Marietta GA

Feb 06

4 Tips for Lighting a Backyard Putting Green

By Southern Landscape Lighting Systems | Marietta GA, Outdoor LED Lighting, Outdoor Lighting, Outdoor Lighting Company, Outdoor Lighting System | No Comments

Southern Landscape Lighting Systems of Marietta shares 4 strategies for lighting a backyard putting green.

What better way is there to relax than playing a few rounds of golf at the local course and enjoying a glass of iced tea, an Arnold Palmer, or other beverage of choice? After a long day of work, sinking a few balls on the putting green can really take one’s mind off of the stresses of life. It is obvious why so many golfers have begun incorporating putting greens into their outdoor living spaces.

But the enjoyment and release do not have to end after sunset. Once the sun sets and the evening air cools off, the cares of the day and the rest of the world seem to dissolve away and leave the now relieved mind to enjoy the remainder of the evening. In fact, nighttime is probably the best time to play golf in the warmer months of the year.

But what about a backyard golf night? Is spending the summer nights down at the local golfing venue with the crowds and noise all that appealing? If not, there is an alternative. A summer evening on the back patio, a cold drink, some light music, and a few friends in a private backyard putting green can be a reality. Consider the addition of a well-designed and professionally installed outdoor lighting system. The additional lights for the putting green can be added to an existing system. Maybe the time is right to highlight the home and outfit the landscape with a custom-designed LED architectural outdoor lighting system.

4 Tips to Light a Backyard Putting Green

Tip #1: Downlighting

Downlighting is one of the best ways to splash a cascade of light over the backyard putting green. Downlighting is when a fixture is mounted in an elevated place and targeted downward at a specific location on the ground. The branches of a large, established tree or the architecture of a home can serve as vantage points from which to mount downlighting.

Downlighting, often referred to as moonlighting, creates drama. Flooding a target area with a high-powered floodlight does not create a dramatic aesthetic. The aim is to cast a soft light that yields both beauty and functionality.

Tip #2: Directional Path Light

What if there is not an elevated location from which a downlight can be attached or suspended? The lighting solution is to strategically place path lights around the putting green. A well-placed directional path light can be used to accent a putting green.

In contrast to a downlight that bathes the entire green with a flat light from above, a directional path light illuminates the putting green from the border of the feature. The path light casts shadows caused by tiny knolls. These subtle shadows from the small hills and undulations on the surface of the green hint at the best path from the golf ball to the cup.

Tip #3: Include an On/Off Switch

It may not be appropriate for the putting green to always be at the centerpiece of the backyard landscape. Having an on/off switch to control the lights to the putting green will enable the homeowner to use the recreational space for various other needs and uses.

Tip #4: Create a Relaxing Haven for Guests and the Family

The final lighting tip for the backyard putting green does not involve the illumination of the green. It addresses the larger goal of how to light the property in order to garner the most enjoyment from it.

Keep in mind the other features that make the outdoor living space so enjoyable. A small garden, an outdoor kitchen, bar top, pool deck, or fire pit come into play when lighting the putting green.

Creating a warm, relaxing ambiance makes for an enjoyable night in the backyard. In addition to lighting the putting green, accenting key landscape features elevates the beauty of a property and provides a better sense of visual control over the backyard environment.

The team of professional outdoor lighting specialists at Southern Landscape Lighting Systems are available to consult, design, and install landscape lighting for the backyard putting enthusiast who is seriously considering a lighting project for their putting green or the rest of their outdoor living space.

For more information about outdoor landscape lighting or to schedule a free consultation, contact Southern Landscape Lighting Systems of Marietta by phone at (678) 616-9166 or via email at lindsey@southernlls.com. Visit them on the web at https://southernlls.com/locations/marietta-georgia.

Jan 30

Marietta Landscape Lighting Company Provides Educational Resources for Customers

By Southern Landscape Lighting Systems | Landscape Lighting, Landscape Lighting Company, Landscape Lighting Design, Marietta GA, Outdoor Lighting Company | No Comments

The Southern Landscape Lighting blog covers a variety of landscape lighting design, installation, and maintenance topics.

Southern Landscape Lighting Systems successfully lights up both homes and lives by providing professional landscape lighting in Marietta, GA. The company is an innovator in architectural landscape lighting design and an early adopter of advanced LED technology and landscape lighting installation. Co-owner and award-winning landscape lighting designer Lindsey Rodericks and designer David Rodericks listens to their clients and seeks to understand their needs and desires before moving forward with a design. Southern Landscape Lighting Systems illuminates homes and businesses in the Metro Atlanta area. It also shines educational light through its extensive blog, which is a beacon of practical landscape lighting information.

Informed customers who come to understand the basic principles of lighting design and installation possess a greater appreciation of the aesthetic challenges that must be addressed and resolved to achieve a truly captivating design. Light and landscape must embrace in order to enchant in magnificent beauty.

The knowledge base on the Southern Landscape Lighting Systems website is one of the best in the industry. The articles are thoughtful and intentional in their content and broad in their scope, covering a wide range of landscape lighting design, installation, and maintenance issues. The topics and concepts are relevant, practical, and understandable for the non-technical mind.

Here is a bit of trivia that demonstrates the investment Southern Landscape Lighting Systems has in the education and enrichment of their clientele. Their blog contains over seventy articles, and the number is steadily growing. At nearly 40,000 words, it contains enough words to be a medium-sized book. It truly can be said that they have written a book on architectural outdoor landscape lighting, design, installation, and maintenance. It is content that is worth a read.

The articles are pinpoint focused on specific topics, issues, and questions that are top of mind for the property owner seeking landscape lighting consulting or architectural lighting installation. The knowledge base is extremely helpful for homeowners and commercial businesses that already have landscape lighting, whether Southern Landscape Lighting Systems did the installation or not.

The blog articles shed light on topics and categories such as:

Design: Layout, product selection, placement, landscape, treescapes, decks, patios, pools, spas, walks, driveway, fountains, and other landscape and hardscape features
Thematic design considerations
Seasonal design options
Industry trends in new design techniques and new emerging technology
LED: Technology, function, hardware, capabilities, benefits, cost, energy efficiency
Timers and remote activation technology
How-to guides, tips, and helps
Maintenance, upkeep, and repairs
Security: Personal and property
Safety along paths, walkways, stairs, etc.
The aesthetic value of lighting a home or business
The importance of involving a landscape lighting professional in lighting layout and design

The following blog articles provide some of the most helpful and informative advice that will assist homeowners in choosing a landscape lighting specialist.

Marietta Outdoor Lighting Company Wins Prestigious Landscape Lighting Award (February 9, 2019)
How to Choose the Best Landscape Lighting Company (October 31, 2018)
Three Reasons Hiring A Lighting Design Company Will Save You Money (October 28, 2018)
Questions You Should Ask Your Landscape Lighting Installation Company (March 31, 2018)

Co-owner Lindsey Rodericks commented on the company’s commitment to customer focus, saying, “We know that we need to keep focusing on delivering an excellent customer experience every time. There are two main reasons that we do this. First, we really care about each of our clients, and we know how important their homes are to them, so we want to give them the best experience possible. And second, we know that people talk – word of mouth is one of the top ways that new clients hear about our services…”

Southern Landscape Lighting Systems in Marietta, GA is a landscape lighting company that specializes in outdoor led lighting installations. Each installation is carefully customized to the requirements of the customer, and excellent customer service is their top priority.

Their services include landscape lighting design, installation, and maintenance. For systems that they have installed, they provide lens cleaning, exposed wire re-burying, timer battery replacement, fixture adjustment and repositioning, halogen bulb replacement, foliage overgrowth pruning, socket growth, and free callouts for one year following service.

To contact the architectural outdoor landscape lighting specialists at Southern Landscape Lighting Systems of Marietta, call (678) 616-9166 or visit their website at https://southernlls.com/locations/marietta-georgia/.

Dec 10

A Guide to Selecting Spotlights for Your Landscape Lighting Installation

By Southern Landscape Lighting Systems | Landscape Company, Landscape Lighting, Marietta GA, Outdoor Lighting, Outdoor Lighting Company, Outdoor Lighting System | No Comments

There are many different types of lighting – from floodlights to spotlights, path lights, and area lights. Southern Landscape Lighting Systems shares their tips on selecting spotlights for a landscape lighting installation as they play an integral role in transforming the exterior of a house and property.

Spotlights have their origins in theatre and show business and were used to light up the main actors on the stage. Today, in landscape lighting designs, they perform a similar function drawing emphasis on a landscape or architectural feature. Different from floodlights that give light to a wide area, spotlights have a much narrower focus with a beam that highlights one feature at a time.

Outdoor lighting isn’t designed to flood the exterior of your home with light. Rather, it is the interplay of light and shadow that adds depth to a garden landscape after dark. The selective application of spotlights creates visual accents on a home’s walls or sidings.

There are different ways to add spotlights to your property, such as:

Exterior Walls

The spacing and positioning of spotlights that shine on a wall is key to creating a visually appealing exterior. Where the siding or wall is plain without windows, spotlights should be positioned so that the beams overlap about halfway up the wall.

Columns

If your home has columns, these provide an ideal architectural feature for spotlighting. With columns there is usually a white section between the columns under the eaves; this is where the beam from each column should meet the next (halfway along). Using this design, a popular choice of spotlight is a well-type flush set fixture which presents the column in its best light with the illumination starting at the bottom of the column.

Second Story

Outdoor architectural lighting aims to reveal the shape of the most important structures on the property so they can be seen even on a dark night. This requires that the upper story of a building is also illuminated along with the lower story. This represents a challenge for the landscape lighting company during the installation process as the spotlights will need to be mounted either under the eaves or in gutters. An alternative to this is to use narrow beam spotlights that are positioned from the ground and aimed to shine at the underside of the upper eaves while avoiding shining the lights into second-story windows.

Trees

Whether during the day or at night, trees are an integral part of your property’s landscape and are impressive features in their own right. When it comes to shining a spotlight on them, you will need to consider their size and shape to determine the best way to showcase them.

Tall, Expansive Trees

Large, wide trees will need more than one spotlight. An effective strategy is to use at least two 60-degree beams to illuminate the trunk and the outer edge of the canopy. The number of fixtures you use will depend on the size of the tree and the extent to which you want it to be a focal point in the design of your landscape.

Large, Narrow Trees

These trees will usually only need a single spotlight (although two will give better coverage) positioned at the base with a beam that is wide enough to light up the tree’s canopy.

Small to Medium-Sized Trees

Young or ornamental trees will need one spotlight. A 24-degree spotlight will work well for a short, narrow tree, while a short, wise tree can benefit from two 60-degree spotlights.

Southern Landscape Lighting Systems in Marietta, GA, offers engaging landscape lighting installations for their clients. With many years of experience in the industry, they consistently offer the best quality LED lighting and excellent customer service to the clients.

Oct 31

2 Reasons to Choose High-Quality Copper Outdoor Lighting Fixtures

By Southern Landscape Lighting Systems | Marietta GA, Outdoor LED Lighting, Outdoor Lighting, Outdoor Lighting Ideas, Outdoor Lighting System | No Comments

When homeowners invest in outdoor lighting installation, two of the most important factors that will influence their decision about which fixtures to choose are the durability and the sustainability of the lights.

Copper is the premium quality choice for many homeowners when taking these two factors into consideration, and, although the initial investment for copper is greater, it is the best choice, paying for itself in terms of lifespan and performance.

The two primary benefits that copper fixtures offer are:

1. Lifespan – copper lighting fixtures are extremely durable

Copper has been proven to stand the test of time and it’s the reason that it’s used in plumbing, roofing and even structures such as the Statue of Liberty. This is large because copper resists corrosion extremely well.

Copper light fixtures provide resistance to:

Atmospheric exposure: so that storms and other extreme weather won’t damage the fixtures.
Freshwater: copper light fixtures offer superior resistance to corrosion by water and soil
Heat: the bulb won’t damage the fixture.
Exposure to chemicals: when gardens and using fertilizers or compost, the fixtures won’t be affected if they are accidentally exposed to different organic and inorganic chemicals.
Damage from electrical applications: outdoor lighting combines electrical, thermal and mechanical properties, all of which a copper fixture can handle with ease.

In comparison, another popular material for light fixtures is brass. Brass does not perform as well as copper since it is an alloy. It is made from a combination of copper and zinc, is likely to leach zinc over time which depletes the zinc from the fixture, leaving the remaining metal porous and weak. This will happen in the case of a copper-zinc alloy fixture in a garden where it is exposed to oxygen and moisture. The color of the fixture will also gradually change from yellow to a less-attractive dull red.

2. Sustainability of copper outdoor lighting fixture

Copper fixtures have the highest sustainability as it is an organic material lasting up to 300 years and is easily recyclable. Even if it gets thrown in the trash, the folks at the landfill will go through and pick out the copper for it to be recycled since it has the highest recycling value compared to other metals.

From an eco-friendly perspective, copper offers the best true sustainability. It stands out from other materials such as plastic and aluminum which are technically recyclable, but in most cases, it is not financially viable, so these materials are less likely to end up being recycled. To put it differently, from the beginning of the production phase to the end of the product’s lifespan, the copper will retain a high percentage of its value. This makes it desirable and financially feasible to recycle.

Copper offers the best option for high quality and value while offering an unbeatable beautiful patina finish that becomes more apparent over time. Because copper is a pure metal as well as being a sustainable, environmentally friendly choice, it’s the most coveted material for outdoor lighting fixtures on the market.

Southern Landscape Lighting Systems in Marietta, GA specializes in the installation of copper outdoor lighting fixtures as part of the landscape lighting installation services. Their copper fixtures offer excellent durability and sustainability as the metal is corrosive resistant, and long-lasting, able to respond well to extreme temperatures.

They are the custom outdoor lighting company for thousands of satisfied clients, offering expert advice, professional installation and excellent service both pre- and post-installation.

Oct 17

Landscape Lighting Expert Shares Tips to Extend the Life of Landscape Lights

By Southern Landscape Lighting Systems | Marietta GA, Outdoor LED Lighting, Outdoor Lighting, Outdoor Lighting Company, Outdoor Lighting Ideas, Outdoor Lighting System | No Comments

Marietta Landscape Company Shares Tips on Extending Landscape Lights Performance

Correct cleaning and maintenance can have a direct impact on the lifespan of your landscape lights, as well as helping to keep them in tip-top working condition. Preventative maintenance, including a number of tasks that can be performed once or twice a year, will ensure that you avoid more expensive repairs at a later date. Your specific maintenance needs will vary depending on the specific landscape lighting installation and fixtures that you have. In many cases, talking to a professional landscape lighting installation company like Southern Landscape Lighting Systems, will help clarify maintenance requirements.

1. Prune Branches and Plants Around Landscape Lighting Fixtures

This is the first and most important step to maintaining your outdoor lighting. Cut back trees, shrubs, and plants that are touching the fixture, are too close or are blocking the light when the fixture is on. This step will prevent any damage to fixtures, will make it easy to clean and maintain the actual feature, and will ensure that the light from the fixture is optimal as it is no longer blocked.

2. Check the Outdoor Lighting System Cables

It’s important that the cables are not damaged and that they remain buried. Even with professional outdoor lighting installation, it is possible for wires that were correctly buried to become exposed. And if they are exposed for an extended time, this can lead to electrical wire damage. Perform this check often if you have dogs or children who spend time out in the yard, especially if your dogs like to dig, or if you’ve recently had harsh weather such as storms and wind.

If you do come across exposed wires check that they are not damaged before reburying them. If there is no damage, they should be buried immediately so that they do not present a tripping hazard. If you don’t have enough experience with wiring and are not sure if the lines have been damaged, ask your landscape lighting installer to check them for you.

3. Remove Any Debris on or Around the Landscape Lighting Fixtures

Debris that collects around your light fixtures can include mud, fallen leaves, mulch, pinestraw and insects and will have the impact of improving illumination. For visible light fixtures, clearing them of debris will contribute to a cleaner, neater outdoor area. It can also lengthen the life of your fixtures and has the additional benefit of avoiding any fire hazards.

4. Check Outdoor Lighting System Fixtures and Replace Bulbs

Check each and every lighting fixture for damage. This includes broken lenses, dented metal, and corrosion. If your lighting fixtures are in hard-to-reach areas, you can call your landscape lighting installer to perform the checks for you. If there is damage you may need to order some replacement parts or replace the fixtures if the damage is extensive.

While you’re doing this check, replace any bulbs that have burned out. If you have LED lights, this check can possibly be skipped, although if you’ve had your LED lighting installation for a long time, some of the bulbs may no longer be shining so brightly and you may opt to replace them. Here again, it may be a better option to ask your landscape lighting company to change the bulbs if needed as they can check for damage and make repairs at the same time as necessary.

Southern Landscape Lighting Systems in Marietta offers LED lighting installations for homeowners and are the preferred company for custom outdoor lighting with a track record of thousands of satisfied customers. They offer the highest quality products, professional and innovative installation, and design and excellent after-sales support.

Sep 05

How Does LED Landscape Lighting in Marietta Work?

By Southern Landscape Lighting Systems | Landscape Company, Landscape Lighting, Landscape Lighting Company, Landscape Lighting Design, LED Lighting Guide, Marietta GA | No Comments

Low voltage landscape lighting adds value to the residents of a home by making outdoor areas easy to navigate and accessible after dark. It also adds to a home’s curb appeal, as well as safety and security. And, if done using LED fixtures, can save money by minimising energy use.

Southern Landscape Lighting Systems specializes in LED lighting installations for homes in Marietta. Their unique understanding of the area, combined with their experience that spans thousands of LED lighting installations, ensures that they have the expert, in-depth knowledge needed for the successful design and installation of the ideal lighting solution for properties.

Here they share their top tips for ensuring that a landscape lighting solution has the correct components:

LED Lights: Setting the Style and Ambiance in a Garden

There are a number of different LED light fixtures that can be used, and the perfect combination will depend on the layout of the garden, as well as its size. Lights that should be included in an installation include path lights for illuminating a sidewalk or pathways in the garden. Spotlights and floodlights can highlight features of the garden as well as lighting up larger areas.

LED lights are available in a wide range of different designs allowing homeowners to work with their landscape lighting installer to come up with the best combination for the home.

There are some important considerations when setting up lighting in a garden; this includes:

Safety – visitors need to be able to safely navigate the garden whether they are walking from their car to the front entrance or walking through the garden to an outdoor entertainment area.
Security – landscape lights provide an important deterrent for unwanted intruders on the property. This may mean setting up lighting around the perimeter of the yard, as well as lighting up all possible entranceways and windows.
Aesthetics – landscape lighting can be used to highlight, or even create, features in the garden including water features, trees, shrubs, or even walls.

The Transformer: Powering Up the LED Lighting Installation

Your landscape lighting company will advise on the size transformer that is needed to power the installation. All transformers have a maximum wattage capacity – for example a 200-watt transformer can only safely provide power to an installation that has a maximum demand for 200 watts. This is why the lighting company will map out the yard and the fixtures needed to get an understand of the number of lights that will be used. Each of the lights will have a maximum bulb wattage rating so to calculate the size of the transformer needed; they will need to add up the total number of lights and their wattage.

An important tip here is that your lighting company will want to pad the numbers a bit and suggest that a bigger transformer be used. This is a good idea in case you decide to add additional fixtures at a later stage. Using LED light fixtures will bring down the transformer price as they are low-wattage, which will mean that you can buy a lower-spec, lower price transformer.

Cables: Linking Up the LED Lighting Installation

Here a landscape lighting contractor will lay out all the light fixtures to ensure that they have enough cabling to connect all the fixtures to the power source. In most cases, cables will be run along the ground so that they can be lightly covered with soil (making them easy to dig up and adjust if needed).

Southern Landscape Lighting Systems in Marietta, GA specializes in custom design and installation of outdoor LED lighting solutions. With years of experience, they know exactly which light fixtures to use where, the size transformer that will be needed and how to neatly and effectively wire the installation so that it works well and can be adjusted if necessary.

Aug 10

A Stylish Landscape Lighting Installation That Will Stand the Test of Time

By Southern Landscape Lighting Systems | Landscape Company, Landscape Lighting, Landscape Lighting Company, Marietta GA, Outdoor LED Lighting, Outdoor Lighting, Outdoor Lighting Company | No Comments

As professional landscape lighting installers, Southern Landscape Lighting Systems in Marietta has seen it all. From DIY jobs gone bad, to completely over the top installations that take poor taste to the next level. It has helped them to value the most important requirements for landscape lighting. All homeowners want landscape lighting that adds to the curb appeal of a home while serving the practical purpose of adding safety and security to a home.

The Southern Landscape Lighting Systems team shares their top tips for creating enduringly stylish and modern lighting installation for gardens in Marietta:

1. Keep Path Lights for Their Purpose

There is a tendency to use path lights for lighting flowerbeds, particularly around the perimeter of a yard. This is neither practical, nor does it serve any real aesthetic purpose. Path lights shouldn’t be installed randomly, but rather used to light pathways to help visitors navigate safely through the garden.

For homeowners wanting to highlight the natural beauty of a garden, there are better lighting options that can be used which a professional lighting company will be able to assist with.

2. Motion Sensor Lights are Not a Good Option

Homeowners often use motion sensor outdoor LED lighting as a security solution. But they can have the opposite effect. In reality, the more light that shines on a property, the more likely it is that the property will be avoided by a trespasser. Leaving the lights on acts to discourage potential trespassers before they even enter the property, whereas motion sensor lights only turn on after someone has entered the property.

3. Security Lighting Can Also Beautify a Property

Landscape lighting is installed to perform three main functions – it needs to illuminate a property to improve security and deter potential trespassers, it should accentuate the features of the property so that the yard can be enjoyed after dark, and it should make it possible to navigate the garden safely.

Professional landscape lighting is able to do these three things using a system of LED lights that are strategically positioned by making subtle adjustments to the choice and placement of fixtures.

4. Up Lights Aren’t a Good Option for Lighting Paths

Uplights aren’t a good choice for lighting paths or stairs as the direction of the light will always be up. This doesn’t make sense because the stairs and paths won’t be adequately lit, and people navigating those areas are likely to be blinded by the lights which then turns paths and stairs into tripping hazards. It’s for this reason that uplights shouldn’t be repurposed as path lights – and it’s also why path lights are the best option for stairs and paths.

5. Use a Variety of Lighting Options

With so many different types of LED lights to choose from, it makes sense to incorporate a variety of options into your landscape lighting installation. Each serves a different purpose, from lighting features to assisting with navigation and more. Working with a landscape lighting company can help homeowners find the perfect mix so that their yards are lit optimally.

Southern Landscape Lighting Systems in Marietta has a team of lighting professionals who are passionate about working with homeowners to design and install landscape lighting for their homes. With a focus on highlighting the natural beauty and features of a yard as well as delivering state of the art security lighting for homes, the company has developed a strong reputation for excellent solutions and high-quality service. Their team goes the extra mile, offering trial installations, walk-throughs and excellent post-installation service that includes lens cleaning, re-burying exposed wires, replacement of halogen bulbs, replacement of time batteries, fixture adjustment, socket greasing and pruning of foliage overgrowth.

Jun 27

Marietta Outdoor Lighting System, Marietta Landscape Lighting Company, Marietta Outdoor Lighting Contractor, Marietta Landscape Lighting Installation Service, Marietta Landscape Lighting Installation Company

5 Ways Landscape Lighting Can Improve Property Curb Appeal

By Southern Landscape Lighting Systems | Landscape Lighting, Landscape Lighting Company, Marietta GA | No Comments

The improvement of curb appeal through landscape lighting is a key suggestion that real estate agents make when trying to help homeowners make a good first impression with their property. But it’s not only for people who are looking to sell, but it’s also about having a home that makes the most of its natural features.

Proper landscape lighting is something that interests property owners who want their home to stand out from other neighboring houses on the street, and it makes a dazzling impression on guests that come over in the evening. Those benefits aside, landscape lighting also works to make homes easy to find for first-time guests as well as significantly improving the security and safety of the property.

Southern Landscape Lighting Systems, the leading landscape lighting company in Marietta, GA shares five things that their team focuses on when improving the curb appeal of a property.

1. Highlight Architectural Features with Up-Lighting

LED landscape lighting technology has developed significantly over the last decade and is now the premier way to illuminate the best exterior features of a home. During installation, a professional landscape lighting contractor will ensure that no lights shine directly on the windows of the home. Instead, they will work to create a balance where pillars, external décor and other architectural features of the home receive the benefit of uplights.

Although the advantages of uplights only become apparent after dark, the impressive effects are worthwhile. It is important to note that uplighting can be difficult to get right and may require the services of an experienced landscape lighting company.

2. Create Silhouettes of Landscaping Features

If the garden has natural highlights such as an impressive tree, or attractive bush, those can be made into visual highlights. Additionally, any striking or noteworthy statues, fountains or structures that can be incorporated into a landscape lighting installation.

3. Maximize the Impact of Landscape Lighting by Using a Timer

With busy days and a packed schedule, it can be difficult to remember to switch on LED landscape lights. For families that have long days, arriving home after dark doesn’t have to mean arriving in the dark. This problem can be easily solved with a timer so that the family, along with visitors and neighbors can enjoy the outdoor lighting installation as soon as it gets dark.

4. Create Visual Interest by Contrasting Areas of Light and Shadow

If the garden lacks visually interesting architectural features, another way to draw attention is to make the lighting itself the feature. Here it is important to interplay light and shadow to create interest. This technique is effective for newly planted gardens and is a good alternative while the planted features develop and mature.

5. Integrate Outdoor Lighting Into the Overall Landscaping Plan

When developing the overall plan for a garden’s landscape, it is vital that thought and attention go into how the garden will look after dark. You should take full advantage of landscape lighting as it highlights the beauty of your home. To create a cohesive, visually appealing landscape lighting installation and add to a home’s curb appeal, the installation of LED lighting cannot simply be an afterthought.

Southern Landscape Lighting Systems, the best landscape lighting company in Marietta GA, provides residents and business owners with custom landscape lighting installations designed to improve the curb appeal of their clients’ properties. In addition to the tips that they have shared in this article, the team will go one step further and create a demo installation of the outdoor lighting that they think would work for the specific property.

In all interactions with clients, they aim to share their knowledge and expertise, as well as delivering high-quality landscape lighting solutions that exceed the expectations of their customers.

Apr 30

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Marietta Outdoor Lighting Company Shares Important Components on Lighting Systems

By Southern Landscape Lighting Systems | Marietta GA, Outdoor Lighting System | No Comments

The professional team at Southern Landscape Lighting Systems in Marietta, will design and install an outdoor landscape lighting system that meets all your requirements. Not only do they do installations, but they also do detailed design work together with your architects, builders, and landscaping contractors, to get the best effects in your garden and on your home. They also provide maintenance services for all outdoor landscape and security lighting systems. Southern Landscape Lighting Systems provides complimentary consultations and estimates. Their commitment to customers extends to free service calls for a year after installation.

The most critical part of an effective and sustainable outdoor landscape lighting installation, is the correct selection of components that meet the requirements of the lighting plan, have low maintenance requirements, keep their structural integrity when exposed to the elements, and are low energy consumers.

Light Fittings

Great outdoor lights will add “kerb” appeal and ambiance to any home. The outdoor landscape lights that you choose consists of two parts, the fitting/mount, and the globe. When specifying the design of the light fitting for your outdoor lighting system, you need to determine whether it is concealed or in open view, which will affect the aesthetic appearance of your installation.

All exterior outdoor light fittings are susceptible to the ravages of ultra-violet light, temperature extremes, water, and the occasional knock from pedestrian traffic or garden implements. The extent of this risk will determine how robust the light fittings must be.

Globes and Voltage System

Your outdoor lighting installation can be designed to operate on “line voltage”, the 120 volt current from your house, or on a low-voltage system that operates on 12 volts. 12-volt systems are “stepped down” through transformers from your home’s 120 volt supply, and are generally recommended in smaller installations, as well as where there is continual exposure to water.

There are a wide variety of bulb types that can be used in outdoor landscape lighting designs, but must be compatible with the lamp fitting and voltage supply. Types of bulbs made specifically for outdoor applications include fluorescent, incandescent, CFL or LED. LED or Light Emitting Diodes is now the most popular type of lighting technology used in outdoor lighting installations (both 120 volt and 12 volt systems) as they are more efficient at converting energy to light, and therefore radiate less heat than other lights. They can use less than 90% less power than equivalent incandescent bulbs.

Sensors Timers and Control Systems

The operation of your outdoor lighting installation is managed by either a timer, which switches the system or parts of the system on and off at certain times, or motion sensors that activate the system when your premises are approached by moving objects, people or animals.

Outdoor lighting systems are also now part of a network of things, and can be activated through various controllers linked to computer systems, the internet, and mobile phone technology.

Wiring and Conduit

The specification of wiring is determined by the number of bulbs, power demand, and the total cable length of the outdoor landscape lighting installation. All outdoor wiring must be protected from damage and deterioration by good quality, strong and resilient conduit to prevent mechanical, water or sunlight damage.

Mounts, Brackets, Stands, and Fixtures

Mounts, brackets, stands, and fixtures enhance the aesthetics of your landscape lighting system and should not be overlooked for quality and safety of operation.

Southern Landscape Lighting Systems has firmly entrenched themselves as the leading provider of outdoor landscape lighting in Marietta, Georgia. By offering the highest quality of products, professional designs, quality installation, as well as ongoing service and support for their customers, they should be your first choice when looking for outdoor installers of landscape lighting solutions.

Dec 03

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Marietta Outdoor Lighting Company Puts Safety First When Installing LED Lighting

By Southern Landscape Lighting Systems | Landscape Lighting, Marietta GA | No Comments

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

The Team at Southern Landscape Lighting Systems shares their passion and commitment to the community through education and support.

According to the team at the Southern Landscape Lighting Systems in Marietta, GA they are hearing about people injuring themselves, sometimes seriously, while installing their own outdoor lights, especially newer Outdoor LED Lighting Systems. On-site assessments of past landscape lighting projects and consultations also reveal unsafe practices that residents or other landscape lighting installers have been employing when putting up and connecting their outdoor lights that create potential hazards for people on the property.

Southern Landscape Lighting Systems shared some basic safety tips that they hope will help their Marietta community stay safe when installing architectural lighting, landscape lighting and security lighting systems at homes and businesses.

According to Lindsey Rodericks, the outdoor lighting company’s expert advisor, safety should always be the first consideration when it comes to landscape and architectural lighting installations. With Christmas just around the corner, it is of utmost importance that people learn about safety around lighting installation. According to The Independent Online, 84 Americans were admitted to hospital over December 2016 due to injuries related to Christmas lights alone.

It is important not to rush a lighting system installation project says Lindsey Rodericks, as this is when most mistakes tend to happen. Basic considerations are points such as ensuring the main breaker(s) are switched off before installing new lights and using best practices when it comes to using ladders to reach the spots that are off ground level.

Remember to check the manufacturer’s instructions carefully and only use lights specifically designed for outdoor use. Southern Landscape Lighting Systems also noted that people are often tempted to modify and alter the lights they have bought. They strongly warn against this unless you have a sound knowledge of electrical installations and lighting fixtures. Considering that a professional company or landscape lighting installer should have a low voltage electrical license, it may be prudent to consult an expert like Southern Landscape Lighting Systems if you have any questions or apprehensions with your next outdoor lighting project.

The cables and cords from the lights can certainly become a safety risk if not properly installed and secured. Try to avoid running cables along walkways so as not to be a potential tripping hazard. Make sure that cables aren’t run through doors and windows where they might be damaged and while it may be obvious, never run cables through pools or water features. All outdoor connection points must be waterproofed or sheltered.

Finally, they say that if you want to take your safety yet one more step further, you can install a safety switch, or get an expert to do this for you.

Southern Landscape Lighting Systems is proud of their 100% safety record and their commitment to the continued education means that Marietta landscape lighting customers have peace of mind and confidence in their outdoor lights. An installation by the team will last for years to come and can be installed in family-friendly gardens that are used by children (as well as their pets).

For more information and support you can contact a friendly consultant at Southern Landscape Lighting Systems and they’ll be able to guide you through the process for choosing an outdoor lighting system that is both safe and aesthetically pleasing while adding to exterior security of your home and increasing its value.

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Southern Landscape Lighting Systems provide exceptional service by knowledgeable staff to residents and business owners in Marietta as well as Atlanta, Sandy Springs, Alpharetta, and Acworth. They specialize in low voltage landscape lighting design and installation and have a low voltage electrical license.

With years of continued reliable service, Southern Landscape Lighting Systems perfectly highlights the best features of outdoor areas whether to fulfill ambiance, safety or security needs.