The Importance of Quality Exterior Lighting for Businesses

Exterior Lighting for Commercial Businesses Whether you realize it or not, your business presents itself to the public at all hours of the day. People will pass by your business even if it is closed, so it’s important to have quality exterior lighting, especially when it’s dark outside. When your business is open after the sun goes down and it’s really dark outside, people need to be able to see it in order to find it. Even when you’re closed, leaving the lights on has numerous benefits, including free advertising for your business.

Mood Setter

Did you know there are many ways to describe light? Soft or bright are typical adjectives used when describing light, but there’s also hue (shade), colorfulness, and saturation (intensity/chroma). Lighting helps set a mood for a place. Did you know red/orange light heightens people’s appetites? Or that nightclubs will use blue/purple light to help make people feel more comfortable and ready to socialize? Light is essential to business.

Encourage Business

With exterior lighting, your business should be lit up in such a way that it encourages “walk-in” business. The light(s) should literally attract customers. A great idea is to use path lighting, which literally lights the pathway to your door so customers know exactly where to walk in order to get into your place. Pathway exterior lights will also help draw attention to your business and its doors. Meanwhile, people feel more comfortable going into a place that’s well-lit. A bright storefront, for example, has better “curb appeal” than a dark one.

A Deterrent

One of the main reasons businesses invest in quality exterior lighting is to deter thieves. Safety, with businesses, is always a concern. Criminals and people up to no good love to find dark spots to make trouble– where they can’t easily be seen. However, when a building is well-illuminated, it looks, feels and literally is safer than a building that’s dark. Also, lights help security cameras create clearer pictures of exactly what’s going on outside of a business at night, whether it’s on the sidewalk in front, in the nearby parking lot or wherever people tend to congregate.

A Touch of Panache

Finally, lights add personality to a place. Think of the unique businesses and their exterior signs that stand out in your memory. Lighting can add new decor elements to your building, making it even more attractive. Lighting can also double as signage.

Always On Electric handles exterior lighting for many businesses in the Roaring Fork Valley of Colorado; please call 970-309-2616 to discuss your exterior lightning needs/wants today.

Outdoor Lighting Maintenance Tips

Exterior Lighting There are many benefits that come along with installing residential and commercial outdoor lighting. You can make properties safer and more attractive by doing it. However, in addition to installing outdoor lighting, you also must take steps to maintain it so that it continues to work both now and in the future. Here are some tips for doing basic outdoor lighting maintenance.

Replace any lights that have burned out immediately.

Outdoor lighting can really brighten up the exterior of a home or business. Nevertheless, it’s obviously not going to be able to do it if you have bulbs in your lighting fixtures that have burned out. You should replace any burned-out bulbs with new ones right away. You should also consider using long-lasting LED bulbs that won’t have to be replaced every few months. It might cost a little more to purchase these bulbs, but they’ll pay off in a big way when you don’t have to worry about replacing them for years to come.

Clean lighting fixtures that are covered in dirt, cobwebs, and more.

Are the lighting fixtures that you use to light the outside of your home or business filthy? If so, they might be bringing down your curb appeal significantly. You also might be putting them at risk for mechanical failure at some point in the future, and they just won’t work as well when they’re covered in gunk. Every so often, you should make it a point to sweep cobwebs away from outdoor lighting fixtures and clean your fixtures thoroughly. It will keep them shining and ensure your lights always turn on.

Fix any lighting fixtures that have been broken.

It’s not all that uncommon for a lighting fixture to break. An errant baseball or a large tree branch can come through and wreak havoc on outdoor lighting. If you ever notice that one of your lighting fixtures has broken, you should have it replaced right away. It can prevent further electrical problems and keep your outdoor lighting system up and running.

Do you need maintenance done to your outdoor lighting? Always on Electric can set you up with services that will take care of all your outdoor lighting needs. Call us at 970-309-2616 to schedule an appointment with an electrician.

Here’s Why You Shouldn’t Do Your Own Electrical Work

DIY Electrical Work Home maintenance projects can be expensive, and it is often tempting to attempt a repair on your own. After all, many times a DIY repair will not only save money, but may also be satisfying. Electrical work is one area of home repair where you may want to reconsider doing it yourself. These are a few reasons why you should not try to do electrical work on your own.

Fire Risk

The risk of fire from faulty wiring or improperly installed electrical components is very real. Electrical fires are also frequently devastating as they may start inside a wall at night and be fully involved before a homeowner notices. A small mistake, like a loose wire or an overloaded circuit, may lead to a dangerous electrical fire.

Electrical Shock

Electric shock is another serious risk of working with electricity. Professional electricians have years of experience and training, as well as specialized tools that help them stay safe while performing electrical work in your home. It only takes one small mistake or one second of inattention to receive a dangerous electric shock. The risk of electric shock makes DIY electrical repairs a bad idea.

Building Codes

All electrical work must be done in accordance with applicable building codes. Trying to fully understand the electrical codes takes considerable effort and time. Electrical work also may require an inspection. Performing electrical work by yourself may result in work that does not meet building code and is not inspected. This may become an issue when you attempt to sell the home.

Always On Electric has you covered whether you need residential or commercial electrical work performed. We work on all types of buildings throughout the western Colorado region. Our electricians are fully trained and experienced, and we are licensed, insured, and bonded. You can have full confidence in electrical work that we perform on your home or business. Contact us today at 970-309-2616 to learn more about our services or to request a quote.

Tips for Creating an Outdoor Landscape Lighting Plan

Installing Landscape Lighting

By installing landscape lighting on the outside of your home, you can improve the appearance of your residential property at night and make it a whole lot safer and more secure. But before you start putting landscape lighting into place, it’s important to create a landscape lighting plan. Check out some tips that will help you do it below.

Create a list of goals for your landscape lighting design.

What is it that you want your landscape lighting design to do once it’s in place? Do you want it to shine a spotlight on several of the key landscaping touches located in your yard? Do you want it to light up the walkway leading up to your home? Or do you want it to do some combination of both of these things? Prior to installing landscape lighting, you should list your goals so that you can set out to accomplish them.

Decide which kind of lighting fixtures you want to use.

Many homeowners are surprised by how many different types of lighting fixtures are available for landscape lighting designs. Browse through a bunch of your options while you’re creating a landscape lighting plan to see which ones you want to be set up on the outside of your home. They’ll offer you inspiration as you set out to come up with the best landscape lighting design possible.

Work with an electric company that has experience with landscape lighting.

Incorporating landscape lighting into the exterior of a residential property is not a DIY job. You’ll need an experienced electric company by your side to lead the way. They should know how to safely install the wiring that’s needed for landscape lighting so that it stays put for years to come and doesn’t present any big problems.

Would you like to create a landscape lighting plan for your home? Call Always on Electric at 970-309-2616 today to hear about the residential electrical services we can provide for you.