two story house with moonlighting

How To Optimize Your Houston Exterior Lighting Pt. 2

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Great Tips For Enhancing Your Outdoor Environment – Houston Landscape Lighting How To Pt. 2

What Exactly Is Color Temperature? When you look at the light quality you will notice that it is important just like the quantity, but what about color temperature? This is a temperature that is measured on the Kelvin scale. You are going to notice that the light temperature for the bulb is on the packaging. You will see that the temperatures over 3500K are considered to be cooler and will often going to be a bluer in color going to a noon sun with the higher temperature. You will find that the temperatures under 3000K are often thought to be warmer. The amber tone will be seen as the number goes lower. These are the details we at Robert Huff Illuminations keep in mind with every job.

You will want to try to stay away from the cooler numbers when you are doing the lighting for the landscape. The bluish tones that are seen can make the area look a little bit unnatural or even as being on edge. Instead, you will want to consider the warmer colors that are going to have 2700K for the ideal temperature and 3000K is only considered okay. The 2700K is going to have a soothing feel that can be seen as a campfire type of glow. This will make it a comfortable environment that you can enjoy outdoors, especially in Houston.

You need to remember that one thing that you will see is temperature is going to be the appearance of the white light, which is different than the LED lighting. While still newer, the RGB LED fixtures are going to give you the chance to add in LEDs into the design. You will want to use these sparingly outside and allow them to give you the party feel.

How Is Layered Lighting Going To Impact my Houston residential outdoor lighting space? In this form, you will notice that the lights are going to be designed to create a different type of high and low that you will want to have in your space. You will notice that this is one important tool that you do not want to overlook. This is also the way that a lot of outdoor theaters set the mood.

You will notice that it can be as easy as putting the lights onto different breakers. You may find that the pathway lighting is on its own circuit, but the deck lighting is on another one. You will find that the layered lighting will allow you to have more control over the lighting in the area for the purpose you want it to serve. You will notice that you have dimmers and other controls that are available if you want to use these on the same circuit. You may even notice that you will be able to set up preset levels for the patio lights based on what is going on from eating to cleaning up.

You will find the layered lighting is an amazing way to show off your artistic ability. You will find that you can even have step lights that are connected to motion sensors. This will allow the stairs to be lighted when people start to climb them. You may even find that you can get these lights timed up with music!

Don’t hesitate to contact us or call us for any questions you have about lighting up your life!
We also have amazing Commercial Outdoor Lighting Designs, and don’t forget our blog for design ideas!

Robert Huff Outdoor Lighting: The Ultimate Guide To Color Temperature Part 1

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Robert Huff Outdoor Lighting: A Color, Light, And Temperature Guide Part 1

What Is Color Temperature And Why Is It Important?

When we refer to the temperature of lighting, it is said to have a specific tone. This tone is often thought of as white light and is emitted from the lights initial source. This can be simplified if we were to consider the life cycle of a white t-shirt and the variations of shading which occurs. If our white t-shirt was washed with a batch of dark blue colors, it will still appear to be white, however, if we held a brand-new white t-shirt next to our previously washed t-shirt, a hint of blue can be seen. If either of us wore a new white t-shirt for years upon years and then compared it with a new one, the old one will now be much more yellow in comparison.

How Are Shades Of White Distinguished?

If we were to place two different temperatures from varied sources together, the white light seen will have a totally different appearance. In order to be able to distinguish numerous shades of white, artificial light is labeled with a designated color temperature. These can be incandescent and tungsten as well as with the use of a correlated color temperature which is widely known as a CCT. The temperature scale known as Kelvin is used to measure both regular color temperature as well as CCT and is obtained from what is known as blackbody radiation. When an ideal source of blackbody radiation absorbs radiation from external sources, it begins to glow in a number of different colors. At a temperature of 2000K, it can be seen as being a mix of both orange and yellow. With an increase in temperature, the previously mentioned color goes to yellow followed by a yellowish-white which becomes white and finally appears as a bluish-white.

Traditional Residential Outdoor Lighting

As far as traditional outdoor lighting in a residential setting goes, white was typically referred to as warm white or cool white depending on the CCT. Due to the limited sources of outdoor lighting, incandescent lights, halogen lights, and fluorescent lights, all having a temperature of 3000K CCT or even 2700K CCT were classified as warm whites. Fluorescent outdoor lighting which measured 3500K CCT were classified as being neutral, and those which measured 4100K CCT and above were therefore referred to as cool white. LEDs became more popular and were responsible for drastically changing the outdoor lighting market. They soon became widely available commercially in white and didn’t cost much when they became available in what was called the bluer spectrum. The earlier sources of white light favored having temperatures of 6000K CCT and above. As such, manufacturers of commercial outdoor lighting now refer to a measured 5000K as being neutral.

Advice About Outdoor Lighting For LED Buyers

Buyers of LED products should always aim to find out the color temperature correlation before actually purchasing. Buyers should also always keep in mind that there is, however, in fact, a range of chromaticity with respect to the temperatures of correlated colors. This just simply means that lamps which tend to have a temperature of 2700K CCT will not entirely appear the same as another which has the same. In trying to avoid problems for the users of these fixtures or lamps, it is not advisable to match and mix different manufacturers products. It should be noted that light sources impact on the way space feels, hence, this makes CCT a very important aspect when it comes to choosing a light. Candlelight’s range between 1500 – 2000L, and gives most people a romantic feeling, as such, homeowners, hotels and restaurants who are trying to create a warm and cozy feeling should go with temperatures of 2400K – 2700K. Transitioning to more functional spaces such as hallways should be that of measured temperatures around 3000K – 3500K.

If you are looking to further learn about the temperatures of colors and how they can affect the colors within your backyard outdoor lighting projects, be sure to contact Robert Huff Outdoor Lighting or call us at 713.861.2000. Or simply visit our blog.

Outdoor Lighting Tips For Your Landscape Part II

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Landscape Outdoor Lighting Tips To Help You Improve Your Yard Part II

Tip 3: Broaden Your Outdoor Lighting Cost Definition

Initial price only provides you with a narrow view of what a home improvement project’s true cost is over the entire lifetime of your house. A low price might translate into a great deal, or it could be a sign of low durability or quality. It could also mean that the price doesn’t include some of the building, material, or design costs. In the long run, a more expensive purchase price might actually be a better deal. When resource-efficient quality fixtures are selected it can help you reduce your home’s overall living cost. The only thing that is guaranteed when you make your decision based just on bid price is that you won’t ever be operating on the basis of lowest total cost. When the lower or lowest bid is viewed as the winner, it is safe to conclude that you have seriously misguided builders and companies that you are dealing with. When it comes to the real home building, remodeling and improvement world, there are no commodities. Everyday experience provides this over and over again, so it is a mystery why the lower-bid or low-bid approach is still in existence. Hiring someone just on the basis of price is the best way to sabotage your project’s budget and quality. Robert Huff is the #1 outdoor lighting company in Houston so consider hiring the best.

Tip 4: Have Your Outdoor Lighting Contractor Buy The Materials

If you purchase products online you can save some money. However, most homeowners aren’t sure of what they need to buy, and what fits or goes together or how much or what exactly to purchase. When you make product procurement mistakes it takes a lot of the responsibility away from the outdoor lighting contractor and can invariably lead to the blame game when something goes wrong. You don’t have to keep going back and forth to exchange the wrong items for the right ones.

Tip 5: Hire The Real Deal

When you hire someone who specializes in and has experience with your specific kind of project, it results in you having a higher quality project, and one that is more timely and efficient, and with increased levels of design and product knowledge. Whenever you are looking for an outdoor lighting contractor to hire, be sure they have 10 years of hands-on, proven experienced at least. Experience working on actual jobs and not just somebody who does the selling or manages from behind their desk. The very best outdoor lighting contractors are the ones who continue actually doing transformer balancing, wire connecting, and fixture installation work, no matter how long they have been in business. Although it is physically demanding work, doing it helps to keep them up-to-date. Those are the kinds of outdoor lighting contractors who truly know and understand their business since they are doing it physically every day – and they aren’t simply pushing a pencil and know exactly what they’re talking about.

Tip 6: Hire An Experienced Outdoor Lighting Company

One of the biggest investments you can possibly make in your home and life is a home improvement project. You can also earn some of the highest possible returns on investment with home outdoor lighting. For example, a remodel or home improvement job that is done properly can return more than its investment value. Having a well designed and built home improvement project can return more than you invest in the project. By contrast, a poorly designed and construction project may cause a lot of damage that is far in excess of the amount of money you thought you were saving when you hiring a guy that your friend had paint his house. Experienced outdoor lighting contractors who have decades of hands-on work experience are the only ones who are thoroughly familiar with the construction process and know exactly what to do. The best way to keep your personal belongings and assets protected is to make sure you hire an insured, licensed, and experienced contractor for your home improvement project. Make sure you have a written contract that describes and lists exactly everything you are receiving. Your contractor should deliver high-quality, pain-free, and consistent results.

For more information please make sure to contact a professional outdoor lighting expert today by calling us at 713.861.2000. If you are interested in reading more related content be sure to visit the outdoor lighting blog.

Outdoor Lighting Tips For Your Landscape Part I

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Landscape Outdoor Lighting Tips To Help You Improve Your Yard Part I

Home improvement projects are among the most stressful tasks that you can take on. A significant investment of money and time is required by these projects. Despite all that, every year, millions of individuals need and want to improve their properties and homes. Quite often it simply isn’t feasible or cost effective for them to move. The answer is remodeling to improve their homes. However, the last thing you want is to end up with a home improvement nightmare. I’m sure relatives and friends have told you that you need to expect a nightmare. Often home outdoor lighting projects will take three times or longer to complete and cost at least twice of what you are were expecting. It doesn’t have to be that way. It is possible to find a dependable and honest home improvement professionals if you follow the steps that we have outlined below. The following are the top tips by Robert Huff Outdoor Lighting for succeeding with your home improvement project. I am very confident that if you simply follow these tips that you will more than double your chances of succeeding with your landscape outdoor lighting project.

Tip 1: Make A Plan For Your Outdoor Lighting

You wouldn’t go on an expensive long vacation without planning your trip and be having a roadmap, would you? Of course, you wouldn’t! That would be disastrous. Your trip would end up being full of expensive changes and unwelcome surprises. The same thing is true with home improvement projects. I have always believed that anything that is planned carefully and executed properly has a great chance of succeeding. An excellent design-build partner can help you determine what you need and want before you begin to put everything down on paper and create your plan. Professional design work that pays great attention to detail will help to ensure that your project ends up being beautiful, on a budget, and on time.

Tip 2: Don’t Get Started Until You Get Everything You Need

Imagine this – your yard is demolished by your landscape outdoor lighting contractor. It is only supposed to take one month to finish the job. Then three weeks later you still are attempting to get a hold of him. When you finally answers his cell phone he says that he won’t be able to return for a couple of weeks because he is busy on a different project. He also tells you that the trees that he wants to use in your project are not available so your job is delayed for 4 to 6 weeks now. This means your landscape outdoor lighting contractor will need to be told that the schedule for the project has been delayed. This is not a good situation and everyone is affected that is involved in the project and especially you. Unfortunately, this happens all too often, and you need and want an outdoor lighting contractor who can get all of the necessary products ordered, get them in, and then make sure that they are not broken, are the right color, and fit together correctly before your job is scheduled. Don’t let anyone tear your property up until you have everything that you need to keep your project running smoothly and on time and everything is delivered to your site. Make sure your outdoor lighting contractor shows you want work is going to be done, by whom, and on what dates. You don’t want to have any surprises. It is important for you to know exactly what is happening on a daily basis.

To speak with a professional, please make sure to contact an outdoor lighting expert today by calling us at 713.861.2000. If you are interested in reading more related content be sure to visit the outdoor lighting blog.

Outdoor Lighting Ideas For Your Patio With Robert Huff

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Robert Huff: Setting The Perfect Mood With Great Patio Lighting Concepts

Are you aware of the crucial place lighting occupies in your overall outdoor living design? It can determine how your house appears to those on the outside and make a real impact. Even small adjustments to your outdoor design elements can produce a substantial difference. The patio, in particular, is a crucial part of any home, as it sets the stage for countless parties and gatherings. In order to make the patio look, it’s very best, we recommend installing some outdoor lighting. Functionality will increase, but you will also achieve the mood and feel you desire. Furthermore, this type of lighting will bring added safety and security to your space. Continue on to learn more about the sorts of lighting concepts at Robert Huff that will bring your patio to life.

Outdoor Lamps On Battery Power

It is worth pointing out that lighting for outdoor spaces does not need to be opulent to be effective. Simple and straightforward always work well. For instance, it is possible to choose a table lamp for your outdoor spaces that run on batteries. This is ideal when electricity is out because lamps of this sort can run for upwards of 150 hours just on the LED battery function alone. Because outdoor lamps are designed to resist rough weather conditions, they can be used almost any time of year. The resin bases of these lamps are attractively designed to resemble wicker, a common feature of many patio spaces. Robert Huff recommends getting outdoor lamps on battery power for your home. Home lighting most certainly makes your house pop.

Strings Of Edison Lights

Is a vintage look something you covet? If so, a string of Edison bulbs can make your outdoor space match your personal style. Because these lights have adjustable drops, you have the option of stringing them in a uniform pattern or in an uneven, organic way. The softened light emitted from these bulbs will keep your guests happy for hours of nighttime fun.

Nostalgic Lamp Posts

If the flair of a Cape Cod or perhaps even a Victorian home appeals to you, consider the option of a lamp post light. Robert Huff says these options are wonderful simply because there is no digging for gas or electric lines necessary. Just select the lamp post light in the style you love, plug the lamp into a socket and locate it wherever it works best. This is an incredibly simple, yet effective concept! Check out some of the completed projects by the Robert Huff team. 

Robert Huff Outdoor Lamps

There is no denying the classic nature of an outdoor lamp. Of course, it is always important to purchase only those that are UL-Listed. Waterproof cording is great for allowing placement anywhere at all. Glass domes work to keep the bulb itself dry at all times. Outdoor lamps from reputable Houston lighting companies will provide much-needed light to any patio and do so in a stylish and distinctive manner.

Use Light To Furnish The Patio Space

Just picture yourself lounging on the patio under the stars on warm and lovely nights. Maybe you envision a Balinese-themed oasis involving torches and strings of light. No matter the specifics of your patio dream, outdoor lighting options exist to bring it to life. Remember that the patio is just another outgrowth of the larger home, and therefore it is necessary to give it the attention it deserves. By taking the time to carefully select and design an outdoor lighting scheme, you can rest assured that you will be enjoying many pleasant moments basking in the glow.

Contact Robert Huff

For more insight, check out the Robert Huff Outdoor Lighting blog. If you want to speak with a professional, contact us by giving us a call at (713)-861-2000

Enhance The Curb Appeal Of Your Home With The Top Houston Outdoor Lighting Tips

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Houston Outdoor Lighting Techniques For Enhancing The Curb Appeal Of Your Home      

Outdoor lighting plays a critical role in helping to increase the curb appeal of your home. Unfortunately, it can also be targeted by thieves. Having a comprehensive Houston outdoor lighting design will enhance your property’s beauty and boost its curb appeal and deter potential intruders at the same time. Outdoor lighting is not something you should ever take lightly. Having high-quality illumination will mean the difference between having an appealing and inviting home at all times to one that isn’t noticed by anyone after it gets dark. Exterior Houston outdoor lighting is critical for safety to prevent falling, tripping, and other types of accidents. Robert Huff Outdoor Lighting is an experienced lighting company with years of ongoing expertise. The tips below were given by our professionals and will help you maximize the curb appeal of your home, increase its value, all while minimizing risks:

Tree Lighting Methods

Trees provide valuable focal points which help visitors find their bearings and allow you to safely mount in high places to large areas of your yard. Therefore, take complete advantage of all of the trees that you have, no matter how large or small they are. Begin by placing a couple of lights on the base of the tree facing up, so that it illuminates it from all angles. With taller trees, search for areas where side bulbs can be installed close to the top and with few branches; that will help to project light over a large area of your yard.   

Variable Vantage Points

Trees can help to light up your hard, but most houses don’t have enough trees for them to do the entire job.  Therefore, you should use standing lights to supplement them, with lights mounted on small plants, path lights, and standing lights. Tho effectively do this, the key to this is to vary the scope and height of the lights according to the characteristics of your yard.  

Bright Tall Outdoor Lights

Place bright, tail lights in your yard’s outer area or other spots that are difficult to see. Closer to your door, have lights arranged at waist and chest height, either linked with smaller trees and bushes or freestanding lights. Also, add path lights that lead up to your door. That will complement the light in the interior of your home, to guide visitors and invite them inside. This is why Houston outdoor lighting is important for your home. Home residential lighting is important to have.

Best Practices For Porch Lighting  

Patios and porches offer a transition space between the outside and the interior of your home and invite visitors into your house when they arrive and then ease them back outdoors when they depart. The area’s importance to the remainder of your property should be highlighted by your lighting designs. If you have an overhang, powerful porch lights should be installed, with one being placed about every five feet. For open patios and porches, place lights on each corner, every major architectural feature, and anyplace else with limited visibility. If you are using gas lamps or torches, be sure that electric lights are close by just in case they don’t provide enough light. To check out our work be sure to look at past projects completed by Robert Huff Outdoor Lighting.

Houston Outdoor Lighting Tips

Along with the position of the lights, the following should also be considered:

  • Type: Generally speaking, you should choose LED lights since they use the least energy and provide the most light. They last longer as well.
  • Trigger: Rather than using a switch, you might want to program the lights to come on and turn off at specific times or respond to your motion sensor.
  • Fixtures: Be sure your light fixtures don’t block light, protect against weather, and hold bulbs steady.

For more related content check out our blog. Be sure to contact us today by giving us a call. (713)-861-2000

What Advantages Do Residential Outdoor Lighting Services Provide For Me In Houston TX

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The Benefits Of Getting Outdoor Lighting For My Houston TX Home

Our team of outdoor lighting specialists is passionate about helping our clients create beautiful lighting systems that illuminate their homes and improve the curb appeal and value of their home. Our clients love the results that we deliver. If you are thinking about adding outdoor lighting, but are unsure of what to look for, you have come to the right place. Addition outdoor lighting will increase the safety and value of your home will increase the curb appeal of your home. Wehn you work with an outdoor lighting Houston tx specialist, you will create an outdoor lighting plan that will ensure your complete satisfaction and have your home as one of the most beautiful homes in your neighborhood.

Increased Safety For Guests With Outdoor Lighting Houston TX Services

Have you ever been walking after dark and rolled your ankle because of a rock or accidentally stepping in a hole? If so, you know the importance of having well-illuminated pathways to your home. When the areas that are commonly traveled by your and your guests are properly illuminated, you will reduce the risk of a fall or injury like a sprained ankle. Robert Huff Outdoor Lighting Houston TX professionals will make sure to give you the best services around town.

Increased Safety from Houston Intruders With Outdoor Lighting

Outdoor lighting helps your home looked lived in. Having efficient lighting around all of the entrances to your home and all areas that are dark will help prevent intruders from coming onto your property and gaining access to your home. Outdoor lighting fixtures along with lighting control automation will make it look like you are home even when you are on vacation, which can further reduce the risk of a break in.

Increase Time Spent Outdoors By Getting Beautiful Outdoor Lights

When the temperatures are pleasant, most people would rather enjoy the Great Outdoors. Unfortunately, if your home is not lit properly, you will be forced to go indoors when the sun sets. Landscape lighting and deck lighting helps to illuminate your outdoor areas, which will allow you to stay outside on those nice summer nights.

Increase Curb Appeal With Outdoor Home Lighting

Homeowners take pride in their property. One way this shows is through effective outdoor lighting. Outdoor and landscape lighting can add interest to your property after the sun goes down. If you are planning on selling your home in the future, you should invest in outdoor lighting now. This will allow potential buyers to see your home even after the sun has set. Furthermore, a well-lit facade is very inviting and can help interested buyers take a second look at your home.

Robert Huff Outdoor Lighting

Residential and commercial outdoor lighting Houston TX specialists understand that outdoor lighting is expensive; however, it offers numerous benefits, including increased security, safety, and curb appeal. If you are interested in taking your home to the next level, give us a call today to see how we can enhance your home with outdoor lighting.

To learn more about outdoor lighting Houston tx services, check out our website & our blog. For any questions or concerns, give us a  Call today.,

Top Landscape Lighting Failures In Houston

Posted by Robert Huff on

All You Need To Know About Landscape Lighting Fails In Houston

1. Glare

Glare produced by bright direct lighting and reflection almost always destroys the ambiance needed for landscape lighting. The main idea behind adding lights to the landscape is to illuminate everything and not be a light source in itself. Ambient lighting in the landscape helps bring every aspect of the same without necessarily having to squint to see what’s there. Reducing glare by using ‘eyelids’ (the mantle surrounding the light fixture opening) is one of the best ways to reduce/block glare from the landscape. To better understand this, glare is produced when the lamp illuminates the landscape and other items directly making it impossible to discern what it is exactly. Nevertheless, using a mantle to prevent direct light but rather product passive illumination in the garden, for instance, help highlight everything properly since glare is eliminated. An ‘eyelid’ almost always comes in handy for this purpose.

2. Lack Of A Proper Plan

You need to have the forethought of how the landscape will look like after designing/installing landscape lighting. Proper planning is therefore needed to ensure the focal points are well illuminated without any glare. This means you need to turn your attention more to the lighting effect and not the fixture itself. Among other factors, you need to consider things such as beam spread and light output before buying any accessory off the shelves. Having more than one lighting fixtures to choose from could also improve your chances of picking the right one for that specific purpose. Light spread and effect should be the core factors to consider when choosing a light fixture. Fixtures with a broad light spread spectrum are mostly recommended for this purpose.

3. Abused/Misused Path Lights

Choosing the right fixture but using it for the wrong purpose or application is most definitely a fail. A good example of this is using path light fixtures in turf areas. This is because path lights cause extensive damage to turf over time. Having light fixtures in turf areas isn’t also recommended as the risk of them getting damaged is high. In addition to this, the lawn is home to dangerous equipment such as hedgers, mowers, and such.

4. Too Much Lighting

Using light fixtures too bright for the need isn’t recommended too. The main goal of having these installed is to illuminate the home for security and beauty but not to irritate your neighbors. If you can see your home several streets away, then the lighting is too much. Avoid lighting every architectural feature or tree, but rather only use the right ambiance for the same. Professionals in landscape lighting in Houston recommend less lighting for the best effect.

5. Less Than Enough Budget

Working with an inadequate budget for outdoor lighting will most likely mean low-quality lighting. This is because you will be forced to work with inferior light fixtures, hence a shoddy job. Although you may have a wide assortment of fixtures to choose from, only a few are meant for this sole purpose. Some of the fixtures may seem handy now, but not be able to last for long enough. Some of these are meant for temporary fixtures and not long-term use. Although they may seem cheap, you are more likely to spend much more on repairs as compared to what you would have spent on quality fixtures.

To learn more about outdoor home lighting Houston TX Services,  check out our website and our blog. For questions or concerns, please Call us now.

 

Make Your Houston Home More Aesthetically Pleasing With Landscape Lighting

Posted by Robert Huff on

Use Outdoor Lighting To Improve Your Houston Home’s Exterior Appearance

Everyone wants their home to be the one that turns heads – for a good reason. If you are interested in making your home more appealing, consider adding lighting to the exterior of the property to enhance its appearance. For example, you could put lighting in your driveway and sidewalk, add a spotlight to highlight a certain feature of your home, or even put lights on your front porch.

Bring In The Landscape Lighting Houston Experts

The first step in this process is to bring in the experts to help you with your lighting project. Even if you think you can handle it on your own, there are certain benefits associated with working with a professional. Lighting experts follow the industry closely and are aware of new products and technologies. They can design a plan that works well for your home and your needs. In addition, they understand where the lights need to go to make the maximum impact. A homeowner that doesn’t have professional lighting experience probably will not understand these nuances. We generally focus on four types of landscape lighting. These types of lighting help us achieve just the right look for our customers time and time again. For example, uplighting fixtures point toward the sky and make a big impact in any space. Downlighting, when properly placed, helps with visibility and can make a dark area much brighter. Zonal lighting is placed when you want to put a spotlight on certain things in your yard. And finally, moonlighting gives you a gentle glow that is reminiscent of the moon’s rays. We get creative with the placement of the fixtures in order to give the homeowner what they are looking for.

If you want to improve the exterior of your home, follow this advice to make the most of what you have.

Why it outdoor lighting for your home so important? The appearance of your home says a lot about an individual. It also is inputted for safety purposes. First, brighten up your walkways. Path lights don’t cost a lot of money and aren’t usually very fancy, but they can make a big difference in the way the exterior of your home looks. They keep you from tripping when it is dark outside, and they can also be used to highlight different features of your home. Next, focus on your front door. In order to draw others in, it should be lit up nicely, so that people know to walk to it. In addition, when you have the proper lighting, you generally keep people away that shouldn’t be on your property in the first place. Lighting fixtures can say a lot about who you are and your personal style. Pick something up on the front porch that speaks to you. Not only will it look great, but illuminating your porch is always a good idea because it provides additional security. If you have areas of your yard that stay dark, pick up lighting to help brighten the space. Again, doing so is a security feature that helps deter criminals from walking onto your property. The lighting also looks good, though, and can show off areas of your house that were unable to be seen before. Use lighting to showcase different parts of your landscaping or yard. What good is it to have a fountain, for example, if no one can see it at night? The right lighting can make everything look better.

To learn more about outdoor home lighting Houston TX Services,  check out our website and our blog. For questions or concerns, please Call us now.

About Christmas Lighting in Houston & How To Stay Safe

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Things You Need To Know About Christmas Lights

Thanksgiving has come and gone and families all over the world are busy getting their homes decorated and putting up electric Christmas lights. Christmas lights are a standard outside and inside most American homes.

When it comes to Christmas lights, there are probably many things you don’t know about them. With Christmas just around the corner, we thought it would be a good idea to share some things about Christmas lights that are not so well known, in addition to some energy-saving tips that can help you save money during this upcoming holiday season and well into the future.

Candles were the first Christmas lights. We previously covered the history of Christmas lights, however, it is still worth going over a few interesting facts that you might not be aware of about the tradition of Christmas lights.

Candles were attached to evergreens and used in windows for Christmas celebrations for hundreds of years. It has been claimed by many that the tradition of using candles to light Christmas tree was sparked by Martin Luther during the 16th century in Germany. This was, of course, a big fire hazard. But that was all that they had to use.

In 1882 the very first electric lights appeared on a Christmas tree. Two years later, Edward H. Johnson, Edison’s partner, became the first individual who used electric string lights for illuminating a Christmas tree. Johnson’s Christmas tree was hand-wired with around 80 blue white and red electric lights, which could easily be seen by people passing by.

In 1895 President Grover Cleveland became the first president to have electric lights on the Christmas tree in the White House. In 1889 Benjamin Harrison became the first president to have a Christmas tree at the White House, but it was Cleveland who was the first president to have multi-colored electric lights used for decorating the Christmas tree. That really helped to introduce this idea to the general public. People were still concerned about electricity being dangerous and the possibility that dangerous fumes would get into the house through wires and lights.

It took some time before electric Christmas lights started to be used by average Americans. The first commercial made Christmas lights were produced as strands that had 8 lights and made by General Electric Company (GE). These lights were called “festoons” by GE. By 1900, it was very common for businesses to have lights strung up around their buildings and in their windows. However, most homeowners couldn’t afford outdoor Christmas lights.

Over the years, as Christmas lights started becoming more affordable, they began to make their ways into residential houses. However, even as late as the 1930s, candles were still commonly used on Christmas trees and in windows.

Electric Christmas lights had pretty much become the standard by 1950. After prices became more affordable, candles were replaced by electric lights by families since they were long lasting and safer.

Once electric string lights had become affordable and safe, families began to use them on pillars, doorways, railings, mantles, and along the peaks and eaves of their houses.

Today, it is estimated that around 150 million sets of lights are sold in the U.S. each year. Smithsonian reports that the lights help to illuminate more than 80 million houses and consume around 6% of the country’s electrical load each December.

Candles still cause fires and electric lights continue to be dangerous. It is estimated by the CPSC that over 15,000-holiday decorating injuries take place during the months of November and December.

It is estimated by the NFPA that an average of 200 house fires is started each year by Christmas trees. Lighting or electrical distribution equipment are involved in about 40% (two out of five) Christmas tree home fires.

Excluding Christmas trees, another 840 home structure fires take place over the holiday season. Candles cause over 1/3 of house structure fires that take place during the holiday season. The top three days when candle fires in homes take place are Christmas, New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day.

You can help to prevent home fires from occurring by inspecting electrical products before they are used, learning basic ladder safety, unplugging Christmas lights before you leave home, and making sure your Christmas tree is kept well-watered. You can recycle your holiday light sets instead of throwing them away. An outdoor lighting Houston professional can provide you with even more lighting tips to keep you and your family safe.

Old Christmas lights can be recycled and you can also look for deals on new LED lights. See if there is a recycling program for Christmas lights at your local home improvement store. Some stores might offer discounts and/or rebates on new Christmas LED lights.

Over the long run, LED lights are cheaper and better. Although the upfront costs of LEDs are higher, they use about 70 to 90% less energy, are more durable, last a lot longer, and less prone to overloading circuits and burning out. Incandescent lights cost about $10 for lighting a Christmas tree over one holiday season. However, LEDs cost only around 25 cents to light a 6-foot Christmas tree for 40 days at 12hours per day. When these savings are multiplied by lighting up your whole house over the holiday season, it becomes a very significant cost savings.

Call or contact Robert Huff Illumination & Outdoor Lighting if you have any questions regarding starting a new outdoor lighting project! Merry Christmas and happy decorating!