Artificial Lights Have A Good Effects For Plant Growth In Houston

Different Houston Light Colors That Are Essential For Plant Development

How a plant grows may seem like a pretty obvious and straightforward process. The plant requires constant watering, the soil in which it grows has to have certain nutrients, and the plant itself needs to be placed in a location where it receives light for a certain amount of time. Unfortunately, not many people are aware of the latter and how much it can have a significant influence on the growth and development of the plant.

In this article, we will outline how the colors of light influence how the plant grows. We will also break down into detail on the traits that light has, and how you can utilize LED grow lights of different colors to amend the traits of plants and make plants develop at a much quicker rate.

What Exactly Is Visible Light?

An essential element in the growth and development of a plant apart from water and oxygen in sunlight. A plant captures sunlight and converts it into edible food through a process known as photosynthesis. Carbon dioxide, water, and sunlight make up the holy trinity for plants. Visible sunlight behaves like a wave. As such, it is made up of different properties depending on its wavelength. For instance, a source of light with a wavelength of around 650 nm will be detected as having a red color.

Numerous research studies examining how varying colors of lights can have different effects on how a plant grows. Recent technological developments in light-emitting diode (LED) grow lights have made it possible for certain light wavelengths to be segregated so as to control the many varying physical properties that a plant shows as it grows. These traits include but are not restricted to, weight, height, texture, and composure of the plant as well as it’s color. You are free to use LED grow lights to take advantage of these physical traits as a plant develops depending on the plant traits that you want to have.

The Effects Of Each Color Of Light

In the paragraphs below, I have explained the effect of each color of light on a plant as well as what will happen if the plant is not exposed to the light. But before getting into all of that, here is a concise and brief breakdown, with extended information following:

  • Blue Light- Hastens the growth and development rate of plants.
  • Ultraviolet Light- Lack of exposure helps in plant growth.
  • Red Light- Motivates the production of more crops and leaves when combined with blue light, depending on the plant being grown.
  • Violet Light- Improves the taste, aroma, and color of plants.
  • Green Light- Enhances the production of chlorophyll.
  • Yellow Light- Plants display slower growth as compared to red and blue light.
  • Far Red- Catalyzes the Phytochrome conversion which minimizes the time a plant takes to go into a night-time state thus allowing the plant to have greater productivity.

If you would like to discover more tips and tricks from Robert Huff Illuminationsvisit our blogCall or contact us today for more information!

A Discussion On Landscape Lighting In Houston

All You Need To Know About Landscape Lighting In Houston

When it comes to enjoying your landscape, you surely want to be able to enjoy it in the day and night. By using landscape lighting, you’ll be able to highlight the architecture of your home as well as your beautiful landscaping such as your flower beds, manicured trees, etc. Landscape lighting will give you the ability to turn your outdoors into an oasis, both in the day and night.

Keeps You Safe

By having a properly lit home and outdoors, your home will definitely be less of a target to criminals. This is because a well-lit property won’t offer enough dark areas and hiding spots for them to hide. When you use lighting to highlight your entrance, windows, doors, etc, it is very challenging for a burglar to enter completely unnoticed. Additionally, by having the exterior of your home well lit which includes the pathways, steps, drops, etc, this will make it much safer for you and visitors.

Features You Should Light

Now, you may be wondering, exactly which outdoor features should you light up and which ones to ignore? Well, you should use light to highlight the features that you want to bring focus to and show off. Lighting can be used to add a great deal of drama and it can make certain areas stand out in the night that doesn’t stand out in the day. For example, something as simple as a stone wall can take on an entirely different look in the night with the right lighting. Additionally, you should use light in a functional manner such as lighting pathways, stairways, etc. This will make using these areas in the night much easier as well as prevent any injury. Some of the features you can potentially apply lighting to include:

  • planters
  • ponds, swimming pools, and other water features
  • stone walls
  • accent columns and other architectural details
  • trees
  • stairs and pathways

Landscaping Light Types

There are different types of fixtures that you can use when it comes to landscape lighting. Some of these lights include:

  • Bullet: these are bulbs that give off a bullet type or very narrow beam. This is great for lighting specific things such as a tree trunk or house feature
  • Garden: these lights are great for use along pathways or even to highlight planting beds
  • Well: this type of light is actually buried where the light is encased before it is buried. As a result, you would only see the light emanating from the ground but you wouldn’t see the case. This type of light is great for highlight plants.
  • Flood: floodlights essentially flood a particular area with light and are great for tall trees or even to show off the architecture of your home such as your columns.
  • Wash: this is a soft light that is great for garden walls, privacy areas, etc.
  • Downlight: these lights are great to use on the branches of trees so that they can highlight the lawn, pathway, or even the foliage of the tree.

Don’t hesitate to give us a call or contact us today if you need help with your landscape lighting. Feel free to visit our blog for more related topics and articles.

Why You Should Get A Houston Landscape Lighting

Amazing Benefits Of Landscape Lighting Services In Houston

There are numerous benefits of installing or even improving your current landscape lighting. Some of these include making your home more beautiful and aesthetically pleasing, increasing safety, and even increasing the property value.

By installing outdoor lights, you can actually make your home look more beautiful by simply highlighting certain features. Strategically placing these lights will make your home look its best that it can improve its curb appeal. This certainly adds a great deal of value and security which means you’ll get a good ROI from installing landscape lights.

We will now look at some specific benefits of landscape lighting that should help you understand why they’re so important.

1. Visually Appealing

Landscape lighting can create a very beautiful home as it accentuates your home’s best features. For example, if you have just put in a new door but the beauty can’t be seen in the day, then you can use lights to accentuate it in the night. By strategically using lights, you can highlight all of the architectural details that were not noticed before.

You can even use lights to highlight trees and plants in your yard. Downlights and other lights can be used to highlight garden walls or even make them the focal point. You can also use floodlights which actually help to fill up space and give it more interest and texture.

2. Offers Security

Dark homes are quite attractive to burglars since they can easily move and hide in the dark. However, by having landscape lighting, this will certainly help to reduce the likelihood that a burglar would attempt to get into your home. Even if they did, they would be easily seen. Also, by having lighting outside, it would be very beneficial to you and your family since you would be able to easily move around your home at night and detect any intruders very easily.

3. Safety

Next, landscape lighting will not only help you to easily move around your home at night but also help your guests do the same. This is great when you have guests over or even have a house party. Night activities can be quite dangerous without adequate lighting and you may be liable for any accidents or damages that happen in your home. So, by having good lighting in your yard, this will help prevent any of the accidents from occurring.

4. Increases Property Value

Lastly, it doesn’t matter what type of home you have, once you install landscape lighting, it will enhance your property and add a great deal of style. So, even if you have a small or modest home, you can use lighting to highlight its best features and make it a lot more engaging than before. This would result in your home being even more beautiful and it would also increase its overall value. This is definitely a huge advantage if you plan on selling your home in the future since a well-lit property is a lot more appealing to buyers. As a result, installing landscape lighting is a very sound financial decision.

Give us a call or contact us today if you need help with your landscape lighting and for more pieces of information! Please feel free to visit our blog for more related topics and articles.

Amazing Thing About A Houston Landscape Lighting

Landscape Lights In Houston: Can They Enhance Plants Growth?

Clients are often worried about the effects that this lighting might have on their landscape plants. To have a better understanding of how these types of lighting can affect the plants, it is important to first understand how plants utilize light. Light affects plant growth through its quality (color or wavelength of the light spectrum), irradiance (intensity), and duration of lighting. The light that is visible to the naked eye normally ranges from 380 to 760 nanometers (nm) in the wavelengths. The wavelength of 380 nm is the color that we identify as violet, while the color we identify as red is the wavelength of 760 nm. The wavelengths in between appear as the colors of the rainbow, the light spectrum.

Light regulates a majority of plant processes. For instance, blue light and red light, which are in the 400-450 nm and 625-700nm wavelengths respectively, are necessary for photosynthesis to take place. Phototropism, which is the tendency of plants to grow towards the light source, happens in the blue wavelength while photoperiodism happens in the red wavelengths. Plants are classified into three groups depending on photoperiod responses; long-day, short-day, and day-neutral. Short-day plants form flower buds only when a day length is less than a certain number of hours. Short-day plants are preferably referred to as long-night plants. Long-day plants are the type of plants that flower only after being exposed to light for periods longer than a certain critical length. Long-day plants can be preferably referred to as short-night plants. When it comes to day-neutral plants, their flowering isn’t controlled by photoperiod. When short-day plants are exposed to light for 24-hours, they will continue their vegetative growth, however, their flowering will be inhibited. On the other hand, long-day plants the extended exposure to light will induce the plants to flower earlier and continue to grow vegetatively. Day-neutral plants will continue their vegetative growth. What many people worry about landscape lighting is that plants will continue their vegetative growth late in the season. Due to this delayed growth, the plants won’t have the chance to properly harden off before the winter season and can suffer serious winter injury.

Some of the most widely used types of lighting include high-pressure sodium, incandescent, mercury vapor, and metal halide. Five sources of light were compared and their impact on delaying the flowering of short-day plants, promoting the vegetative growth of woody plants, and enhancing the flowering of long-day plants. The light sources were ranked from the most effective (lights able to enhance vegetative growth) to the least effective:

  1.  Incandescent
  2.  High-pressure Sodium
  3.  Metal Halide
  4.  Cool White Fluorescent
  5.  Clear Mercury

From the results above, when it comes to landscape lighting, one would definitely want to say away from lights such as incandescent that enhance vegetative growth.

It is worth noting that incandescent lights emit all light wavelengths and they imitate natural sunlight. While Incandescent lighting is the cheapest light source, it is the most expensive to operate as it has a short lamp life and very low efficiency. Surprisingly, it is still the most sought-after kind of lighting for landscapes in residential properties. Metal Halide is a much more efficient type of lighting and has wavelengths in the blue-green-red region. Compared to mercury, it has better color emission, however, it isn’t as good as incandescent. Mercury vapor lamps produce light with wavelengths in the blue-green area which heightens the green color of plants. High-pressure sodium type of lighting is very efficient.

Don’t hesitate to give us a call or contact us today if you need professional help with your landscape lighting. Feel free to visit our blog for more related topics and articles.

Lighting Designers In Houston: Why They Are Badly Needed? Part 2

The Cost & Payback Of A Skilled Lighting Services In Houston

As a profession, architectural lighting design has proven to be successful due to the numerous solid answers to this particular question: Why would an owner or architect pay to get lighting design services whereas it can be done by a salesperson or in the house at no extra cost? The charge fee for a lighting designer is tough to justify when the value and extent of the services rendered aren’t recognized. However, those architects and owners who have gained from independent and skillful lighting design understand there are short and long-term paybacks outweighing the fee. Lighting designers can be a value-added and unique resource. In most cases, a lighting designer will minimize project construction and operation cost. Here are some instances where this is demonstrated repeatedly.

1. Equipment Cost Control

Lighting designers can give a design meeting a set budget but will be more useful when planning the budget. They will choose equipment from various manufacturers to assist in keeping bids competitive and make recommendations on lighting techniques or equipment to help in reducing installation costs. Their presence will only encourage competition. But some lighting fixtures are ‘one of a kind’ in which case the price can be acquired directly from the manufacturer. To identify gross anomalies, the unit pricing obtained during the design development can be compared to the unit pricing the bidding contractors give. The design might also recommend distributors for them to get additional competitive bids. Lastly, the lighting designer will work alongside the owner’s representative and contractor(s) to attain budget goals without sacrificing the design.

2. Operations Cost Control

Minimizing the operations costs the owner may prove to be an integral part of design decisions with such measures benefitting the project practically and aesthetically. Lifecycle cost evaluation compares the Return On Initial Investment of different technologies or techniques. Usually, costs can be mitigated if the space isn’t over-lighted. Over-lighting can occur if the specifier utilizes rote horizontal footcandle prescriptions or does not understand visuals and task issues of the project. Many a time, the specifier is dependent on recommendations from the equipment’s salespersons. There are hundreds of ways a pro designer can minimize costs and improve the project in general. Enhancing the reflectance of surfaces can assist in reducing operating costs and lighting equipment. Selective spotlighting is essential to retail sales. Incorporating daylight with electric lighting will save on energy and offer a satisfying connection to the world.

3. People Costs

Light quality impacts people on a variety of levels. New studies suggest that lighting affects safety and security, retail sales, wayfinding, and the productivity of employees. Professional lighting designers are conversant with such issues and the methods needed to achieve those results. The cost incurred for poor lighting that just meets the standard code simply isn’t worth it in locations where the ‘people factor’ is key.

4. Aesthetic Costs

Skills can easily be acquired and learned, whereas talent cannot. Architects are fully aware of how the value-adder for creative and brilliant design is challenging to evaluate and is contingent on the decision-maker’s appreciation. Bu the difference a sufficing lighting design and another that brings the architecture to its realization is more or less felt.

If you would like to discover more tips and tricks from Robert Huff Illuminationsvisit our blogCall or contact us today if you need a professional lighting designer with your outdoor lighting design. Missed the first issue of this article? Click here!

Lighting Designers In Houston: Why They Are Badly Needed? Part 1

Knowing Why A Diligent Houston Lighting Designer Is So Essential

When drafting a new project, there are some basic questions that you need to consider and answer, specifically: Is illumination essential to your project? What is defined as good lighting design, and how can it be realized?

Lighting is a technically challenging but astonishing medium that needs mastery of varying and continually evolving disciplines. A lighting design combines the sciences, arts, and illumination business design and implementation far beyond the concerns of horizontal footcandles and visibility.

Lighting designers are part and parcel of the design team and, just like the architects, charge you for services delivered. Expert lighting designers bring to the table solid technical ingenuity and sensitive design methods to landscape and architectural projects. However, the value-added services they offer can make or break the project’s success and, thus, hugely outweigh the impact of their service fee.

A project designer or owner might be oblivious of the benefits an independent lighting consultant has to offer in today’s construction and design processes. For instance: what’s the difference between services delivered by a lighting professional compared to that of an interior designer or electrical engineer? The interior designer’s responsibility was selecting decorative lighting equipment while the electrical engineer was tasked with the lighting since it’s part of the electrical grid. Right? So what has created a profession that solely specializes in the lighting?

1. Technology

Lighting control technologies and equipment are developing at a break-neck speed with hundreds of products getting introduced to the market every year. Lighting professionals should consider attending national trade shows and continuously update product info and samples from various manufacturers. That is if they want to deliver proper design solutions that utilize the newest and most cost-effective technologies. Staying updated with the latest weapons in the lighting armory is time-intensive but has never been more essential. Note that independent lighting consultants don’t install or sell equipment, nor are they dependent on recommendations done by lighting salespersons. Therefore, the client will receive a lighting design based on expertise and research – free from any conflict of interest.

2. Technique

Illumination is architecture’s transient partner. The light remains invisible until it strikes a surface or object. Controlling this difficult, ephemeral medium gives the lighting designer the chance to make dynamics, hierarchies, and mood. Lighting design is a creative extension of the architecture, enhancing visibility and complementing program, form, and color. Talent, coupled together with experience, creates illumination patterns that will support the overall project goals seamlessly.

3. Education

Knowledge of electricity, construction, optics, codes, physics, ergonomics, vision, business, the art of design, and construction are all integral to creating impressive lighting solutions. To deliver the best possible services, lighting pros must generally be well-grounded individuals who constantly educate themselves. They can do this in a variety of ways, including reading journals and trade magazines, networking, attending and presenting seminars. This give-and-take scenario, alongside healthy competition, boosts the profession forward as a whole.

If you would like to discover more tips and tricks from Robert Huff Illuminationsvisit our blogCall or contact us today if you need a professional lighting designer with your outdoor lighting design. For the rest of this article please click here.

Are Placing Houston Lights Close To Trees Will Damage Them?

Ideas On Why Outdoor Lighting Cannot Harm Trees In Houston

Most people that are positioning landscape lighting for the first time in their yards should be mindful when it comes to how they will affect or interact with the foliage that is already there. It is also quite common that homeowners often wonder whether landscape lighting will be harmful to the trees they have on their properties, which need ample light and space to thrive and grow. Is there going to be a negative impact or harm to the tree when there are landscape lights placed too close to it or in it? The answer to this question involves a quick extract from a science-based textbook.

How Do Trees Utilize Light?

The basic explanation to describe this is that plant life and trees use photosynthesis in order to absorb energy that comes from sunlight. The light emitted by the sun that the trees absorb is mainly in a visible spectrum, which means light that the human eye can see which ranges from violet onto red. The light that emits from a landscape lighting fixture falls in the same spectrum of visible light that the sun emits, only in a less intense way.

In most cases, trees will not undergo any damages from closeby landscape lighting as these lights emit helpful light which is far less intense when compared to the sun. An ultraviolet light or infrared may affect the health of a tree adversely if it interferes with the photosensitive cells in the plant or tree or interrupting the natural levels of chloroplasts, which contain chlorophyll that is needed for photosynthesis.

The outdoor lighting fixtures that you may be considering for your outdoor spaces should not be emitting ultraviolet or infrared light that is great enough that affects your trees or plant life. There are also outdoor LED bulbs that are specially designed that emit very low or completely eliminate light levels in the ultraviolet or infrared spectrum.

Special Considerations When You Use Landscape Lighting Close To Trees

Despite the fact that landscape lighting should not cause any measurable or immediate damages to trees that are nearby, this doesn’t mean that they have no effect on them at all. Many trees are reliant on a certain duration of natural light that comes from the sun so that they know when seasons are changing. This gives them the signal when to drop leaves, close-up their pores, and to complete other types of natural processes. Too much heat or light can interfere with these processes in an unexpected way.

For instance, if a light that is strong enough focuses on deciduous trees over the course of the night, the tree may interpret this as a summer that never ends. When autumn and winter does set in, the tree might not prepare for the colder months in the way of closing up its pores. This could mean that the tree could be subjected to frost damage or chill, which kills it or defaces its appearance.

Is Solar Light Bad For Plants?

Similar to trees, consistent light in your backyard can also have a negative impact on your plants. Plants also have a precise rhythm, which is mainly regulated by light patterns. If solar lighting is soft and used mainly for the purpose of mood lighting, then it should do no harm to your plants. However, if the light is concentrated or bright on certain areas of your plants or lawn it can interfere with the natural rhythm of your plants. They will not be able to determine what season it is, which means the plants are not prepared for the cold weather that is about to set in.

Don’t hesitate to give us a call or contact us today if you need help with your landscape lighting. Feel free to visit our blog for more related topics and articles.

Important Things To Look For In A Houston Outdoor Lighting Company

Helpful Tips For Choosing An Outdoor Lighting Company In Houston

There is little that compares to seeing the comforting and familiar shape of your home illuminated by a gentle glow in the night. Outdoor lighting can add to the charm of your home, but it can also make it safer and improve security. Installing this lighting will be time-intensive and costly, particularly if you are not hiring the right company. To ensure you work with the right outdoor lighting company, there are certain factors that you should look for when narrowing down your options.

The Warranty They Offer On The Lights

A warranty is a sign that the company is confident in the quality of their work and feel it should last. This will also protect your investment should something go wrong with your lighting. Before you hire a company, you need to ensure that they will stand behind the quality of their work and provide you with the help you need should something go wrong. You also need to ensure that they offer a warranty on the work and not only the warranty offered by the light manufacturer.

An Excellent Design Team

When looking at the quality of work, you should not focus solely on the durability of the materials and labor. You also need to look at the design team the company has to ensure you will be happy with the results you get. The team should not only be highly-skilled in lighting fixtures, but creative and artistic as well. This combination is the only way you will get the end results that you want for your home.

They Have A Portfolio & Good Customer Reviews

When looking for a good outdoor lighting company, you have to look at examples of their work. These examples should be provided along with favorable client reviews. Companies that have a portfolio of their past work shoes that they are happy with their work and gives you the chance to look at their quality. Customer reviews will give you an idea of how you will be treated if you agree to work with them. It is recommended that you look for independent reviews as well as the ones the company provides to get a clear picture.

They Are Willing & Able To Answer Any Questions You Have

The last factor to consider is whether the company will patiently listen to any questions you have and provide you with clear and thorough answers. Companies that try and avoid any questions you have or cannot provide a clear answer should be avoided. These companies will not have your best interests in mind and will only look out for their own interests. This is not the kind of business culture you want to work with because it often results in poor customer experience. You need to be able to trust your outdoor lighting company and know that they are going to do their best for you.

Visit our blog. for more related articles. Call or contact us today if you need help with your landscape lighting!

Increasing Your Nighttime Outdoor Living Space In Houston

Amazing Benefits Of Your Houston Landscape Lighting

When people think about outdoor lighting, they generally think of illuminating the exterior of a property or other structures. However, one of the most underrated benefits of landscape lighting is the expansion of physical living space. This benefit work in tandem with the visual appeal of outdoor lighting.

When lighting is added to a dark front or back yard, the boundaries of the house are pushed out. The more outdoor elements lit, the more people are able to push the edges of the useable space of a property. The expanding of the boundaries of the house will also create a visually striking look for the outside of the house. This is made more impressive when the lights inside the house are off.

Boundary Lighting

Boundary lighting is another way that landscape lighting can expand the living space. Most people have a plant line or fence that represents the end of their property. The problem is that you cannot see this at night. To remedy this, you can illuminate it with a small outpost all wash lighting fixture. When this is done correctly, the lights can overlap to create a wall of light delineating the end of the property.

Plan For The Outside & The Inside

When you plan your outdoor lighting, you need to take into account what is happening inside the house. In particular, you need to consider the main areas that lookout. If the back of the house has the dining or living room, you need to shift the balance of the lighting plan to better represent this busy area. However, if the bedroom is the area with the most windows, you should use a design that does not filter into the house too much.

To ensure you have the best lighting plan, you need to discuss the layout of your home with a lighting expert. They will be able to give you direction on what to do. They will also provide information about safety and how to highlight the areas of your yard that you love the most.

Custom Landscape Lighting

When you work with a lighting designer, you will get a custom landscape. Good lighting designers are able to turn the ideas you have into reality. They will help you make your property as dramatic at night as it is during the day.

Making Your Property More Secure

Landscape lighting will not only add elegance and beauty to your property, but it will also improve security. An area that is well-lit is less likely to become a target for crime because it is harder to hide illegal activity. While landscape lighting will make your property more secure, LED lighting can also increase the value of the property by making it more appealing to potential buyers.

If you want to install landscape lighting, you should meet with our creative landscape lighting designer in Robert Huff Outdoor Lighting. We design a lighting plan that is both attractive and functional. We offer a consultation free of charge. Visit our blog to discover more tips and tricks. Call or contact us today for more information!

How To Choose A Wattage For Your Houston Outdoor Lights

The Ideal Wattage For Your Exterior Lights In Houston

What is the best way to determine the right wattage for your outdoor lighting systems? A watt is the quantification of power. In technical terms, it measures the rate of energy transfer. The lower the wattage, the less energy a light bulb uses, which means that your electricity bills will be lower.

How Many Watts Should Outdoor Lights Have

The ideal wattage for outdoor lights is a maximum of 80 watts. If you want to light garden beds and pathways, you should be just fine with 40 watts or lower. For driveways and smaller yards, you should choose a wattage between 40 watts and 80 watts. All lights of 80 watts and lower are environment-friendly.

As a matter of fact, different lighting types require different wattage values, so you need to do some research to choose the best one for your specific needs. Ideally, your lights should serve their intended purpose, so that you can put them to good use.

Highways Call For High Wattage

Lighting up stages, for instance, require a wattage of tens of thousands of watts. Whenever you choose lights with wattage over 80, you can expect them to suck up a lot of power. They also emit a very bright light. Just think about the lighting systems in a pedestrian area, on highways, and in supermarkets. All the lights are placed at a very big distance from the ground, so they have to be powerful to light these areas. Your backyard doesn’t need this kind of lighting, that’s for sure.

Mounted Mid-Range Wattage

These lights are ideal for your house. While 60 watts is the most common value, anything between 40 watts and 80 watts would do. These are the bulbs people use in their homes, in ceiling lights, and in other places. Nevertheless, these lights aren’t suitable for outdoor use. If you’re keen on using them outside the house, make sure you mix them with low wattage lights.

How About Low Wattage Lights

The lamp post from Narnia may have used this type of light bulb. Everything below 40 watts falls in the low wattage category or light bulbs. They are ideal for outdoor use, in various areas such as porches, driveways, and garden pathways. The best thing to do is to invest in LED lights. Their bright light and low wattage will help you keep tabs on your energy costs.

Why Choose The Right Wattage For Your Outdoor Lights

Understanding the difference between high and low voltage, as well as choosing the correct wattage for your outdoor lights can help you extend the life of your light bulbs. It can also help you slash your electricity bills without having to compromise on your outdoor lighting.

If you would like to discover more tips and tricks from Robert Huff Illuminationsvisit our blogCall or contact us today for more information!