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Use Low Voltage Lighting to Light Your Steps On Your Deck and Wooden Stairways

When lighting your deck, patio, or backyard there is a rule of thumb to keep in mind: keep the voltage low. First off, low voltage and solar lighting are the best kind of lighting for the outdoors – as it's safe (even around children and pets and in the face of bad weather) and easy to install!

Also, a dim glow is really the way to go during the evening time. Not only is it soothing, but too often folks misplace lights to where they blind guests, rather than light their way. Low voltage lights perfectly shines on your backyard without giving off too great of a glare.

Here are some tips on everything from accent lighting to outdoor step lighting, so that your patio and deck steps can be properly lit for you and your guests.

Tips for Lighting Steps and Stairs

  • Light the area where people are walking

  • Use weather resistant lights
  • Use low voltage or solar lights
  • Make sure the light doesn't shine in your eyes
  • If using low voltage lighting make sure the wires are not exposed so people can't trip over them
  • Place the lights where you want them and test them out at night before permanently affixing them

Additional Outdoor Lighting Tips

Low voltage lighting is one of the easiest lighting systems to to install and maintain. The easiest form of lighting to install is lighting – since there are now wires to install. Just point the solar panels skyward and let them gather energy from the sun. The energy is stored in rechargeable batteries and converted into electrical energy at nighttime.

The only downside to solar lighting is it may not be as bright as you want or it might run out of light before the party is over. One thing you can do to ensure the light lasts longer than you do is make sure it is in a sunny spot. Even if the sky is overcast the solar panels will still capture energy with the sun.

Low voltage and solar powered lights give off a soft, beautiful glow that help you to see your surroundings at night and also add a welcoming ambiance to your outdoors.

For a good low voltage lighting system, you will rely on a transformer or power pack. All you have to do is plug the transformer into an outlet and it will reduce the normal electrical current in your home to a lower voltage for the outdoor lighting. The lamps and cables will compliment this system. The number of transformers you have will depend on the number of lights in your yard and of course, their voltages.

One nice feature on low voltage transformers is that you can set the light to come on automatically at dusk and then turn off at dawn. Then can also come with a nice option that you can set the light to go off after increments of 4, 6,  or 8 hour increments. This is a handy way to save energy and by automatically turning the lights off when you don't need them.

Solar outdoor lights generally turn off when they use up all of the energy. The lights that use LED bulbs will last up to 10 hours and you should never need to be replace a bulb.

There are all kinds of outdoor lighting out there and you'll find that you'll have a lot to consider and shop for as you browse the market. Always keep an eye on what is the simplest and most energy efficient and you'll find you won't be too overwhelmed!

For more information on lighting your deck and patio, please read this article on installing low voltage lighting.

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