Lighting your home in the winter

Outside Lighting

Its nearly that time now when the dark nights are closing in and we as electricians start to receive a lot of calls regarding outside lights.

It is at this time of year that people start to notice that their outside/security lights are failing.

Well this guide will talk you through the various types of lighting that are available:

Traditional Tungsten Halogen Fitting

These are the most common of 'domestic' outside/security light fittings, usually they come fitting with PIR sensor and are reasonably cheap and you can usually expect to get 12 to 18 months use before they fail or start to blow bulbs. These fittings are usually supplied with 400w bulbs and are pretty average. Recently there have been newer versions of these fittings which will accept low energy bulbs and are more cost efficient long term.

LED security lights

These fittings are a relatively new concept and are a replacement for the traditional fitting but offer a ultra bright  light and more shelf life out of the fittings in general. They are considerably more expensive than the traditional fitting but will pay for themselves long term. It is claimed they will provide 50,000 hours worth of life from the LED bulbs and will offer an energy saving of up to 85%.

Sodium Floodlights

Commonly known as a 70w SON fitting or SONPAK these fittings are the next stage in lighting and are commonly used in commercial installations although these fittings can be used in a domestic installation. The fitting below features a built in photocell which automatically detects when light levels drop and the fitting will ignite itself without the need for switching on or off. SON fittings give off a softer light and are excellent for lighting walkways, driveways etc.

Metal Halide Floodlights

These fittings are similar to the above fitting but give off an ultra bright light and are used where illumination needs to be very high. These fittings give excellent colour rendering and the light is very crisp, these fittings are commonly used in exhibitions, retail etc. As above these fittings can have a built in photocell

Decorative Lighting

There are also many different types of feature fittings such as lamp posts, bollards, runway lights etc and this type of fitting can complement any application to bring a touch of class to the installation. 

Remember during the winter time you need to be able to reach your front door safely so make sure all of your external lighting is well maintained, the front of your house is well illuminated and you have a sufficient stock of spare bulbs.

If you need any further information visit our website at the top of the page.

Gary Price

Orrell Electrics

www.orrellelectrics.co.uk

0151 526 9998