moonlight effect on the ground below and the tree’s branching structure.

By manipulating the fixture’s angle, the Kelvin temperature color and spread of the source light allows you to create interesting shadows, silhouettes or highlights on the ground cover or turf below, as well as walls, plants, and walkways. Great care needs to be given to your down lighting in order to protect the health of the tree over the long term. It is rarely done properly, so we highly recommend that you use a qualified professional to do this work.

Down Lighting and Up Lighting Work Together

One of landscape lighting’s more creative areas involves lighting trees using both uplighting and downlighting. They work together in order to showcase your trees, particularly the beautiful majestic oaks in San Antonio as well as the surrounding Hill Country. It creates a magical moonlighting effect by placing multiple fixtures in such a way that it shines down into and through the leaves and branches below to create a flowing, moving shadow as well as the light art below. When done properly, it has the feeling of a bright full moon that is shining through the leaves that are above which on the ground leaves a dappled moonlight. The tree is shown off by using the up light. The best results are produced by using the two together.

How to Care for your Trees

Often our customers are concerned about having lights mounted in their trees. Trees are treated like trees by us, and not buildings. We only install lights in trees that we know are able to support them. The Gurus uses specialty stainless steel tree bolts to prevent them from rusting or causing future damage or disease. A professional never will put staples in your trees, since that will ruin the tree and wire eventually and maybe a fire hazard as well.

A professional will also never surface mount any junction box onto a tree which creates a rot spot in the tree which invites ants as well as other pests into a tree. We hide cables on the tree’s non-visible side so you won’t even know that it is there. Our materials and methods are designed to protect your lights and trees. We are available to come when needed in order to adjust the bolts and screws as your tree grows as part of your annual service agreement with us.

 If you would like to discover more tips and tricks from Robert Huff Illuminations; visit our blog. Call or contact us today for more information!

The Best In Houston Outdoor Lighting Weighs In – Are All LED’s Created Equal?

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Are LED Lights All The Same? How To Choose A High-Quality LED Lamp For Your Houston Outdoor Lighting

AS LED is becoming the most popular option when it comes to selecting a lamp, there is a wide range of types and brands that are available now. But is every LED lamp identical? No! Like almost everything else in life, there are large variances between poorly made LED lamps and quality LED lamps.

When searching for a well-made lamp, one of the very first things that you should look for is the warranty. It is very important that you read the fine print and check it to find out how long the lamp is guaranteed to work and in which environments. There are some lamps that are designed for damp locations, some for dry locations, and others that are designed so that they can be submerged in water for brief periods of time. Landscaping lighting lamps all should be either wet location or damp location lamps. Some LED lamps are also are designed with slits or vent holes to let heat escape. That appears to make sense until it is introduced into a damp environment or it is an environment that has bugs. I cannot even tell you the number of times that I have pulled the lamps out from eBay or Amazon out of the fixtures that have tons of bugs in them that have corroded the sockets and fixtures that are beyond being able to e saved.

A big part of determining what the quality of an LED is how a bulb manages heat. Compared to a typical light, less heat is given off by LEDs, but all of them create heat in the same way. To live up to their full potential, they have to pull heat away effectively from the LED. Metal heat sinks that have fins are used by quality LED lights to pull away and also store the heat while plastic heat sinks or fans are used by cheaply made LEDs to attempt to do the same thing but will most likely fail, which reduces the life expectancy of your light. Also, the very best dim the output automatically when they reach their heat capacity’s upper limits. That rarely happens, but during those 90-degree nights in Central and South Texas, it definitely may occur.

LEDs are able to produce colors on all parts of the spectrum. Although the light color is mainly based on your personal preference, it is very important that your LED lights are all consistent in color. High quality LED lights that are the same color temperature that all look like the color is consistent when it is installed. LED lights that are lower quality will have inconsistent colors, even when marketed as being the same color temperature. The less expensive a lamp is the more variation there will be. That is particularly important when using feature lighting on sculpture and art or when lighting your home’s facade.

The LED lights construction is important as well. When choosing your LEDs, you should check the weight, feel, look and design.

Would you like more information on how to identify quality LED lamps?

There is a wide variety of integrated products, lamps, and color temperatures that are available as options. If you would like to discover more tips and tricks from Robert Huff Illuminations; visit our blog. Call or contact us today for more information!

Robert Huff Illuminations Weighs In – Gas Lamps Vs Electric Lamps

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The Advantages Of Outdoor Gas Lamps Versus Electric Lamps

If you want your outdoor space to feel cozier and more inviting, adding lighting is a great option. Today’s outdoor lamps come in more styles than ever. Before you choose a style, however, you should decide which type of lamp you prefer since there are both gas and electric models available. There are advantages and disadvantages to both options. Familiarizing yourself with their benefits should make it easier to decide which option is the best choice for your outdoor space.

The Advantages Of Electric Lamps

When compared to gas lamps, electric lamps that are designed for use outdoors provide a number of benefits including the ones listed below.

A Long Lifespan

Electric lamps are not only a low-maintenance option but they also last for an extremely long period of time. This is particularly true if they are equipped with LED bulbs. Because they require so little maintenance, you don’t have to worry about spending a lot of time working on them. Instead, you can simply turn them on and enjoy them anytime you want.

The Ability To Be Connected To A Timer

Electric lights can be connected to automatic timers or light sensors so that they can be turned on automatically. You can also control them with your smartphone, meaning that you can turn the outdoor lights on from wherever you are.

An Affordable Choice

In terms of operating expenses, electric lamps are usually more affordable than gas lamps since electricity is cheaper than gas. This is particularly true for propane lamps. You can maximize your savings by opting for LED lights in your electric lamps rather than traditional incandescent bulbs.

Another way to save money is by using a timer to control your electric lamps. That way, you don’t have to worry about accidentally leaving them on during the day and wasting power as a result.

A Higher Light Output

Even though gas lamps are attractive, they don’t provide nearly as much light as electric lamps. If you want to maximize the light output in your yard, electric is definitely the way to go. You can usually get by with fewer lamps if you choose electric rather than gas.

A Safer Option

Electric lamps that are equipped with LED bulbs stay cool to the touch. This minimizes the risk of fires. It also makes them safer for children and pets since they won’t cause burns if they get touched.

Relatively Easy To Install

As long as you already have electrical lines in your outdoor space, setting up electric lamps is a relatively easy process. If your yard is already equipped with lighting or if you have electrical lines running to a pump in your pond or pool, you should be able to install your electric lamps without a lot of hassle.

The Advantages Of Gas Lamps

An Attractive Appearance

Gas lamps have a visible flame, which makes them extremely attractive to look at. Unlike electric lamps that provide the same level of light at all times, gas lamps provide a gentle flickering light that can make your yard feel more welcoming.

Soft Lighting

The light produced by electric lamps can be quite harsh. Even though they make it easier to see the area around you, they don’t do much to add to the overall ambiance of your outdoor space. Gas lamps, on the other hand, give off a soft, warm light that makes your space feel more welcoming.

Both gas and electric lamps have advantages and disadvantages. If you want to create a cozy, welcoming outdoor space, gas lamps are a great choice. Although they don’t give off as much light as electric lamps, they are attractive and are ideal for creating a beautiful, rustic look.

If you would like to discover more tips and tricks from Robert Huff Illuminations; visit our blog. Call or contact us today for more information!

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Houston Area Outdoor Lighting Experts Tell Us The Essentials In Outdoor Lighting

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The Most Important Elements Associated With Houston Outdoor Lighting

There are numerous elements linked to outdoor-lighting, yet it always comes down to the trio of components, installation and element designs that are all interconnected.

The Design

The design has to do with the way in which we achieve desired results along with making it look gorgeous. Great lighting designs use the foundational principles, but they do not lock into the cookie-cutter approach where pre-arrange kits are used and every home is treated the same. Design is what allows a designer to tap into their creative juices for each project. The expert lighting designers use only the best products to create effects that you should expect from your lighting which includes highlighting, safety, drama, warmth and more. We look forward to opportunities to create designs that will excite you.

The Components

Components linked to outdoor lighting, have to the do with the fixtures themselves. Yet components will also include the wiring, bulbs, connectors along with any other materials that are used in these systems. Importance of high-quality components should never be overlooked. The fixtures of quality with bulbs or lamps that are suitable and rated for outdoor use are essential for the system to offer you long-term use. Cheap aluminum and plastic fixtures are unable to stand up to outdoor elements or be able to perform like the copper or solid brass types will. The heat-shrink wire connections also work on protecting the connections, which allows the lights to operate for a lot longer in comparison to pierce types. An outstanding lighting design is not able to compensate for materials of poor quality. If your lighting is placed perfectly, but they are not able to work, the overall design will mean nothing. We suggest and incorporate high-quality brass and copper products for all the landscape lighting-projects that offer a far longer-lasting performance. An installation that is inadequate even when the product and design are of exceptional quality and perfectly positioned, will always end in disaster. The incorrect installation can result in frustration, failure along with unnecessary costs. A shoddy connection will usually fail prematurely, while wired that have not been buried correctly are prone to corrosion or the risk of being cut. Tree lights which have been installed incorrectly may cause harm or even the death of a tree while lights that have been placed incorrectly are prone to breaks. Cutting corners can lead to frustrating outages and many unhappy customers which is why never cut corners. Main elements involved in the best lighting designs, installation and components are interdependent and interconnected. Making a shortcut on 1 and others are unable to compensate, which is always why we strive for professional services when it comes to our techniques and materials. We have a goal of offering top-rated services when it comes to our lighting systems, making sure you are completely satisfied with the end product that you are able to rely on for years into the future.

About Our Houston Outdoor Home Lighting

Outdoor lighting for residential properties may in some cases appear to be similar to utilitarian home projects, and many companies make the mistake of approaching these projects as technological tasks. Our latest LED landscape outdoor lighting combines functions and form to offer landscape-lighting solutions which do a lot more than only provide lighting to your garden or yard. To create the best types of LED landscaping lighting has to do with work provided by the Robert Huff design team that brings together collective architectural-designs that employ the very latest when it comes to outdoor solutions for LED landscape lighting. Our team often works alongside pool designers, architects and landscapers to arrive at the renowned Robert Huff lighting effects when it comes to all types of outdoor spaces for either your business or home. Robert Huff Landscape Illuminations is proud to be in the business of designing home-lighting outdoors with Security, Elegance, and Beauty for more than three decades. We also have a specialty in installation and designs of the commercial based LED landscaping lighting. Our clients have come to trust in Robert Huff as we are always delivering outstanding designs in residential and commercial outdoor lighting all over Houston, TX.

Here at Robert Huff, we strongly believe it only takes one innovative idea in order to transform your own outdoor spaces. While the other companies might offer different outdoor-lighting solutions, our Robert Huff designs always extend above-and-beyond. When choosing Robert Huff for outdoor LED landscape-lighting, you are offered with fully-inclusive support and designs that are built upon excellence, creativity, and experience.

More Than 30 Years In Houston Outdoor Home Lighting Designs

Robert Huff Lighting has gone onto spend over 30 years as the pioneer when it comes to outdoor lighting. This is why we are a premier choice when it comes to outdoor-lighting solutions all over Austin, Houston, and the surrounding areas. With our extensive experience, we already have lists of satisfied customers for commercial and residential projects. We are also insured, licensed and each team member equipped and trained when it comes to assisting you with your outdoor lighting requirements.

 

If you would like to discover more tips and tricks, visit our blog. Call or contact us today for more information!

Optimizing And Updating Your Houston Outdoor Lighting System

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How To Convert Your Houston Outdoor Lighting System From Halogen Into LED

There are numerous reasons why you may want to consider converting your outdoor lighting system to LED lamps from halogen lamps: you might want to reduce your energy bills, or maybe expand your current outdoor lighting system, or perhaps you would just like to reduce the amount of routine maintenance that you need to do. Whatever the case may be, there are no disadvantages to using LED lamps as part of your outdoor lighting system. for inspiration or examples of LED’s used in outdoor lighting systems, take a look at Our Work!

Use LED To Save Money

It is amazing how much your energy bill can be reduced by using LED lamps. Less electricity is used by LED lamps compared to traditional halogen lamps. Typically low-wattage LED outdoor lights use 80-90 percent less electricity compared to halogen systems. The reason why less electricity is used is LED lights reduce your outdoor system’s overall electrical load. For a majority of outdoor lighting systems, when they are converted to LED it takes the load off of the operational costs of the outdoor lighting system. In most cases, The average electrical bill for an outdoor lighting system using LED can be reduced down to $3-$5 a month.

Reduce Routine Maintenance and Lamp Replacement

The overall costs of routine maintenance and replacing lamps are also reduced when you switch over to LED. With halogen systems, lamps must be replaced about once a year. You need to take into consideration the cost of replacing each lamp every year and the cost of every individual lamp. However, if you switch to LED lamps, it eliminates how often you have replaced your system’s lamps. A majority of reputable LED lamps in today’s marketplace are rated to last for 10 years at least and have a 5-year replacement warranty. That is because high quality LED lamps are designed to last. Although LED lamps might be more expensive upfront, they actually pay off very fast. One thing that needs to be noted is that switching over to LED lamp doesn’t completely eliminate needing to service the system and maintain its optimal operating condition.

Provide Your System With More Lights

When your lighting system is converted from halogen lamps over to LED lamps it also takes off an electrical load from your overall lighting system, which allows room for additional lights. Allow me to explain this further. Any lighting system has a set amount of wattage that it can handle, which will depend on the kind of transformer it has. For example, a 300-watt transformer is restricted to being able to support 200 watts without tripping and possibly overloading the system. With halogen systems, 20-35 watts is used by each lamp. With a maximum 260 watt capacity, a halogen system only is able to support 8-13 fixtures or lamps without possibly overloading. Theoretically, if the same 300-watt transformer is taken, and 4 watt LED lamps are used rather than 20-watt halogen lamps, the same system will be able to support 65 fixtures or lamps rather than 13 (when properly designed). If you retrofit your existing halogen system with LED lamps, that will reduce how much electricity is used. When a load is taken off of your system through LED lamps there is more room for adding fixtures without needing a bigger transformer. It is very important to understand there are numerous things that need to be taken into consideration if you would like to add more lights to your system after retrofitting it with LED lamps. Are your lines properly balanced? How will voltage drops affect more lights being added? How long will your wire runs be? Each system is uniquely engineered and needs to be approached in a different way. Consulting with your lighting specialist regarding LED lights as well as other lighting solutions is always a good idea.

Contact us or call today to revolutionize your space.

How Many Lumens Do I Need for Houston Outdoor Lighting?

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How To Choose The Right Lights For Houston Residential Outdoor Lighting

At Robert Huff Illumination we help you navigate the ins and outs of all facets for your residential outdoor lighting needs. The intensity of a light is measured with a unit called a lumen. This is something you should pay attention to when checking the specs of a lightbulb or other lighting solution. The ideal amount of lumens for your outdoor lighting will vary in function of the type of lighting you need. Step lights, path lights, and hardscape or landscape lighting are typically used to create a soft atmosphere. There is no need to invest in bright lights for these uses, but you need to make sure your step and path lights will be bright enough so you can easily so the ground. The recommended range goes from 50 to 200 lumens for these lights. Some lights such as motion sensor lights or pond and pool lights need to be more visible for safety reasons. Look for lights in the 200 to 700 lumens range depending on the size of the area you want these lights to cover. Lastly, floodlights are used to light up a broad area and should be very noticeable, even from afar. You will want to look for lights in the 700 to 1,300 lumens range for this use.

LEDs or CFLs?

Should you get LED or CFL lights for your outdoor lighting system? LED lighting is a popular option and will probably be more adapted to your needs. Here is what you need to know about these two options. CFL stands for Compact Fluorescent Light. This technology relies on a filament that is heated up and becomes incandescent thanks to electric current. The downside of this technology is that exposure to extreme temperatures considerably reduces the lifespan of the filament inside of the bulb. The other downside of this technology is that it can take a few minutes for the filament to heat up and emit the full range of lumens of the bulb. LED stands for Light Emitting Diodes. These lights use small diodes rather than filaments. The diodes don’t emit any heat and are more resistant to extreme temperatures. They emit the full range of lumens right away. The biggest advantage of LED lights is that they use a lot less energy. In fact, a CFL bulb typically uses twice the amount of energy of an LED light with a similar lumen range. You should easily get the number of lumens you need for your outdoor lighting system with low-wattage LED lights and save money on your energy bills. The lifespan of LED lights is another advantage. An LED light will typically last five times longer than a CFL bulb. CFL might seem like the best option due to their lower initial price. However, the prices of LED lights have been decreasing and both technologies are available in a somewhat similar price range.

Other Features To Consider For Houston Residential Outdoor Lighting

There are a few features you should consider when choosing an outside lighting system. Start by looking at the lux of a light. The lux represents the amount of light per square meter. This spec will give you an idea of the size of the area that a single light bulb can cover. Keep in mind that one lux is based on how much illumination you can get by standing three feet away from a candle. Pay attention to the wattage of a light. A 200-watt bulb will use 200 watts per second of use. A light with a high wattage will result in higher electricity bills. If you want to install several high-wattage lights, think about hiring an electrician to install a new outdoor system. Get in touch with us if you need help with choosing the best lights for your outdoor lighting system! Also, be sure to take a look at other examples of our work, and slide on by our blog for a little inspiration!

Whether it’s residential outdoor lighting or commercial, lighting a patio, or custom lightscaping your whole yard, Robert Huff Illuminations has you covered. Feel free to call us or contact us today to see how we can help illuminate you.

How To Optimize Your Houston Exterior Lighting Pt. 1

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Great Tips For Enhancing Your Outdoor Environment – Houston Landscape Lighting How To Pt. 1

Here at Robert Huff Illumination, we receive numerous requests and questions from customers who are intimidated by landscaping and exterior lighting. However, assisting customers with adding value to their properties through the use of Houston residential outdoor lighting is my specialty, and I know many ways to make our customers’ outdoor areas – gardens, decks, backyards, front yards – look fantastic through the use of outdoor lighting techniques and fixtures.

The bottom line is that outdoor lighting doesn’t have to be a confusing or overwhelming project. You can make it as detailed or as simple as you would like it to be. After reviewing the following basics, also check out the ideas I have for putting them into practice – these are all things that you can do right now to enhance your outdoor areas.

My goal in writing this “Basics of Landscape Lighting” guide is to get some of the key outdoor lighting concepts introduced that you can get implemented immediately. To make it even more helpful, I will be using specific examples to illustrate the principles behind the concepts. That will provide you with plenty of information to starting thinking about what will work the best in your outdoor environment and how you can use lighting to create a beautiful outdoor area.

Some of the common questions that I get are “I would like to give my yard some extra life and would like to use lighting to do that. What do I need to know before I begin? Where do I start, and what should I do?” When you are considering how to best design your exterior landscape lighting, one of the most important things that you need to understand is that less is often more Since the eye is drawn into areas that have the highest level of visual contrast, you don’t necessarily need a lot of lighting fixtures in order to create an effect that is very beautiful. We also have a great blog to pull ideas from.

Once you have the fundamental “less is often more” concept in mind, your next step is to figure out what you would like to light. Do don’t want to light up your entire yard so that it resembles a Las Vegas casino. If you try to highlight everything, then nothing is going to be special or stand out. Instead, you should think about which features you would like to show off, and then determine how you are planning on using specific outdoor areas. Choose a few selected features, make sure they are lighted well (in terms of fixture placement, appropriate beam spread, and light quality), and then think about how you would like to fill other areas in.

Make sure you consider the perspective that you will be looking from and viewing objects when you are thinking about lighting. For example, if you will be featuring a tree that is seen from every side, then one accent light is not going to give you the effect that you desire. You are going to need to have other lights on the other viewable sides as well.

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How much light is needed for creating a nice outdoor environment?

Not too much if you just want to light objects in your yard. Just like with desk mounted, small task lamps, a little can go quite a long way when a small amount of light is placed exactly where it is needed. If overall light levels are kept low, then the contrast in between shadow and light of a highlighted outdoor feature will create a very dramatic effect.

For a favorite outdoor reading area, you can place a spot over a pergola or in a tree, and then direct the light over your shoulder and down. For outdoor entertaining and dining, you don’t need lots of light. There are numerous ways that you can use light to create a fun summer entertainment center, especially in Houston. Ultimately, what you want to do is create a relaxed and casual mood for your outdoor area.

Be sure to contact us or give us a call for all your Outdoor Lighting needs, also read the conclusion of this article!