The alfresco areas on your property may be open-to-the-sky, semi-enclosed or entirely covered. These spaces add to the expanse and functionality of the indoor spaces and make your yard more functional. Having an outdoor feature like a patio or deck is a great way to make optimum use of the outdoor areas on your property.

But you also need to have the right type of lighting systems installed, if you want to use these areas optimally after dark as well. When you are getting your patio designed and installed, it’s a good idea to get the outdoor lighting planned and installed as well.

A skilled and experienced electrician will be able to provide ideas and designs on the type of lighting installations that can be added to your yard spaces. When you have well-illuminated outdoor areas on your property, you are more encouraged to use them and it adds to the safety of your home as well. Here are some tips to light up your patio and garden spaces:

The right type of lighting can have a significant impact on the way the spaces look. Even the most well-designed and well-installed patios and landscapes can look lack-lustre and drab if they aren’t illuminated well. Outdoor lighting is about getting the mood and ambience right. A skilled electrician would be able to advice you on which types of fittings and fixtures, colours, placement and sizes will complement the look of your home and the landscaping. There are a number of different types of light fixtures that can be installed on your patio, such as:

As you can see, there are a number of different types of lighting that can be added to the patio and garden space to add to their functionality and aesthetics and create the right mood and ambience.

Depending on the size of the warehouse we are discussing; the energy costs related to the lighting withing and even outside the warehouse can vary. But no matter what size, shape, or capacity a warehouse operation runs out of they all have one thing in common and that’s lighting expenses.

This is a common struggle for facility managers: trying to save money with the money that they have. And upgrading or investing in a new lighting system although can save money and produce a positive ROI overtime; can cause troubles considering it costs money upfront.

This post is here to identify the main points and benefits of a good lighting technology (LED), how it can improve a warehouse or factory facility, and how you can actually cut the upfront investment costs down significantly to make the investment even more-so worthwhile.

Improve safety through a better lighting system. In almost every aspect of the word quality; LED is the winner, especially in industrial applications. Firstly, if you’ve ever (or are currently) experiencing an issue with flickering or buzzing lights inside or out of your facility: you most like have metal halide or HPS fixtures in place. With LED they will never flicker or buzz not even near the ending of their lifespan.

Secondly, if you are experiencing an issue with dim lights just a few years after you’ve installed your MH or HPS light sources; you are experiencing a negative side effect of having these technologies. They are susceptible to higher lumen depreciation at a much faster rate than LED products do. Don’t get it wrong though, LED products still do safely and securely.

Decrease lighting bill costs. Did you know that you are burning up energy that you don’t really have to be burning up? It’s true, technologies such as metal halide are literally eating up 50% more energy than you would be with LED products installed. If you could reduce your lighting bill costs by 50% or more, what benefits could you see? For starters it would improve your bottom line. Otherwise, if you are proud to be a green company this could be just another way to further that mission and prove you are doing everything is takes to cut down on waste as much as possible. The list could go on but the main benefit that makes almost every person want to make the switch to LED is the 50% or more reduction in lighting costs month to month.

More Ways to Decrease Your Lighting Costs

Here we list a few ways that you can actually decrease your investment cost on a new LED lighting system in your DesignLights Consortium is, in basic terms, your rebate will more likely be better than just DLC standard.

Longer bulb life = Less Maintenance. LED technology is know to last 2-3 or even 4 times longer than other light sources out there. By upgrading to an LED system in your warehouse you are reducing the amount of times you need to pay someone to replace your burnt out lights. This can get especially pricey since most warehouses have high bay lighting which is typically high in the air. If you have 30, 40, or 50+ lights this can get very expensive for a warehouse facility. By opting in for a longer life light source (such as LED) you are going to reduce your maintenance costs dramatically (by 2-3 times).

Some Common Questions

Here are some very common questions that we are asked regarding lighting for a warehouse:

What exactly are the lighting fixtures used in warehouses and factories?

While an office in a warehouse will use the same lighting as any other office would (panels and tubes), the main floor and area of the warehouse is what we are talking about.

Typically people install high ceiling spaces.

What is a retrofit? And should I retrofit?

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With the rising temperatures comes the inevitable rise in energy bills. To keep your home as energy efficient as possible, we’ll be going room by room explaining just how you can save money while keeping your home cool.

Starting with the living room, there are a few simple steps you can take to bring energy savings and make it as energy efficient as possible.

What is Energy Star? Energy Star is a program that offers energy efficient consumer products. Energy efficient appliances with the Energy Star logo typically use around 25% less power than conventional models.

Energy Star products are the way to go if you wish to use less power while also saving big on your energy bill.

As we mentioned in our guide for different types of lightbulbs, there are many options available today which offer different brightness (known as lumens) and use less energy.

By far the best options for lighting your living room are LED light bulbs. These types of light bulbs are energy saving and emit LED lights, which reduce energy consumption considerably.

LEDs might have a higher upfront cost, but they offer an energy saving edge, reducing energy consumption up to 80%.

Power strips are a clean alternative to overfilling your outlets. By conveniently switching off multiple appliances at once, you have complete control over how what appliances get energy.

Traditional power strips are simple: you connect the devices and turn off a switch when not using them. Newer versions called advanced power strips feature a variety of other features that might benefit you.

Advanced power strips are designed for areas where many electronics are plugged in, such as entertainment centers or home offices and provide greater control over energy usage through built-in features.

There are multiple types available right now including:

Some power strips also feature a surge protector which not only give you complete control over your appliances but also protects them from damage during thunderstorms or power surges.

While power strips might be of great help to any home, the main culprit for those extra costs are energy vampire appliances, or appliances that use energy while on stand-by.

Appliances like these could end up costing more than $200 per year for the average home.

Vampire energy loss, also known as vampire load, vampire power, or vampire draw is a simple term to explain the use of electricity by appliances that are in standby or switched off.

While most appliances might indicate that they are turned off, they might still be drawing power. The end result is unneeded power being wasted as appliances lay unused.

Video game consoles such as the Playstation 4 and Xbox One are notable for their high energy demand and could result in up to $40 in costs during standby.

Computers, including laptops, are also some of the biggest energy vampires, costing up to $30 if left plugged in while not in use. Laptops might need less power, but leaving them plugged in could result in yearly costs up to $15 when not in use.

To easily reduce these costs, safely group as many of these appliances into a power strip. By easily switching off the power strip when not in use, you will be much more in control of how much energy they use.

Televisions are the kings of power consumption, with 5 hours of daily use costing up to $160 per year while in standby mode as well as with daily use.

Plasma TVs are notorious for their usage of energy. Instead, opt for LCD screens which will reduce the amount of energy you draw. Also, change your TV’s settings to dial back on energy consumption.

Most TVs have a store demo option selected for the picture which ups the brightness and results in a high energy usage. This translates to higher energy bills and more heat. By using the power-saver mode, you decrease the amount of energy used.

If you have multiple appliances connected to the TV, turn them off when not in use. TV manufacturers of today have reduced the usage of standby power, but connected appliances might draw more energy.

These could include DVRs, Blu-ray or DVD players, as well as streaming devices such as Roku, Apple TV, and more. While useful, they might be putting a dent into your energy bill and end up costing more with time.

Window shades, blinds, and curtains are more than just useful for decorating your living room. Dark curtains block sunlight from entering and can be closed during the day to reduce the amount of sunlight that enters, thereby reducing cooling costs.

Blinds are as useful and can reduce heat gain by up to 45% but offer the benefit of being able to be adjusted manually.

Making your living room as energy efficient as possible might seem like a daunting task. By following the above tips and ensuring that you use only the most important appliances, you will be well on your way to ensuring your home is ready for summer.

From LED Lighting installation, to ceiling fan room installation, Bryant Electric Service can help your living room be the highlight of your home.

Choosing a commercial electrician is a bit different from choosing a residential one. You likely have a much larger and more complex infrastructure than most homes. You almost certainly have less time to meddle around with unnecessary follow up visits and poorly done jobs. You have a business to run, and that means that any electrical work has to be done right the first time, preferably as quickly as possible. With that in mind, let’s take a look at what you should look for when selecting a call FB Electrical Services. We provide commercial services throughout Somerville, MA.